The race, which unfolded in brisk conditions, saw Sweden dominate from the outset. Despite early excitement, particularly from Australia’s costly nose dive at the start, the Swedish team proved why they are leading the leaderboard, executing a flawless race that left their rivals scrambling to keep up.
From the start, Australia faced immediate issues after taking a dramatic nose dive, leaving them battling to stay afloat with a cockpit full of water. As the Australian crew struggled, the Dutch team briefly surged ahead, being the first to cross the initial gate. However, Sweden soon took control, powering through to take the lead halfway through the first leg.
By the time Sweden passed through Gate 1 at 3:31, they had established a solid 100-metre gap over the Dutch, who were followed closely by Germany and Canada. Meanwhile, Australia’s early misfortune left them trailing at the back of the fleet, with Spain even further adrift.
Sweden’s superior boat speed was evident as they accelerated after the first gate, pushing a 200-metre gap midway through Leg 2. As the race progressed, Sweden showed no signs of slowing down, expanding their lead to 600 metres at one point. The Dutch and German teams, locked in a tight battle for second place, were left in the wake of the Swedish sailors.
At Gate 2, Sweden’s dominance was undisputed, passing through at 6:32, a full 44 seconds ahead of the Dutch. The rest of the pack followed in quick succession, but Sweden’s lead seemed unassailable.
As the teams entered Leg 3, Sweden maintained a steady pace of 26 knots, comfortably holding their advantage over the chasing Dutch team. A last-minute nose dive by the Canadians dashed their hopes of a higher finish, as Sweden crossed the final gate at 10:11, extending their lead to 350 metres by the race’s conclusion.
Sweden ultimately finished the race with a time of 12:50, securing another commanding victory. The Dutch followed 42 seconds later in second place, while Australia recovered from their disastrous start to clinch third. Germany took fourth place, with Canada and Spain rounding out the group.
With this win, Sweden has now won four races in a row and sits comfortably atop the Group B leaderboard. Their form has been nothing short of spectacular, and their consistency on the water has put them in an excellent position as the competition progresses.
Speaking after the race, Sweden’s captain remarked, “We’ve worked incredibly hard to build this momentum, and today was another step forward. Our focus now is to maintain this level of performance as we head towards the final rounds.”
The next set of races will be crucial for the other teams hoping to close the gap on Sweden, who are now the clear favourites to progress to the next stage.
