Italy SailGP Team unveiled

The wait is over. Red Bull Italy SailGP Team has officially been unveiled as the 12th and final nation to join the 2025 Season of SailGP. Italy enters the fast-paced sailing series for the first time with an ambitious roster, making their race debut at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix (November 23-24, 2024).

Led by SailGP star Jimmy Spithill as CEO & Founder, double Olympic Gold Medalist Ruggero Tita will drive for Red Bull Italy SailGP Team. Two-time World bronze medalist, and recent Women’s America’s Cup Winner, Giulia Fava will step into the role of strategist, and Andrea Tesei, Italian National Champion, takes on the highly complex position of flight controller.

The new Italian team also boasts a star-studded lineup of experienced SailGP athletes, including three-time SailGP champion Kyle Langford, who made a surprise departure from Australia to join the Italian crew.

Alex Sinclair has also followed former driver and CEO Spithill to Italy, joining grinders Matteo Celon and Enrico Voltolini, both with extensive high-performance and America’s Cup race experience, completing the roster. Coaching the team is veteran SailGP Championship winning coach, Philippe Presti.

Red Bull Italy SailGP Team’s CEO & Founder Jimmy Spithill said, “I’ve been fortunate enough to both live and compete for Italy, multiple times in my career. I saw just how much talent is coming through this incredible country.

“At the same time I was blown away by how passionate and loyal the Italian sports fans are, and have no doubt they will be out in big numbers supporting Ruggi and the team. We have assembled a fantastic mix of experience and next generational talent: I can’t wait to see them on the race track!”

Red Bull Italy SailGP Team driver Ruggero Tita said, “As an Italian sailor, it’s an honor to join as driver for the first Italian team in this global racing championship. We have a remarkably talented group of athletes behind us, who are incredibly excited to take on this challenge and we plan to make a positive initial impression during racing at the 2025 season opener in Dubai this weekend. We’re also looking forward to racing at home in front of Italian fans in September 2025.”

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said, “Today marks an exciting milestone heading in this weekend’s season-opener, the full reveal of our 12th and final national team for the 2025 Season. Italy is a proud sailing nation with a deeply-rooted history in sport.

“Together with Red Bull, one of the world’s most iconic sporting brands, we know this team will usher in an exciting new era, bringing Italians fans closer to the action than ever before. Ruggero, Giulia and the wider line-up represent some of the top talent in the sailing world, adding to a championship that boasts the very best athletes, competing year-round in an exciting, dynamic format.”

The announcement was made at a private launch event at the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team base in Dubai, together with highly-talented team of Red Bull athletes, including acro-paraglider Horacio Llorens, breakdancer (Alessandra Chillemi), freestyle footballer (Sean Garnier) and a BMX biker (Viki Gomez). Guests were treated to a guest chaser experience as the team hit the water for the very first time in their own F50 catamaran.

The Red Bull Italy SailGP Team’s journey to the startline began when Spithill announced his intention to form a new Italian team upon his exit from the U.S. SailGP Team last year. Italy is the second new nation to join the global racing championship, alongside the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, who will also race for the very first time in Dubai.

Italian fans can watch SailGP’s high-speed action on Sky Italia, named the official broadcast partner of SailGP in Italy. A long standing partner of the global racing league, the renewed partnership will air all events as well as highlights and will feature SailGP’s behind-the-scenes docuseries made in partnership with Rolex, Racing on the Edge.

The Italian team’s home debut will take place on the historic waterfront of Taranto in the Puglia region of Italy, September 6-7, 2025. The ROCKWOOL Italy Sail Grand Prix is the league’s third visit to the city, and the second time with ROCKWOOL as Title Partner. Sky Italia will also include live linear coverage of SailGP’s return to Taranto.

SailGP’s 2025 Season begins November 23, 2024, unfolding over two action-packed days of racing on the pristine waters of P&O Marina’s Port Mina Rashid. The Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix is set to be a flagship event on the Middle East sporting calendar, the third time SailGP has visited the city.

Twelve Teams for Season 5
• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Great Britain
• Italy
• New Zealand*
• Spain*
• Switzerland
• United States
* League funded teams

SailGP information – YouTube – Facebook

Season 5 Schedule – 14 events
2024
November 23-24 – Dubai, UAE

2025
January 18-19 – Auckland, New Zealand
February 8-9 – Sydney, Australia
March 15-16 – Los Angeles, USA
March 22-23 – San Francisco, USA
May 3-4 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 7-8 – New York City, USA
July 19-20 – Portsmouth, Great Britain
August 16-17 – Sassnitz, Germany
September 6-7 – Taranto, Italy
September 20-21 – Geneva, Switzerland
October 4-5 – Andalucía – Cádiz, Spain
November 7-8 – Middle East *
November 29-30 – Grand Final – Abu Dhabi, UAE
* Venue to be announced

Format for Season 5:
• Teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event runs across two days.
• Five 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 prize purse (amount not confirmed; Season 4 had $400,000.00 USD prize purse with winning team 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 a monetary award (amount not confirmed; Season 4 had $2 million USD prize).
• The top team on points ahead of the three-boat Championship Final will get a monetary award (amount not confirmed; Season 4 had a $350,000.00 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, SSN