Kiwis change helms for Sydney SailGP

The New Zealand SailGP sit second in the Season Four overall standings, and when the circuit commences racing in Australia on February 24-25, a guest helm will be driving their F50 on the Sydney Harbor course.

With driver and co-CEO Peter Burling at home for the birth of his first child, SailGP veteran Nathan Outteridge will step behind the wheel of New Zealand’s F50 Amokura (Sydney crew list).

Outteridge, who previously steered Japan to two season finals, is no stranger to SailGP or the New Zealand team, racing with many of the Kiwi crew as part of their America’s Cup defense. Burling will return to driving duties ahead of the New Zealand SailGP in Christchurch on March 23-24.

“While I’d love to be racing – staying home for such an important milestone for me and my family is an obvious decision,” said Burling. “We’re incredibly fortunate to have someone of Nathan’s calibre able to join us – he’s one of the best, and we know he’ll slot right in.”

New Zealand has had back-to-back wins in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with the Australian event marking just over halfway through the Season 4 championship. A stronger wind forecast is expected, which will offer a pause following a handful of light-air stopovers in Europe and the Middle East.

“I’ve competed with and against many in this crew for years,” noted Outteridge. “They’re an exceptional group, and I can’t wait to join them this weekend.”

Burling is now the third SailGP driver to miss an event this season due to parental leave. Jimmy Spithill stepped in for Aussie driver Tom Slingsby in Dubai, while Outteridge also received the call up to drive for Denmark last month in Abu Dhabi. Outteridge maintains a regular advisory role with the Swiss SailGP Team, often competing as co-driver alongside Sebastian Sehested in Season 3.

SailGP information – Sydney details– YouTube – How to watch

Season Standings (after seven of 13 events; results and total points)
1. Australia (Tom Slingsby), 2-3-2-2-3-2-7; 56 points
2. New Zealand (Peter Burling), 1-7-8-DNC/6-4-1-1; 50
3. United States (Jimmy Spithill/Taylor Canfield), 9-5-5-3-1-8-3; 43
4. Denmark (Nicolai Sehested), 4-2-4-7-2-6-9; 43
5. Spain (Diego Botin), 5-1-3-6-6-10-2; 42
6. Great Britain (Ben Ainslie/Giles Scott), 7-6-1-1-8-5-8; 41
7. France (Quintin Delapierre), 6-8-6-4-7-4-4; 38
8. Canada (Phil Robertson), 3-4-10-5-5-3-6; 37
9. Germany (Erik Heil), 10-10-7-8-9-10-9-5; 16
10. Switzerland (Sebastien Schneiter), 8-9-9-9-7-10; 12

PENALTIES:
• 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
• Spain SailGP Team: Docked two points in Season Championship for four-point penalty at Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – Cádiz
• Switzerland SailGP Team: Docked four points in Season Championship for eight-point penalty at Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council

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
March 23-24 – New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch
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 for Abu Dhabi with the winning team now earning $200k at each event).
• 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.