Winner decided in 2021 eSailGP Champs

eSailGP Season 2’s virtual high-speed action culminated on October 15 with eight qualifying players vying for the coveted title of 2021 eSailGP Champion. At just 17 years old, avid sailor and e-sailor Arthur Farley (username VIT Farley) beat out his opponents to win the 2021 eSailGP Championship.

Great Britain’s Farley had solidified his position in the Final by winning the Saint-Tropez Qualifier in September. His competition – Déjà Vu (GBR), Kaan Mazlumca (TUR), MCES Pepito (FRA), GRE-9 LDLN (GRE), and UOL cparejo (ESP) – all joined Farley in the Grand Final having won Qualifier Finals for Bermuda, Taranto, Plymouth, Aarhus, and Cadiz respectively.

MCES_tangi2232 (FRA) and REVO_MProdigo (ITA) were selected as two Under-21 wildcards for the event.

The 5-6 minute virtual battles saw all eight challengers compete in three fleet races, aiming for the final podium race in which VIT Farley, MCES Pepito, and Déjà Vu qualified. The winner-takes-all dog fight ended with Farley storming his way to the top to win the Grand Final.

“I had a small strategy and I wanted to win the bottom of the line,” shared Farley. “The bottom mark was the key for me, the first gate. I just managed to get an overlap going into the mark when Déjà Vu tacked, and got a penalty because he did a tack in my water – from there it was close, I had to focus. I knew as soon as that penalty was made that I’d won the race, I just had to make all the right choices from there.”

Hosted by Ed Leigh and guest commentator Leo Takahashi (Japan SailGP Team flight controller), Season 2s eSailGP partnership with Virtual Regatta and World Sailing saw six qualifying events leading up to the Grand Final, including wildcard spots for two U21 players who were selected by a panel of judges.

The Championship winner receives an all-inclusive package to a SailGP event in 2022 and a place in the 2021 eSailing World Championship Final.

Farley added: “I’m really looking forward to it. To win the 2021 eSailing World Championship is my goal.”

Details: https://www.sailgp.com/general/2021-esailgp-championship/

Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing in some of the iconic harbors around the globe. Rival national teams compete in identical F50 catamarans with the season culminating with a $1 million winner-takes-all match race.

Format for SailGP events:
• Teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event runs across two days.
• There are three races on each day, totaling six races at each event.
• The opening five fleet races involve every team.
• The final match race pits the three highest ranking teams against each other to be crowned event champion.
• The season ends with the Grand Final, which includes the Championship Final Race – a winner-takes-all match race for the $1m prize.

SailGP information – Facebook – Results

SailGP Season 2 Schedule*
April 24-25, 2021 – Bermuda Grand Prix
June 5-6, 2021 – Italy Grand Prix – Taranto
July 17-18, 2021 – Great Britain Grand Prix – Plymouth
August 20-21, 2021 – ROCKWOOL Denmark Grand Prix – Aarhus
September 11-12, 2021 – France Grand Prix – Saint-Tropez
October 9-10, 2021 – Spain Grand Prix – Andalusia
December 17-18, 2021 – Australia Grand Prix – Sydney
January 29-30, 2022 – New Zealand Grand Prix – Christchurch (CANCELLED)
March 26-27, 2022 – United States Grand Prix – San Francisco (Season 2 Grand Final)
*Subject to change

2021-22 Teams, Helm
Australia, Tom Slingsby
Denmark, Nicolai Sehested
France, Quentin Delapierre
Great Britain, Ben Ainslie (alternate – Paul Goodison)
Japan, Nathan Outteridge
New Zealand, Peter Burling (alternate – Arnaud Psarofaghis)
Spain, Jordi Xammar (alternate – Phil Robertson)
United States, Jimmy Spithill

Source: SailGP