The top 2025 SailGP team drivers (left to right): Dylan Fletcher (Great Britain), Peter Burling (New Zealand), Tom Slingsby (Australia) and Diego Botin (Spain). Photo: photosport
Decorated driver Peter Burling has been cleared to lead New Zealand's bid for SailGP championship glory at this weekend's grand final in Abu Dhabi.
The Black Foils' preparations were upended when Burling badly sliced his right index finger trying to fix one of the daggerboards of the team's F50 foiling catamaran during training, prompting speculation about his chances of competing.
However, the team has issued a statement to say Burling had been cleared to sail.
"Burling received a further medical assessment this morning in Abu Dhabi to the finger injury ... He will now take full part in today's practice racing as normal," his team said.
Abu Dhabi promises tricky light winds and a compact course for the teams vying for a place in the grand final, where US$2 million (NZ$3.5 million) is at stake.
SailGP's fifth season will culminate in a winner-takes-all race between the three crews with the highest scores, in what is billed as Formula One on water.
Britain top the 2025 leaderboard going into the event, ahead of New Zealand and Australia, putting three of SailGP's most successful teams in the driving seat for the grand final.
Last year's champions Spain lie fourth and will need others to slip up in the 12-boat races to make the top three overall and get another tilt at the trophy.
New Zealand's SailGP team in action on Race Day 2, helmed by Peter Burling. Photo: Simon Bruty for SailGP / PHOTOSPORT
Australia's Tom Slingsby, who has triumphed in three out of the four SailGP seasons so far, said he and his crew had been getting high-profile backing from actors Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, who became co-owners of his team in June.
"It's exciting to have them on board, they are so supportive and they're going to start getting more involved," Slingsby said, adding that the rising outside interest in SailGP, in part due to their social media, was "changing the sport".
Britain's Dylan Fletcher said his team was "buzzing to get racing", adding that all the crews were seeking ways to improve.
"It's the name of the game in SailGP ... the level's always going higher and higher and we're only trying to do the same," Fletcher said, adding: "It's been a truly unbelievable season."
With 12 boats jockeying for space and breeze, Spain's Diego Botin said Abu Dhabi could play into the hands of the reigning champions, who despite being underdogs will be "full on".
"The venue and the conditions are appropriate to enhance our chances to make it into the final. Small course, light winds, it's a bit more a game of anyone than any other venue so yeah, things can happen," he added.
- Reuters, with additional reporting from RNZ