The sailing world has been rocked by the sensational axing of Kiwi pilot Phil Robertson, who had led Spain to within reach of this season’s Sail GP grand final.
Robertson was the only non Spanish national on the team that is currently fourth and still an outside chance of qualifying for the three-boat grand final to be contested in the bay of San Francisco on Monday (AEDT).
The eight teams in the competition gathered in San Francisco at the start of the week to train for the last Grand Prix of the season, with the series winner set to take home $1.4 million in prizemoney.
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Robertson was expected to lead the Spanish team for the last time before taking the pilot job for new entrant Canada when it joins the Sail GP fleet next season, which starts in May.
But the Kiwi was blindsided when he turned up for a mid-week team training day only to be told by management that he was no longer required.
Wide World of Sports understands that the Spanish team had been plotting to axe Robertson since the Sydney Grand Prix held in December last year, having already appointed Olympic bronze medallist Jordi Xammar to take his place next season.
However, rather than inform Robertson of the decision to hasten his exit, the Spanish team waited until two days before the final Grand Prix of the season to tell him he was no longer required, with Xammar to step in for the first time this weekend before taking over as full-time pilot of an all Spanish crew next season.
Robertson was angered by the way the news was delivered, creating an instantly spicy rivalry between Spain and Canada when next season rolls around, although Xammar wasn’t keen to throw fuel on the fire at Saturday’s (AEDT) press conference.
“To be honest we are very thankful to Phil, I think what he has done for the Spanish team has been really good and me personally I know the team is very thankful to him,” Xammar said.
“But at the same time I think we’re in Sail GP as a team and we want to beat these guys. We know that realistically we are far (behind the top three teams) but those guys have a goal and we want to beat them.”
Short of a dramatic incident on Sunday (AEDT) the three-boat grand final is set to be contested by Australia, USA and New Zealand piloted by three Australians who are the rock stars of the Sail GP circuit – Xammar describing them as “the three kings”.
Tom Slingsby leads the defending champion Australian crew, while two-time America’s Cup winner Jimmy Spithill has given the American crew a huge shot of winning the $1.4 million on home water and Nathan Outteridge has put the Japanese crew in position for a shot at redemption after narrowly losing to Slingsby’s Australia in the inaugural series.
Only misadventure on Sunday can prevent those three teams from meeting in the grand final on Monday, yet there’s a growing sense that an explosive incident could yet shake up the series, with a strong wind forecast and several incidents in training causing damage to some of the leading boats.
Australia will not be involved in Saturday’s practice races due to a capsize on Friday with Slingsby confirming at the press conference that it had done “extensive damage” to the boat which will take all day to repair.
Had that incident happened in Sunday’s racing rather than in a training session, it likely would have eliminated the hot favourites from the grand final, opening up a spot for whoever finishes the series in fourth place.
Earlier in the week the USA boat also capsized due to a failure in the electronic systems, with that incident made more sensational by the fact champion big wave surfer Kai Lenny was on board at the time.
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Those two incidents, as well as a frightening near miss involving the Australian and American boats that could have seriously injured the sailors, have raised eyebrows among some of the other crews, leaving the door ajar for Spain, Great Britain and New Zealand to make an unlikely late bid for a grand final spot. Should any of Australia, USA or Japan damage their boats seriously enough in Sunday’s racing that they are unable to take their place on the start line on Monday the boat sitting in fourth place will take its place for a shot at the $1.4 million.
It’s a scenario that makes Spain’s decision to change drivers on the eve of competition even more surprising, but that’s not how Xammar sees it, with the newly appointed leader hinting at team disunity being at the heart of the early removal of Robertson.
“It’s a super important day for the team, it’s going to be the first time a full Spanish team will be racing in such a boat like the F50s. We’re extremely happy and looking forward,” Xammar said, conceding it “could be” considered risky to have a driver change on the eve of such an important weekend of racing.
“I think beyond everything is the team spirit and the team future and I think when we were here (with Robertson) trainings were a bit tough and the team took a decision to me personally to jump here in the boat for the grand final … the other teams are fully in shape and sharpest than ever, it’s maybe not the best, but beyond everything there’s the team and the team took that decision.
“When all your teammates look at you and tell you they want to race with you, you can’t choose no. I’m very thankful to them and I’m looking forward.”
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