CJ Perez to compete in Spain SailGP

The United States SailGP Team faces a crucial test at Spain Sail Grand Prix on October 9-10, defending second place on the overall podium more than halfway through SailGP Season 2.

With only two more events until the $1 million Grand Final at the United States Sail Grand Prix in San Francisco (March 26-27, 2022), only five points separate the top four teams placing pressure on the U.S. team to solidify its podium position in order to qualify for the league’s final, winner-take-all race.

“I believe our team is peaking just at the right time,” said CEO and Driver Jimmy Spithill. “With just Spain and Sydney ahead of us, every point counts as we look toward San Francisco and winning the $1 million.”

With crew now expanded to six people as part of the league’s Women’s Pathway Program, joining the team for the competition will be CJ Perez. At 18 years old, Perez – who won the 2021 Waszp US National Championship – is the youngest athlete to ever compete in SailGP, as well as the first Latina athlete to do so.

“You have to try it for yourself, it feels like a rocketship,” said Perez as she was asked to describe sailing on the F50. “We’re moving at speeds never experienced before and flying so high out of the water. I’m most looking forward to fighting it out at the starting line. I can’t imagine how exciting that will be.”

At each Sail Grand Prix, the eight SailGP teams compete in five fleet races before the top three teams race in the finals to determine the champion of that particular event. Each event winner earns 10 points in the Championship Leaderboard; second place is awarded nine points, third place is awarded eight points; and the fourth- through eighth-place teams earn corresponding points given their standing on the event leaderboard.

The Spain Sail Grand Prix | Cadiz – Andalusia will air live on October 9-10 at 10:30am EDT on SailGP’s YouTube channel and the SailGP APP. Delayed full broadcast coverage of both days will air October 10 on CBS Sports at 12:00pm EDT (Race Day 1) and 10:00pm EDT (Race Day 2).

SailGP information – Spain details – Facebook

How to watch – Results – Noticeboard – Crew lists

SailGP Season Championship (after 5 events)
1. Japan, 37 pts
2. United States, 35 pts
3. Australia, 35 pts
4. Great Britain, 34 pts
5. Spain, 31 pts
6. New Zealand, 30 pts
7. Denmark, 28 pts
8. France, 27 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.
• The final match race 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 – 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 match race.

Source: US SailGP Team