PERTH, Australia — Defending champion Great Britain won the first event of the sixth season of Sail GP Sunday, beating home favorite Australia and France in a three-boat final.
Britain hit the start line fastest in the final, edging France while Australia incurred a boundary line penalty in the start box and had to start behind its two rivals.
The British team then sailed a flawless race to hold the lead throughout while Australia crossed the finish line just ahead of France.
''It's an incredible start to the 2026 season,'' British driver Dylan Fletcher said. "We had a few problems yesterday but I'm really proud of the way the team came together today and it's great to get the win.
"There's plenty to work on but we'll keep chipping away all season.
Racing took place at the mouth of the Swan River near Fremantle, a coastal town near Perth in Western Australia.
The famous Fremantle Doctor, a strong south-westerly sea breeze, came in just in time for racing each day, gusting around 35kmh and creating choppy conditions which were among the most extreme many crews have experienced.
Racing takes place between identical 50 foot catamarans which rise out of the water on foils, allowing boats to ''fly." On Sunday boats reached speeds of more than 90 kph (56 mph). In the windy conditions, boats were using an 18 meter wing sail.
