SailGP doubles down in the UAE

The fourth season for the SailGP sports league has expanded from 12 to 13 events with the addition of the Dubai Sail Grand Prix in Mina Rashid on December 9-10. This adds a second event in the United Arab Emirates, filling a gap between the Spain Sail Grand Prix (October 14-15) and Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix (January 13-14).

“Following our successful debut (at the venue) last year, returning to Dubai will help to amplify our ambitions to grow the sport across the UAE,” said SailGP CEO Russell Coutts. “…we are looking forward to what the Dubai event can bring this year by welcoming even more fans to the race stadium at Mina Rashid.”

Mina Rashid, also referred to as Port Rashid, is a man-made cruise terminal and was Dubai’s first commercial port. As cargo operations moved to Jebel Ali Port in 2018, it currently serves as a seafront coastal destination, tourist cruise destination, and residential area.

“Mina Rashid Marina is the perfect destination for all things maritime,” said Hamza Mustafa, Chief Operating Officer at P&O Marinas. “Our partnership (with SailGP) cements our commitment to making Dubai a leading maritime hub and a global destination for yachting and sailing enthusiasts.”

For additional details, click here.

SailGP information – YouTube – How to watch

Season Standings (after four of 13 events; results and total points)
1. Australia (Tom Slingsby), 2-3-2-2; 35points
2. Great Britain (Ben Ainslie), 7-6-1-1; 29
3. Spain (Diego Botin), 5-1-3-6; 29
4. Denmark (Nicolai Sehested), 4-2-4-7; 27
5. New Zealand (Peter Burling), 1-7-8-DNC/6; 23
6. United States (Jimmy Spithill), 9-5-5-3; 22
7. France (Quintin Delapierre), 6-8-6-4; 20
8. Canada (Phil Robertson), 3-4-10-5; 18
9. Switzerland (Sebastien Schneiter), 8-9-9-9; 10
10. Germany (Erik Heil), 10-10-7-8; 6
Notes:
• Canada SailGP Team: Docked four points in Season Championship for eight-point penalty at France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez
• Germany SailGP Team: Docked two points in Season Championship for four-point penalty at Oracle Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix
• New Zealand SailGP Team: Granted six event points for Italy Sail Grand Prix as unable to compete due to wing damage suffered at France Sail Grand Prix.

Season 4 – 2023
June 16-17 – United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier
July 22-23 – United States Sail Grand Prix | Los Angeles
September 9-10 – France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez
September 23-24 – Italy Sail Grand Prix | Taranto
October 14-15 – Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía- Cádiz
December 9-10 – Dubai Sail Grand Prix | Dubai*

Season 4 – 2024
January 13-14 – Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix | Abu Dhabi
February 24-25 – Australia Sail Grand Prix | Sydney
March 23-24 – New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland
May 4-5 – Bermuda Sail Grand Prix
June 1-2 – Canada Sail Grand Prix | Halifax
June 22-23 – United States Sail Grand Prix | New York
July 13-14 – SailGP Season 4 Grand Final | San Francisco
* Added October 3, 2023

Format for Season 4:
• Teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event runs across two days.
• Up to seven qualifying fleet races of approximately 15 minutes may be scheduled for each regatta.
• The top three teams from qualifying advance to a final race to be crowned event champion and earn the largest share of the $300,000.00 USD event prize money purse that’s divided among the top three teams.
• The season ends with the Grand Final, which includes the Championship Final Race for the top three teams in the season standing with the winner claiming the $1m USD prize.

For competition documents, click here.

Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing among national teams in some of the iconic harbors around the globe.

Source: SailGP