SailGP confirms an 11-team roster, just a month ahead of Dubai season opener
by SailGP 24 Oct 05:48 PDT
23-24 November 2024
Both New Zealand and France will compete in the 2025 Season alongside two new national teams, as SailGP announces a revised points system and increased prize money © SailGP
SailGP has announced that its largest-ever F50 fleet will take to the waters in Dubai, featuring 11 teams—including two new nations—competing in the season-opening event, the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas, scheduled for November 23-24, 2024.
The global racing championship has confirmed a 12-boat fleet for Auckland, which is the second event of the season, after expediting the production of ‘boat 12.’ Currently being rapidly developed between New Zealand and SailGP Technologies facilities in Southampton, UK, the league’s 12th supercharged F50 catamaran will be operated by France, which has chosen not to compete in Dubai while awaiting the league’s latest F50.
The French team will attend the season launch in the UAE and has training days planned after the event. They will join the fleet in Auckland after receiving compensatory points for not racing in Dubai.
Plans for a new Italy SailGP Team have also been confirmed, with an official announcement—including the full athlete roster—to come soon. The team will be managed by former SailGP competitor Jimmy Spithill, who indicated his desire to establish an Italian team following his departure from the U.S. SailGP Team a year ago.
Italy will be the second new national team to enter SailGP in the 2025 Season. Also confirmed in June, the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team will race for the first time in Dubai, led by double Olympic Gold Medalist Martine Grael, making her the first woman to helms a SailGP team. Team CEO Alan Adler has indicated that the roster will comprise both new and veteran SailGP athletes, including several notable transfers preceding the Dubai event.
Participating teams in the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix include Spain, New Zealand, Australia, ROCKWOOL Denmark, Emirates GBR, the United States, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Mubadala Brazil, and Italy. Today’s announcement affirms that Season Champions Spain and New Zealand’s Black Foils will both take part in the 2025 Season, with ongoing commercial discussions regarding both league-owned teams.
SailGP Managing Director Andrew Thompson stated, “In just under a month, SailGP’s most substantial national fleet will line up in Dubai, marking an exciting phase of growth for the league—demonstrated by multiple team transactions, new host venues, and some thrilling global partnerships that will be revealed as we approach Dubai.”
Thompson added, “Launching the 2025 Season will solidify SailGP’s status as the premier on-water racing championship, featuring the world’s top athletes competing year-round at iconic global locations. The final team arrangements show our success in attracting and keeping the sport’s elite talent, with top SailGP competitors recognized as the standout stars in this new sailing era. Plus, we’re anticipating revealing new team athlete signings in the weeks ahead.”
With 12 national teams ready to compete starting in January 2025, SailGP has also introduced a revised scoring system that awards points only to teams that finish in the top 10 in both qualifying races and overall event standings.
The 2025 Season also promises increased prize money for SailGP athletes, as the league plans to substantially raise the total purse available throughout the season, which was $7 million in Season 4—the highest in the sport’s history.
Over two thrilling days on the beautiful waters of Mina Rashid, the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas aims to be a highlight of the Middle Eastern sports calendar—the third time SailGP has visited the city. With racing close to shore and against an impressive urban backdrop framed by the Burj Khalifa and other internationally-recognized landmarks, Dubai has hosted some of the championship’s most unforgettable racing moments—including the closest finish in SailGP history during Season 4.
Tickets for the event are currently available at SailGP.com/Dubai.
