Big test for USA in SailGP Season 6

The Athletic provided a preview for the upcoming 2026 SailGP season, with this excerpt about the USA Team:

How the U.S. will perform is another key storyline. The U.S. team’s brightest moment of Season 5 came at the very start, when Taylor Canfield’s crew won race one of the opening Grand Prix of the season in the light winds of Dubai, where they eventually finished third overall.

But that was a long time ago, in November 2024, and would prove to be the highlight of a season that went badly downhill at subsequent events. A weekend-ending capsize — even before the practice day in Sydney had begun — was embarrassing, as was an avoidable and costly collision with the British boat at Sassnitz in Germany later in the year.

Canfield and crew earned themselves a bit of a reprieve towards the end of the season with an eighth in Cadiz, Spain, and a fifth in Abu Dhabi, although this was in light winds where the Americans have looked less vulnerable and a bit more on the pace. Overall, Canfield’s team finished bottom of the championship.

Perth will be a big test to see if the U.S. has managed to up its game in the full-on, full-foiling conditions that require a different mindset and a different set of skills.

For Perth complete crew list, click here.

SailGP information – Perth details – How to watch

Season 6 – 2026 Schedule:
• Jan 17-18 – Perth, Australia
• Feb 14-15 – Auckland, New Zealand
• Feb 28-March 1 – Sydney, Australia
• Apr 11-12  – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• May 9-10 – Hamilton, Bermuda
• May 30-31 – New York, USA
• June 20-21 – Halifax, Canada
• July 25-26- Portsmouth, GBR
• August 22-23 – Sassnitz, Germany
• Sep / Oct – Spain (TBC)
• Sept 19-20 – Geneva, Switzerland*
• Nov 21-22 – Dubai, UAE
• Nov 28-29 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
* The 11th event was moved to Geneva from Saint-Tropez, France.

Season 6 format:
• Thirteen teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event is two days.
• All teams compete in up to seven qualifying fleet races of approximately 15 minutes.
• The top three teams from qualifying advance to a final race for the event title.
• The season ends with the Grand Final event which includes the Championship Final Race for the top three teams in the season standing.
• All teams are privately owned except for New Zealand and Spain which are owned by the league.

Season 6 prize money:
A total of USD $12.8 million is up for grabs in 2026. The winner of each of the 13 events takes home $400,000, with $260,000 for second and $140,000 for third. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins $400,000, while the team that wins the Championship Final Race wins USD $2 million.

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