SailGP youth championship of champions

SailGP has launched the first Inspire WASZP Grand Final – Championship of Champions, which will see the top young athletes from around the world (male and female) compete for the overall season podium at the Mubadala United States Sail Grand Prix on March 26-27. 2022.

As the eight professional teams compete in the F50s for the million dollar payday, the event will also be the culmination of Season 2’s Inspire Racing x WASZP series and offers young sailors an unparalleled opportunity to race at the highest level.

Inspire Racing x WASZP is a program that provides a stepping stone for under 21s to develop foiling skills and create a pathway to F50 catamarans. It has a strong focus on inclusivity – aiming to diversify sailing through its programs to foster talent and eliminate gender, racial, and socioeconomic barriers.

The young athletes will race during the San Francisco SailGP event and the winners will be awarded on March 27 and receive a cash prize to support their professional sailing development. The top male and female winners will also get further training by joining a SailGP team’s training and tech sessions at a Season 3 event, including a chance to sail onboard the F50.

“The Inspire WASZP Grand Final brings the talent of the next generation together on the global stage to compete and learn from the best sailors in the world,” said SailGP Chief Operating Officer Julien di Biase. “As part of our better sport strategy, we are supporting and developing the talent of the future, regardless of background, and creating a clear route to competing onboard the F50s.”

Throughout the season, promising young sailors were selected through their governing bodies, WASZP Class association, and SailGP Inspire racing events to ensure the highest level of diverse talent and a 50:50 gender balance. SailGP is supporting travel and accommodation costs for the athletes.

In addition to racing in the WASZP Grand Final, the young athletes will take part in lead-up training clinics in San Francisco with professional foiling coaches, as well as meet-and-greets with athletes and senior members of SailGP staff to receive invaluable career advice, work experience and additional fitness training.

Confirmed participants:
• Brook Wilson (18) and Jack Ferguson (18) – winners from Australia Sail Grand Prix | Sydney presented by KPMG
• Emilie Bouchet (18) and Eliott Savelon (20) // winners from France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez
• Sofia Caputo (16) and Zeno Marchesini (16) – winners from Italy Sail Grand Prix | Taranto
• Hattie Rogers (21) and Zac Blomeley (20) – winners from Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth
• Mathilde Robertstad (18) and Lennart Frohmann (17) – winners from ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix | Aarhus
• Neus Bover (18) and Jaime Harguindey (19) – winners from Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – Cádiz
• Sean Herbert (20) – qualifier from New Zealand
• Rinko Goto (16) and Teruaki Shimakura (17) – qualifiers from Japan

The winners from the WASZP Americas Championship event, which is being held in San Francisco Bay on March 15-19, will complete the line-up and represent the United States.

SailGP Inspire will run a series of programs in San Francisco as part of its overall objectives to use sailing as a force for good and build a future for youth through sustainable sport, across its racing, learning and career programs. More details will be announced ahead of the Season 2 Grand Final.

SailGP information – Facebook – Results –

SailGP Season Championship (after 7 events)
1. Australia, 55 pts
2. United States, 53 pts
3. Japan, 51 pts
4. Spain, 43 pts
5. New Zealand, 42 pts
6. Great Britain, 41 pts
7. Denmark, 38 pts
8. France, 35 pts

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.
• Race scoring provides 8 points for first, 7 points for second, etc.
• The final race in each event 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 for the top three teams from the season ranking for a winner-takes-all match race for the $1m prize.

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

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 race.