SailGP opens Pensacola training base

SailGP has opened its first long-term training base at the state-of-the-art American Magic High Performance Center in Pensacola, Florida. A F50 catamaran is onsite with the Emirates GBR SailGP Team as the first to experience the facility.

The Pensacola facility will operate as a centralized, year-round training hub for the teams. The multi-season agreement for the training base, running through 2031, represents a strategic partnership between American Magic and SailGP – two leaders in elite sail racing.

“The SailGP Training Base is more than a facility – it is the infrastructure that enables the next phase of our growth,” said Andrew Thompson, SailGP Managing Director. “As a year-round high-performance hub, the training base allows our teams to invest in athlete development and progression, ultimately driving the long-term growth of our sport.”

Previously, teams received only minimal training time before events, conditions permitting. Emirates GBR SailGP Team driver Dylan Fletcher sees the Training Base as a game changer for the league.

“It gives us the opportunity to truly push the limits, dial in our communications and refine our playbooks. The (flat) conditions in Pensacola’s bay will be fantastic, and having this centralized base will undoubtedly raise the standard of racing and depth across the entire fleet.”

The SailGP Training Base will operate under consistent standards to reinforce the league’s commitment to sporting fairness. All teams will have equal access to reserve training blocks outside of race weekends as the championship continues to scale globally.

Multiple SailGP teams will be able to train simultaneously, benefiting from centralized on-water and shore support, including technical specialists, advanced safety resources, and dedicated testing services.

SailGP teams will access the base through a flexible, pay-to-train model, paying only for the specific days they utilize the facility. The first 10 days of training will sit outside the USD $10 million annual operating cap within the teams’ participation agreements.

SailGP information: sailgp.com

Season 6 Results (after 11 of 13 events)
1. Australia, Tom Slingsby (AUS), 2-1-5-1-1-1-4-7-1-2-2, 94 points
2. Spain, Diego Botin (ESP), 12-3-3-2-2-12-1-1-3-5-1, 78
3. Sweden, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), 4-5-9-3-11-5-2-2-5-9-7, 59
4. United States, Taylor Canfield/Martine Grael (USA), 5-7-1-4-7-6-6-6-11-1-13, 56
5. Great Britain, Dylan Fletcher (GBR), 1-2-2-12-4-2-11-11-9-6-9, 53
6. France, Quentin Delapierre (FRA), 3-4*-13-8-9-4-10-8-6-12-6, 46
7. Canada, Giles Scott (CAN/GBR), 6-10-11-10-6-3-8-3-2-10-8, 44
8. Denmark, Nicolai Sehested (DEN), 8-9-6-5-7-12-9-10-4-3, 40
9. Switzerland, Sébastien Schneiter (SUI), 11-12-10-11-5-8-3-4-8-7-4, 39
10. Germany, Erik Heil (GER), 9-6-8-6-3-11-7-10-7-8-12, 36
11. Italy, Phil Robertson (NZL), 7-13-4-7-8-9-9-12-12-3-11, 30
12. New Zealand, Peter Burling (NZL), 13-8-12-13-13-13-5-5-4-11-5, 27
13. Brazil, Martine Grael/Paul Goodison (BRA/GBR), 10-11-7-9-12-10-13-13-13-13-10, 9
* Received compensation points for Sydney due to boat damage in Event 2.

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
• Sept 5-6 – Valencia, Spain
• Sept 19-20 – Geneva, Switzerland
• Nov 21-22 – Dubai, UAE
• Nov 28-29 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
Note: 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.
• The league shifted to a split fleet format at Halifax for qualifying, using season standings to balance the two groups.
• The top two from each fleet advance to a 4-boat 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 league teams are privately owned, with New Zealand as the last to be acquired on June 19, 2026.

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.

F50 Configuration:
All teams use same configuration based on weather forecast. There are four wingsail sizes (18m, 24m, 27.5m, and 29m), six jib sizes, two T-foil daggerboards (high-speed and low-speed), and one set of rudders with high-speed and low-speed settings.

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