More prize money for SailGP Teams

The prize money for the SailGP sports league has taken a step forward as the teams approach the mid-point of Season 4. The current terms have had the top three teams from each event gain a share of a purse, and then the top three teams at the end of the season compete in a single $1 million winner-take-all race.

These terms began for Season 3 in 2022-23, with an event purse of $300,000 USD for each of the events – $150k to the winner, $90k to second, and $60k to third. While not enough to fund a team, it kept it interesting.

But it was not a perfect plan as a team that dominated the full season, but stumbled in the final money race, would get nothing. That was voiced by Australian skipper Tom Slingsby, with the terms now getting sweetened beginning at the Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix on January 13-14, 2024.

The total prize money at each event will increase to $400,000 USD, to be distributed between the top three sailing teams. But also, the Grand Final prize money will double, from $1M to $2M – while $350K will be awarded to the top team on points ahead of the three-boat Championship Final.

“As the league grows commercially, this prize pool will continue to increase, which is great news for our athletes,” reports league CEO Russell Coutts.

SailGP information – YouTube – How to watch

Season Standings (after five of 13 events; results and total points)
1. Australia (Tom Slingsby), 2-3-2-2-3; 43 points
2. Denmark (Nicolai Sehested), 4-2-4-7-2; 36
3. United States (Jimmy Spithill), 9-5-5-3-1; 32
4. Spain (Diego Botin), 5-1-3-6-6; 32
5. Great Britain (Ben Ainslie), 7-6-1-1-8; 32
6. New Zealand (Peter Burling), 1-7-8-DNC/6-4; 30
7. Canada (Phil Robertson), 3-4-10-5-5; 24
8. France (Quintin Delapierre), 6-8-6-4-7; 24
9. Switzerland (Sebastien Schneiter), 8-9-9-9; 11
10. Germany (Erik Heil), 10-10-7-8-9-10; 8
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 (increases to $400k after Abu Dhabi) 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 $2 million USD prize.
• The top team on points ahead of the three-boat Championship Final will be awarded $350,000.00.

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