Risk vs Reward: What it Takes to Win when the Stakes Have Never Been Higher
SailGP's behind-the-scenes docuseries Racing on the Edge, produced in partnership with Rolex, returns with Episode 2 of its sixth season.
Set against the top-end breeze of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland, the question every team on the water is asking is: when does the risk outweigh the reward? At the heart of the story are two athletes who have built their careers on knowing exactly how far to push.
Kiwi Phil Robertson – driver for the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team – grew up without the privileges often associated with the sport he’s built his life around: "We don't come from a wealthy background so in terms of sailing I'd say it's not the easiest," he says. "But Dad and Mum always made sure we had a boat that could win races." His brother puts it simply: "We had a great friendly rivalry at home in the back yard, and a great rivalry on the water."
In Auckland, Robertson competes with the same instinct that shaped him growing up - aggressive, calculated, and realistic about the cost of getting it wrong. "How do you win on a day like today? It's risk versus reward. You take the start like it's a separate part of the race and ask yourself: how much are you willing to risk to be P1 at mark 1?"
For Tash Bryant, strategist of the Bonds Flying Roos, risk is something to be managed rather than chased. In conditions as extreme as they are in Auckland, her role becomes the most important on the F50. "My ultimate goal is to let the team sail as fast as they can without worrying about whether we're going to crash," she says.
The episode does not shy away from the consequences of miscalculation. When the Black Foils (New Zealand) and DS Automobiles SailGP Team France collide on the water, the fleet is reminded of what is always at stake.
"It very much felt like for a second we were passengers on a boat going sideways," says Black Foils driver Pete Burling. "We were just hoping that the boats behind us managed to give us a wide enough berth." Robertson speaks for the fleet: "When we step on these boats the risk is there. We all know what can go wrong out there and it's something you have to accept as a competitor in this league."
The question for the entire fleet going into the second day of racing is simple: which team will find the balance? The Bonds Flying Roos have their answer: defending the title they claimed in Auckland in 2025 to finish first once again.
Tom Slingsby, driver of the Australian team, explains: "Tash sees opportunities and says, 'there's a gap – go' and there's never any hesitation. It's when the conditions get windier and crazier that she gets most comfortable, and that's super rare.”
Slingsby continued, “In the final, she was instrumental in getting ahead of the Spanish and taking control of the race. I am so glad we took a chance on Tash as a young athlete – we saw the talent in her and now what we're seeing is the evolution of that. If we play our cards right, we could have her in our team for the next 10 to 20 years."
