The ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix in Saint-Tropez was reduced to just one racing day. The second, scheduled for Saturday, was cancelled due to electrical storms in the region. The organisation announced the decision during the morning, apologised to the fans and underlined that safety comes before any other consideration, particularly in a competition of this nature.
The bay of Saint-Tropez greeted the fleet with a strong and unpredictable mistral. Under these conditions four races took place, producing four different winners, a reflection of both equality and the difficulty of sailing in such a shifting field.
The main beneficiaries were Emirates GBR, led by Dylan Fletcher. The British team delivered a solid day, including a victory in the final race and three consistent results without finishing lower than sixth. That steadiness secured them first place in the event.
The day also brought a milestone for Red Bull Italy, with Ruggero Tita at the helm and Jimmy Spithill as co-founder. The team achieved their first SailGP win since joining in 2025, taking the third race after finishing last in the opening one.
Other crews experienced mixed fortunes. The Flying Roos of Tom Slingsby opened with a win, then followed it with two tenth places that dropped them down the table. France, competing on home waters and arriving with confidence after their victory in Germany, failed to find consistency and finished sixth despite strong support from the crowd.
Afterwards Fletcher summed it up, saying it had been a very changeable day, and that it was quite something to leave as leaders even though he was not sure they had sailed their best. He added that they had plenty of wild moments, but with the big wings and shifting winds of Saint-Tropez there was nothing quite like it.
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The cancellation of Saturday made the Friday results final. The podium in Saint-Tropez was:
The British triumph came through consistency, the New Zealanders confirmed their resilience under pressure, and Spain capitalised on opportunities across the day to secure third place.
Beyond the local result, the overall season standings after the French leg are:
New Zealand, 70 points
Great Britain, 68 points
Australia, 67 points
Spain, 64 points
France, 52 points
The Black Foils of Peter Burling remain at the top with a two point advantage over the British and three over Australia.
The circuit continues in Geneva on 20 and 21 September, where the fleet expects to return to the usual format of two full racing days. As the season enters its decisive stage, every point could prove critical in the fight for the title.
