SailGP
![]() | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (April 2023) |
![]() SailGP's logo | |
Sport | Sailing fleet race |
---|---|
Founded | 2019 |
Founder | |
Owner(s) | F50 League LLC |
CEO | Russell Coutts |
Motto | Powered by Nature |
No. of teams | 10 |
Most recent champion(s) | ![]() (2023–24 SailGP championship) |
Most titles | Tom Slingsby |
Official website | Official website ![]() |
![]() |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/SAILGP_American_and_Japanese_Teams.jpg/220px-SAILGP_American_and_Japanese_Teams.jpg)
SailGP is an international sailing competition that features high-performance F50 foiling catamarans, where teams compete across a season of multiple grands prix around the world.[1] Its reigning champions are Diego Botín's Spain SailGP Team, winning the 2023–24 SailGP championship.
Background
The competition was founded by Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle, and champion yachtsman Russell Coutts.[2] They aimed to establish a commercially viable global race series with a large audience. This had been unsuccessfully attempted in the past with series such as the Extreme Sailing Series. The SailGP format uses fast-foiling catamarans in a variety of spectacular locations.[3] Teams are currently owned by the competition with the intention of becoming privately owned.[4]
In the fourth season the fleet grew to 10 teams, with 5 of these privately owned. The organizer expect two more teams for the fifth season.[5]
Racing
The F50 boats used in the competition are one-design boats maintained and operated by SailGP. Technical information is also shared between teams, which includes large amounts of data collected using Oracle systems. This is intended to prevent secret "arms races" that the organizers believe dominate the America's Cup and to ensure that the outcomes of races are determined by skill and ability, and not technology.[6][7][8]
Each SailGP event consists of two days of competitive racing. The first day of racing consists of three fleet races, while the second day consists of two fleet races and a match race final.[9] In the 2019 SailGP championship, the two highest-ranking teams in the event leaderboard qualified for the match race final of that event; in the 2021-22 SailGP championship, the three highest-ranking teams in the event leaderboard qualified for the match race final.[10]
The final race of the season is a match race between the two highest-scoring crews over the season, with the winner earning a US$1 million prize.[11][12] The circuit has been funded for 5 years to allow the competition to become self-sustaining. This would see it run until at least 2023.[7]
Scoring
Scoring at events
Fleet races in each event are scored with the winning team scoring ten points, the second-placed team scoring nine points, and so on. The three highest-ranking teams in the event leaderboard qualify for the match race final of that event.[10]
Scoring in the championship
The winner of the match race final is awarded ten points in the championship leaderboard, with second and third place being awarded nine and eight points respectively. Teams who did not qualify for the match race final are awarded points corresponding to their rankings in the event leaderboard.[10]
Penalties
After the 2021 Bermuda Sail Grand Prix, additional penalty rules were put in place to discourage collisions on the race course. Boats that collide during an event accumulate contact and damage points, which result in deductions from the season championship.[13]
Crew Roles
Driver
The driver[14] or helm, is responsible for making decisions regarding the boat's course on the racecourse and communicating the plan to the crew. Additionally, many skippers, including the driver, are heavily involved in the logistics of the event.
Flight Controller
The flight controller's[14] primary responsibility is to maintain the boat's elevation, aiming to keep it airborne as much as possible. Any time the boat touches the water is considered a mistake by the flight controller. They work closely with the driver and wing trimmer to ensure the boat maintains its speed and stability.
Wing Trimmer
The wing trimmer[14] is tasked with understanding how to generate and distribute power effectively on the boat. They have control over the wing's shape, influencing the boat's performance. The wing trimmer collaborates closely with the driver to optimize sailing modes for speed.
Grinder
Grinders[14] are positioned at the front of the boat, with one facing forward and the other facing backward. They operate the winch handle to assist in trimming the wing sheet efficiently. This requires precision and coordination with the wing trimmer to deliver the necessary power.
