“We coughed it up”: Slingsby on Geneva heartbreak and ‘winning the right way’

Bonds Flying Roos driver Tom Slingsby has debriefed the team's Geneva heartbreak, which saw the Aussies 'cough up' a commanding lead for the second event in a row to lose the event title.

A stellar fleet racing performance saw the Aussies proceed into the four boat Final at top of Group B alongside home favorites Explora Journeys Swiss. Meanwhile, Diego Botin's Los Gallos and Nicolai Sehested's ROCKWOOL Racing topped Group A to join them.

An excellent start off the line set the Australians up for a commanding race, but their decision to turn right at Gate 1 proved a mistake. Diego Botin's Los Gallos split the course in response and gained the upper hand when the pair came back together.

From there, Los Gallos moved ahead, defending their lead and crossing the finish line to seize the event title and secure their place in the Championship-deciding Grand Final in November.

The event was the second in a row which saw the Aussies 'cough up' the lead and miss out on an event title, Slingsby said. He described it as a 'copy-and-paste' performance of September's Valencia, which saw the Americans stun the Aussies in the four boat Final.

"I'm never happy with second, and to come second twice in a row and lose a lead - that's what's breaking me," Slingsby said after racing.

But he remained positive, describing the event as 'bittersweet' and insisting the team is 'sailing the best we've ever sailed' as the last two events of the season approach.

"The Final was harder than it looks - it was tough to know what to do. Do you do two tacks and just cover the one boat, or do you watch the fleet? It was a tough decision to make and we got it wrong," he said,

The moment was debriefed by commentator Stevie Morrison - Slingsby, he said, would be 'gutted' to 'miss out on the winning moment twice in a row'.

Taking the right turn was the 'logical decision, it had been paying to go that way all weekend'. But it was the Spanish team which capitalized on the Australians' mistake. "Ultimately you've got to look at the Spanish and how well they sailed."

Slingsby too was quick to praise the performance of Botin's Spanish crew, describing them as 'the best and doubling down on his desire to 'race the best' teams.

"I want to race the top teams in the league and I want to beat them in the Final. I don't want any victories handed our way. I want it the right way and that's what we're gunning for."

Next up, the league heads to the Middle East for the final two events of the season - the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix on 21-22 November and the Championship-deciding Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix 2026 Season Grand Final on 28-29 November.

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