Consider Geneva an opportunity missed for the Black Foils. 

After winning the opening race of SailGP’s maiden voyage on the lake in Switzerland, they weren’t able to reproduce the feat. Instead, they found themselves finish in eighth place for the event which equalled their worst result since joining the league. 

The event was a learning experience, as teams sailed with only three on board in the extremely light conditions which meant on the rare occasion that the boat got foiling, they had to do the work of the usual six-strong crew. 

“It’s difficult. You have to multitask, but it’s the same for everyone and we quite enjoyed the challenge,” Black Foils wing trimmer Blair Tuke told the Herald. 

“We sailed some great races, but also some quite badly executed races too, which cost us dearly, really, in the end.” 

With the result, the New Zealand crew fell from first to third on the season leaderboard with just a three-point buffer on the next best team. 

Heading into the penultimate event of the season in Cadiz, Spain, this weekend, the Black Foils were looking to solidify that position in the top three, with only the three best teams at the season’s end competing in the grand final shootout. 

Blair Tuke: "It couldn't have worked out worse." Photo / Michael Craig 

After 10 events of the season, the 12-strong fleet has been whittled down to a point where – barring penalty points – only four teams can realistically qualify for the top three. 

Australia lead the way on 76 points, ahead of Great Britain on 75. The Black Foils are then on 73, with season four champions Spain on 70. The next best team is France on 56 points. 

France can mathematically work their way into the top three with two regattas left, but would likely need to win both events and have two of the teams above them perform uncharacteristically poorly. 

“Obviously, Geneva, it went from being what could have been a really good weekend for us to a disaster, really, in the end. It couldn’t have worked out worse with the way the points unfolded in that last race, but that’s the way it goes,” Tuke said. 

“You’ve got to be better than that and execute when it matters. We didn’t, and we paid the price dearly because the way the points fell, we were on the wrong side of it. We’ve been on the other side plenty of times too, where we just make it in, but this one really cost us. 

“There’s plenty to take out of it. A lot of sailing in a three-person configuration, so we’re definitely a stronger unit for it now and we’ve just got to look forward to trying to execute a great weekend here.” 

In three previous visits to Cadiz, the Black Foils have finished mid-fleet in fourth, sixth and fifth, but have won races at the venue in the past. In season four, it was their first event back on the water after a collapsed wingsail saw them miss an event and a half. 

“We know this place, we like sailing here. It’s the fourth time visiting Cadiz, so it’s important as we go into the penultimate event that we put a good weekend together and go into Abu Dhabi with confidence and with points on the board.” 

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.