Strategist
The strategist or tactician, positioned behind the driver, plays a crucial role in analyzing data and providing strategic input. They are responsible for monitoring changing wind conditions, assisting in maneuvers, and keeping a close watch on the fleet. With the introduction of a control panel and information display screen, the role of the strategist has become even more integral to sailing.[15]
Past winners
Year | Winners | Runner-up | 3rd place |
2019 | ![]() Tom Slingsby |
![]() Nathan Outteridge |
![]() Phil Robertson |
2021-22 | ![]() Tom Slingsby |
![]() Nathan Outteridge |
![]() Jimmy Spithill |
2022-23 | ![]() Tom Slingsby |
![]() Peter Burling |
![]() Ben Ainslie |
2023-24 | ![]() Diego Botín |
![]() Tom Slingsby |
![]() Peter Burling |
Seasons
2019 season
The inaugural competition was in 2019 with six teams competing from Australia, China, France, Great Britain, Japan, and the United States of America. The competition consisted of a circuit of five race meets in Sydney,[16] San Francisco,[17] New York,[18] Cowes,[19] and Marseille. The Australian team, skippered by Tom Slingsby won the competition and the prize in a final match race against the Japanese team skippered by Nathan Outteridge.[20]
Over the first season, SailGP attracted over 133,000 live spectators and had a television audience of 1.8 billion. The five races had a claimed economic impact of US$115 million on their host cities.[21][22][23]
![New Zealand SailGP Team competing on San Francisco Bay](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/SailGP_Season_2_Grand_Final_-_San_Francisco_-_March_2022_%281381%29.jpg/220px-SailGP_Season_2_Grand_Final_-_San_Francisco_-_March_2022_%281381%29.jpg)
2021–22 season
The second season, of SailGP introduced two new teams to the sport, with Spain replacing the Chinese team[24] and Denmark joining on as the 7th team.[25] The British team changed as well, signing four-time Olympic Gold medalist and America's Cup skipper Ben Ainslie. The revamped team introduced members of the original British team and the America's Cup team Ineos Team UK.[26]
This season was scheduled to visit the same venues of the first season but with Marseille swapped out for Copenhagen for the final venue, which coincided with the arrival of the new Danish team.[27] The first round of the season began in Sydney, Australia. On the first day, Ben Ainslie and his British team won the first three races.[28] On the second day of racing, Great Britain won a further race in the fleet races, with Australia taking the final fleet race. In the championship race, Great Britain beat the Australian team, winning them their first event title.[29]
The second round of the 2020 SailGP race was due to be held in San Francisco, in May 2020,[30] however SailGP suspended its season until the end of June 2020. SailGP later delayed the second season until 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with points from the Sydney race removed from the championship.[31]
The 2021–22 SailGP championship saw the arrival of the New Zealand SailGP Team, skippered by two-time America's Cup winner and 49er gold medalist Peter Burling.[32] The season commenced in April 2021 with the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix, which was won by Ben Ainslie's Great Britain SailGP team.[33] Future venues include Taranto, Plymouth, Aarhus, Saint-Tropez, Cádiz, and Lyttelton Harbour, with the final venue being San Francisco.[34]
Ultimately the season was won by the Australia SailGP team in the final race in San Francisco Bay.[35]
2022–23 season
The third season of SailGP again introduced two new teams to the sport, with Canada and Switzerland joining, and three new venues with the additions of Dubai, Singapore, and New Zealand. The venue in Denmark moved from Aarhus to Copenhagen and there were 2 venues in the United States, Chicago, and San Francisco[36]
2023–24 season
The fourth season of SailGP intended to introduce a fan-owned team to the sport, representing Bermuda and the Caribbean, but funding considerations delayed their entry.[37] In addition, a new team, representing Germany, was added as the 10th SailGP team. The new SailGP Germany team is co-owned by Riedel Communications owner Thomas Riedel and former Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel.[38]
2024–25 season
The fifth season of SailGP includes new stops in Brazil, two in the UAE, a yet to announced Middle Eastern Country, Germany, Switzerland and a return to Great Britain as well as the introduction of the new Brazil SailGP Team.[39] The Bernoulli | Locke Bermuda & Caribbean SailGP Team is also slated to enter season five resulting in 12 teams but only 11 available boats which will necessitate at least one team being cut from the lineup leading to lots of speculation and nervousness amongst lesser funded teams and fans alike.[40][41]
Teams
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/SAILGP_Australian%2C_Chinese_and_British_Teams.jpg/220px-SAILGP_Australian%2C_Chinese_and_British_Teams.jpg)
Team Name | Country | Ownership | Years active |
---|---|---|---|
Australia SailGP Team | ![]() |
league | since 2019 |
Canada SailGP Team | ![]() |
private/league | since 2022 |
Rockwool Denmark SailGP Team | ![]() |
private | since 2021 |
France SailGP Team | ![]() |
league | since 2019 |
Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team | ![]() |
private | since 2019 |
New Zealand SailGP Team | ![]() |
league | since 2021 |
Spain SailGP Team | ![]() |
league | since 2021 |
Switzerland SailGP Team | ![]() |
private | since 2022 |
United States SailGP Team | ![]() |
private[43] | since 2019 |
Germany SailGP Team | ![]() |
private | since 2023 |
Future Teams | |||
Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team | ![]() |
private[44] | starting 2024 |
TBA | ![]() |
fan-owned[45] | TBA |
Former Teams | |||
China SailGP Team | ![]() |
league | 2019 |
Japan SailGP Team | ![]() |
league | 2019-2022 |
eSailGP
Starting 2019, SailGP also organized an Esports competition known as eSailGP for 3 seasons.[46]
References
