Shake-up in United States SailGP Team

Taylor Canfield

Nearing the launch of SailGP’s inaugural event, set for Sydney Harbour on February 15-16, a shake-up in the United States SailGP Team has seen the addition of Taylor Canfield, World Match Racing Tour champion and helmsman for the 36th America’s Cup challenger, Stars + Stripes Team USA, as flight controller/tactician.

During the first installment of the SailGP championship season, the U.S. SailGP Team, led by helmsman Rome Kirby, will face off against five other national teams – Australia, China, Great Britain, France and Japan.

“Taylor is a great addition to the team, not only for his world-class experience, but for his competitive intensity on the water and laid-back style on land. He is a great fit for our team,” said Kirby, who leads the youngest team in the field.

The American squad includes Kirby (29), Canfield (30), Dan Morris (31), Mac Agnese (24), Hans Henken (26), and Riley Gibbs (22). It is unclear how Canfield will be integrated into the 5-man team as Henken, who is also campaigning for the 2020 Olympics, had held the position of flight controller/tactician.

The teams will compete in the F50 catamaran, the fastest and most technologically advanced race boat in the world.

“Imagine six boats flying over the water at 60 mph and jockeying for position to all be first around each mark of the course,” said Kirby. “No one – sailors or spectators – has ever experienced or watched these incredible speeds before in sailboat racing. Exciting will be an understatement.”

Broadcast and streaming details will be announced in shortly.

SailGP details – Team rosters – Schedule

ABOUT SAILGP:
Established in 2018 and headquartered in London and San Francisco, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric, inshore racing in some of the iconic harbors around the globe and culminates with a $1 million winner-takes-all match race. Rival national teams from Australia, China, France, Great Britain, Japan, and the United States battle it out in identical wing-powered, foiling F50 catamarans, engineered to exceed 50 knots.

2019 Schedule
Sydney, Australia (February 15-16)
San Francisco, USA (May 4-5)
New York, USA (June 21-22)
Cowes, UK (August 10-11)
Marseille, France (September 20-22)

Source: US SailGP