Australian driver Tom Slingsby says it was a "shock to everyone" that Spain shook off a lacklustre start to the season's final regatta to win the SailGP grand final and $AUD3 million jackpot.
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The Spanish came into San Francisco in third place on the overall rankings, on track to contest the winner-take-all grand final with New Zealand and Australia on Sunday (Monday AEST).
Traditionally suited to lighter conditions, Diego Botin's F50 catamaran had won events in Los Angeles and Bermuda this season on the road to recovering from a last-placed finish in the previous campaign.
Despite improvements, Spain looked at serious risk of being ousted from the final after a disastrous first day in San Francisco, with slow starts largely to blame for their slumping to seventh on the leaderboard.
But when France received an eight-point penalty for colliding with Denmark on day two, the door opened for Spain to sneak into the final alongside the ladder-leading Kiwis and triple-reigning champion Australians.
There, the underdogs finally nailed their start and led the majority of the way to the finish line as rivals Australia rued a mechanical failure that hindered their chances.
"I think that was a shock to everyone," Slingsby said of Spain's victory.
"It shows how unpredictable our sport is. You can't take anything for granted. If you're a betting person, it was us or New Zealand.
"Spain didn't sail well in the previous races but they performed in the grand final, so congrats to them."
Victory for Spain and 30-year-old Botin comes after Slingbsy sledged the league's younger drivers earlier in the season, claiming none had risen to the challenge set by himself and the league's experienced yachtsmen.
The 39-year-old Olympic gold medallist was gentler in his appraisal after the loss on San Francisco Bay.
"The sky's the limit for those guys. I'm really happy for Diego and the team," Slingsby said.
"They're really nice people and they work hard."
Spain's seven-figure jackpot could also help guarantee their SailGP future amid the league's plans to axe one of Spain, France, Canada and New Zealand over financial concerns.
Currently, all four teams are in the process of securing sponsorships for season five in the hopes of weening off monetary support from SailGP itself.
While bonuses are typically drawn from the jackpot to tip crew and support staff, funds could also be funnelled back into the Spanish team, though that would only go part way to bankrolling the boat for a fifth season scheduled to last 12 months from November.
Australian Associated Press
