By Alexander Smith
LONDON (Reuters) – Dylan Fletcher had points to prove as well as to notch up on the leaderboard with his first event win as Britain’s SailGP skipper at the weekend in Sydney, not least showing he could do it ‘flying solo’.
Ben Ainslie, who led Britain’s most successful America’s Cup campaign but was ultimately defeated by holders New Zealand in Barcelona last year, first picked Fletcher as co-helm for that event and then entrusted him with the wheel of his SailGP F50.
“As much as last year was fantastic, it was always with Ben Ainslie on the other side (of the boat). So this is me … helming on my own. And so I think it’s important to put that marker in the sand,” Fletcher said after victory in Australia.
He clinched his first SailGP win by narrowly beating Giles Scott, who moved to skipper Canada’s team after Ainslie picked his former teammate over him for the America’s Cup, and home-water favourites Australia, skippered by Tom Slingsby.
“I’m just here trying to win SailGP and to be in the best position for the America’s Cup because I obviously believe … I can helm the British campaign to victory in the America’s Cup. And there’s obviously no way of better proving that than winning SailGP in one-design (catamarans),” Fletcher told Reuters.
The 36-year-old added that while uncertainty over Britain’s next America’s Cup campaign sparked by a split between billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS and Ainslie’s Athena Racing was “probably not the best scenario”, SailGP offered an opportunity to show he could perform against the sport’s best.
“Distracting in some respects, but also once you get out there on the racecourse, those things are a long way away,” Fletcher said of the America’s Cup rift, which has left big questions hanging over Britain’s challenge and the event.
POETIC JUSTICE
While Ainslie may no longer be on deck with his team, Fletcher said the most successful Olympic sailor is very much hands-on, offering long-range support, advice and in-person debriefs on racing their high-tech foiling F50 catamaran.
“I’ll pick up the phone and talk to Ben and see what he thinks, because he’s got so much experience within SailGP … it’s really great to lean on him and get him involved,” Fletcher said of how the 48-year-old is never far from the action.
One Olympic sailor alongside Fletcher is Hannah Mills, who is gaining SailGP experience in the key strategist role to achieve her ambition of becoming a ‘driver’, as she champions equal representation for women in the sport.
“I really feel as though Hannah and I are gelling together really well in our communication styles … it seems to be working well, fingers crossed we can continue to build on that,” Fletcher said of how they are aiming for more wins.
“I know that we’ve got a long way to go to be in that place where we’re consistently delivering in the final,” he said, adding that he had been “very frustrated” not to have topped the podium in the first two events of this season.
Between now and the next SailGP series events in March, Fletcher, who moved to Barcelona following the America’s Cup experience, is taking delivery of a new ‘Moth’ foiling dinghy.
“I don’t like to take my foot off the gas. So I’m going to get into that and keep myself busy and try to develop my skills, ultimately for the America’s Cup,” Fletcher said, adding that it felt as if there was some poetic justice for the team in the Sydney win given “everything that’s going on”.
(Reporting by Alexander Smith; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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