Everything you need to know about the Rolex SailGP Championship
👀 Here at The GIST, we’re all about dispelling stereotypes. If you think you know a thing or two about sailing, then toss out your boat shoes because the Rolex SailGP Championship is not the buttoned-up affair you’re probably picturing.
- Think of the world's leading sailing series like racecars on water, featuring 12 technology-powered catamarans reaching speeds up to 100 km/hour.
- Add in the unpredictable nature of the open water, and you have a thrill-seeker’s perfect sport.
TL;DR? We think you’ll love SailGP. Before you tune into your first Grand Prix, here’s a quick primer on the exciting international sport, created in partnership with Rolex, a founding partner of SailGP since 2019.
⚙️ How it works
There are 14 Grands Prix this season, taking place across five continents and each featuring 12 co-ed national teams. Unlike other racing leagues where teams compete with unique equipment, SailGP operates on a level playing field, with each squad sporting an identical F50 catamaran.
- Every team competes in at least seven fleet races per Grand Prix, with the top three finishers advancing to a winner-takes-all final competition at the end of every weekend.
🤝 The teams
Australia is a SailGP heavyweight, having won three of the previous four seasons. And the Flying Roos are leading the pack in season five, with Emirates Great Britain and Spain hot on their stern.
- However, Canada is this season’s Cinderella story after placing second at March’s Oracle San Francisco SailGP. Not too shabby, eh?
💪 The athletes
In an effort to differentiate themselves, SailGP “sailors” are all called “athletes.” There are five different roles on every catamaran: the strategist, driver, wing trimmer, flight controller, and grinder. Here’s what they do:
- A strategist reads the wind and operates as the team’s tactician.
- The driver steers the catamaran and is essentially the team captain, charged with making final decisions. No pressure.
- A wing trimmer maneuvers the sail, which affects speed.
- The flight controller determines how high the catamaran stays above the water, a crucial role to avoid capsizing (which can happen mid-race).
- And the grinders generate power for the wing trimmer to adjust the sail, with two per F50. Vroom, vroom.
⛵ The boats
F50 catamarans are carbon-fiber marvels that sit above the water thanks to their hydrofoils, aka the stick-like structures that poke out of the bottom. By eliminating the water drag effect on a boat, these F50s can fly, reaching speeds up to 100 km/hour.
- And fans can witness every second of it: Each F50 is equipped with onboard cameras so SailGP groupies can be immersed in the action and feel as if they’re on the catamaran themselves. Chills.
📺 Ready to tune in? We have great news: the Mubadala New York SailGP is this weekend, running from June 7th to 8th. Catch all the excitement by downloading the SailGP app.
