PERTH, Australia, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Reigning SailGP champions Emirates Great Britain started the year with a strong wind in their sails, successfully defending their Perth Sail Grand Prix title with a dominant second-day performance on Sunday.
The Emirates GBR team, led by Dylan Fletcher, had finished fifth on the opening day as Swedish newcomers Artemis SailGP topped the leaderboard.
But as steep waves and strong gusts made for more difficult sailing conditions on Sunday, the champions excelled, winning two of the three fleet races to reach the final, where they outpaced the Australian Bonds Flying Roos and DS Team France, who finished second and third.
"It’s been an incredible start for the team here in Perth... we had a disappointing start yesterday and didn’t get the results we wanted but we came out firing today and I’m stoked with the result,” said Fletcher.
The Swedish team failed to secure a place in the three-boat final after finishing 11th in the last fleet race, which knocked them down to fourth place on the leaderboard.
DS Team France finished second in the last two fleet races to seal their spot in the three-boat final. The Australians, led by Tom Slingsby, were fourth on the leaderboard after day one but finished third in the last three fleet races to break into the top three.
The Australians, who brought veteran Glenn Ashby into their crew after Iain Jensen was injured in training on Thursday, pushed hard in the final but were devastated to have finished second.
"It hurts losing to the British on home turf... we won the Ashes at least," said Slingsby.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
