SAILGP New-York – DS Automobiles SailGP Team France finishes 4th and closes the gap to the championship podium
DS Automobiles SailGP Team France secured a strong 4th-place finish at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix after an unusual weekend marked by a first day without official racing and a single day of competition sailed in stronger-than-expected conditions. Thanks to this result, the French team retains 5th place in the overall season standings. With only a handful of points now separating the teams ranked 3rd through 5th, the race for a place in the Grand Final remains wide open.
Making his SailGP debut as wing trimmer, Enzo Balanger played an important role in the team’s solid performance, helping DS Automobiles SailGP Team France stay within striking distance of the championship’s leading contenders.
A first day cancelled
Saturday was heavily impacted by challenging weather conditions.
After SailGP ultimately opted to use the 24-metre wing, gusts reaching up to 35 knots at crane height made launching operations extremely difficult. Only three F50s were able to get on the water and complete demonstration runs.
To preserve sporting fairness across the fleet, SailGP decided not to award any championship points for the day.
One day of racing, but a spectacular show
On Sunday, all twelve teams were able to race in much more favorable conditions. Under bright sunshine and winds averaging around 15 knots, the F50 fleet delivered a spectacular show between the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.
Teams ultimately raced with the 27.5-metre wing. While forecasts had initially suggested lighter conditions, the breeze proved stronger at times, making racing particularly physical and demanding for the crews.
The French team delivered a consistent day on the water, finishing 4th in the opening race, 8th in Race 2 and 6th in the final race, securing 4th overall for the event.
The event was ultimately won by the Australian team, which continues its impressive run of form this season.
A successful SailGP debut for Enzo Balanger
The New York event also marked Enzo Balanger’s first SailGP appearance as wing trimmer for DS Automobiles SailGP Team France.
The 2025 Moth World Champion and K-Challenge Akademy sailor had to find his feet without any official training day and in a particularly demanding environment.
Quentin Delapierre, Driver – DS Automobiles SailGP Team France: “This was a very positive result for the team. Enzo did an excellent job in his first SailGP event. He was very well supported by the entire group and adapted quickly to the role. Finishing 4th in New York keeps us in a strong position in the overall standings and allows us to continue building for the rest of the season.
Once again, it was a unique weekend. Yesterday, the weather heavily impacted operations, and even today the forecast kept evolving right up until the last minute. But that’s also what makes SailGP so special – you have to adapt constantly. Despite everything, we delivered a strong day of racing and brought home a solid result for the team.”
Enzo Balanger, Wing Trimmer – DS Automobiles SailGP Team France: “I would have signed up immediately for a 4th-place finish in my first Sail Grand Prix. I was so focused on my role and on making the boat work properly that I barely had time to take in what was happening around me. Seeing twelve F50s launching off the line together is something truly incredible to experience.
The team did everything possible to help me adapt as quickly as possible, and I’m grateful for the trust they placed in me. The conditions turned out to be more demanding than expected with the large wing, but we put together a strong day and I’m very happy to have contributed to the result.”
A dramatic final race
The final race of the day was marked by a collision involving the United States, Italian and Brazilian teams.
Following the umpires’ review, both the U.S. and Italian teams received penalties.
The championship battle remains wide open
Despite the many crew changes and adjustments made in recent weeks, the French team continues to demonstrate its ability to remain competitive at the highest level.
This 4th-place finish in New York strengthens DS Automobiles SailGP Team France’s position inside the championship Top 5 and keeps the team firmly in contention for qualification to the Grand Final.
There is still a long way to go this season, but the French squad once again proved its ability to stay in the fight against the best teams in the world.
RANKING MUBADALA NEW YORK SAIL GRAND PRIX
1.BONDS FLYING ROOS, Tom Slingsby
2.EMIRATES GBR, Dylan Fletcher
3.NORTHSTAR, Giles Scott
4.DS AUTOMOBILES SAILGP TEAM FRANCE, Quentin Delapierre
5.ARTEMIS, Nathan Outteridge
6.US. SAILGP TEAM, Taylor Canfield
7.ROCKWOOL RACING, Nicolai Sehested
8.EXPLORA JOURNEYS SWISS, Sébastien Schneiter
9.RED BULL ITALY, Phil Robertson
10.MUBADALA BRAZIL, Martine Grael
12.LOS GALLOS, Diego Botin
13.BLACK FOILS DNS
PROVISIONAL RANKING ROLEX SAILGP CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 2026
1. BONDS FLYING ROOS, Tom Slingsby – 55 pts
2. EMIRATES GBR, Dylan Fletcher – 44 pts
3. US. SAILGP TEAM, Taylor Canfield – 36 pts
4. LOS GALLOS, Diego Botin – 34 pts
5. DS TEAM FRANCE, Quentin Delapierre – 32 pts
6. ARTEMIS, Nathan Outteridge – 29 pts
7. GERMANY BY DEUTSCHE BANK, Erik Heil – 23 pts
8. ROCKWOOL RACING, Nicolai Sehested – 22 pts
9. NORTHSTAR, Giles Scott – 20 pts
10.RED BULL ITALY, Phil Robertson – 20 pts
11.EXPLORA SWISS, Sébastien Schneiter – 10 pts
12. MUBADALA BRAZIL, Martine Grael – 8 pts
12. BLACK FOILS, Peter Burling – 2 pts
ÉQUIPE SPORTIVE DS TEAM FRANCE SAISON 2026
Quentin Delapierre / pilote
Manon Audinet / tacticienne (remplacée par Liv McKay)
Enzo Balanger / régleur d’aile
Jason Saunders / contrôleur de vol
Olivier Herlédant / grinder
Bruno Mourniac / grinder
Timothé Lapauw / grinder
Enzo Balanger / athlète de réserve
Amélie Riou / athlète de réserve
Philippe Presti / Team Manager
Philippe Mourniac / Head of Coach
Lucas Delcourt / Data Analyst
