CJ Perez: Living the dream

SailGP Season 2 will have its championship-deciding Grand Final on March 26-27 in San Francisco, CA. After the seven event schedule that began April 2021, it has all built toward the top three teams competing for the $1 million winner-takes-all last race.

Due to their strong performance in the eight team field, Australia SailGP Team and United States SailGP Team have qualified for the money race, with the home team including CJ Perez who made history when she debuted in SailGP last October 2021.

The expansion of crews to six members ahead of the Spain Sail Grand Prix ensured the inclusion of a female athlete on each F50, and Perez took her place onboard the US boat for the racing in Cadiz.

In making her debut, the 18-year-old Honolulu native became both the youngest athlete, and also the first ever Latina racer, in SailGP.

“To come from Hawaii and represent it on a global scale with SailGP feels amazing,” said Perez. “This is my dream.”

She is breaking boundaries and changing the face of sailing – and in a profile video you can watch in detail her rise to the top of the sport. Video also features interviews with CJ’s parents, plus the man who showed her how to sail:

SailGP information – San Francisco details – Facebook

How to watch – Results – Noticeboard – SailGP Insights

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.

Source: SailGP