- ^ "Ellison and Coutts launch league for 'supercharged' cats". 3 October 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ Futterman, Matthew (20 September 2019). "Russell Coutts Likes Sailing Races With Big Money at Stake". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Ayles, Jason (8 October 2019). "Sir Russell Coutts Wants To Build SailGP Legacy After Successful Inaugural Series Of Global Sailing Event". Forbes. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ ""The intention is that each team will eventually be independently owned" | Russell Coutts, SailGP". SportBusiness. 2 September 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ Bolle, Lars. "Profisegeln: Wird der SailGP die neue Formel 1?". YACHT - Alles rund ums Segeln (in German). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ Preston, Rob. "SailGP Brings A Very Different Yacht Race To San Francisco Bay". Forbes. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ a b "SailGP, Making Sailing Cool". Sailing World. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ Hodgetts, Rob (4 October 2018). "Software tycoon Larry Ellison sets up SailGP circuit to rival America's Cup". CNN. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "SailGP: All you need to know about the 2021 season". Yachting World. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "SailGP Explained // How Scoring Works". SailGP. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "$1 million payday awaits inaugural SailGP champion". Japan Today. 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "SailGP's 'wizards of Aus' fly high in million dollar final". 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ "SailGP Explained // Penalties". SailGP. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d "What are Drivers, Flight Controllers, Wing Trimmers and Grinders? F50 crew roles explained". SailGP. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "The strategist role on board the F50 is changing: Here's how". SailGP. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ "SailGP comes to Sydney". 21 January 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ Fitzgerald, By Tom (2 May 2019). "SailGP brings the world's fastest sailboats to the bay". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "Japanese team dominates New York SailGP race". UPI. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "SailGP comes to Cowes | Inbrief | e-newsletters | News & Events | RYA – Royal Yachting Association". www.rya.org.uk. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "How a $1 million prize was decided by just 78 centimetres". ABC News. 23 September 2019. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ SportBusiness Staff (10 October 2019). "SailGP claims $115m economic impact for five host cities". SportsBusiness. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
{{cite web}}
:|last1=
has generic name (help) - ^ "SailGP reveals economic impac". Scuttlebutt Sailing News. 10 October 2019. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "SailGP attracts global audience of 1.8 billion in Season 1". mysailing.com.au. 9 October 2019. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Sailing: Spain sets sights on SailGP after China jumps ship". reuters.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
- ^ "Denmark SailGP Team to join world-class lineup for Season 2". mysailing.com.au. 11 December 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ "Sir Ben Ainslie to skipper British SailGP team in 2020". BBC Sport. 26 November 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ "Denmark gets event in SailGP Season 2". sailingscuttlebutt.com. 3 February 2020. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "British team dominates at SailGP". Scuttlebutt Sailing News. 28 February 2020. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ "Ben Ainslie and Great Britain cap off dominating performance with Sydney SailGP title". SailGP. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ Warren, Adrian (29 February 2020). "GB sink Australia's hopes in Sydney SailGP". 7 News Australia. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ "SailGP Season 2 rescheduled for 2021". SailGP. 4 May 2020. Archived from the original on 6 May 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ "SailGP announces addition of New Zealand team, led by Olympic and America's Cup champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke". SailGP. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Great Britain stuns dominant Australia to be crowned Bermuda Sail Grand Prix champion on dramatic final day". SailGP. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "SailGP's Season 2 to feature eight global events from April 2021 to March 2022". SailGP. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ World, Yachting (28 March 2022). "Slingsby and Co win SailGP Season 2". Yachting World. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "Two further venues added to SailGP Season 3 calendar as more 2023 dates are revealed". www.sail-world.com. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ "First Fan-Owned Team launches for SailGP". SailGP. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ "Sebastian Vettel Announces New Yacht Racing Team". Jalopnik. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "SailGP Announces 2024-2025 Season Calendar". SailGP. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "WATCH: TIME RUNNING OUT FOR TEAMS 'ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK' IN LATEST RACING ON THE EDGE". SailGP. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Gladwell, Richard (12 July 2024). "Canadians in fight to survive into SailGP Season 5 and recover Halifax venue". Sail-World. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ "SailGP: 'Interest in private team ownership has soared' - Russell Coutts". www.sail-world.com. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ Allen, G. W. (29 November 2023). "DeAndre Hopkins, Issa Rae, and More Celebs Just Bought the U.S. SailGP Team". Robb Report. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ "REVEALED: MUBADALA BRAZIL SAILGP TEAM SET TO JOIN SAILGP IN SEASON 5". SailGP. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "FIRST FAN-OWNED TEAM LAUNCHES FOR SAILGP". SailGP. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Play eSailGP Esports – Best Virtual Sailing Game". sailweb.co.uk. 18 September 2019.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)