Written by Ocean Media
Photography by Beau Outteridge / Chris Cameron
20 December 2018
SailGP, the new annual, global sports league featuring bold, cutting-edge technology and awe-inspiring athleticism, kicks off with the inaugural regatta on Sydney Harbour, 15 and 16 February 2019.
Ocean Media will be right in the thick of the action as the Official Super Yacht Program Partner. Only a limited number of yachts will be able to purchase the SailGP Super Yacht Flag, exclusively through Ocean Media. It allows them special positioning on the race course, (see RaceMap area coded GREEN) Official Spectator Boats* / Official Super Yachts. Also included in the purchase of a Flag is a personal tour of the Australian Team Base and the chance to meet Tom Slingsby and the Aussie Team, as well as access to behind-the-scenes press conferences.
Actual race area maps and exclusions zones will be made available on sailgp.com/sydney each practice and race day.
Sydney Harbour will light up with the fleet of six teams, featuring some of the best young talents in the sport, with more than a few accomplished veterans sprinkled across the crew lists as well.
With a strong nationality component to the circuit, many of the sailing teams are 100 percent national and feature Olympic stars, match race tour champions and America’s Cup winners. SailGP is a best-on-best competition and the athletic, hyper-competitive talent pool reflects that ethos. Each sailor will be pushed to their limits and beyond as they seek glory on the top circuit in sailing.
The Australian team features some of the nation’s most decorated sailors. America’s Cup winner, Olympic gold medallist and multiple World Champion Tom Slingsby will serve as skipper.
“We are going to have serious rivalries with some countries,” says Slingsby. “Against Team GBR – it’s going to be like the Ashes on water.”
Slingsby will be joined by wing trimmer Kyle Langford, flight controller Jason Waterhouse, grinders Ky Hurst and Sam Newton, and reserve Kinley Fowler.
Rival national teams will battle it out in identical supercharged F50 catamarans, engineered for intense racing at electrifying speeds exceeding 50 knots.
Inshore racing takes place in some of the most iconic harbours around the globe and culminates with a US$1 million winner-takes-all match race.
Each grand prix will include two competition days featuring a total of five fleet races leading to a final match race between the two leaders. Points will be accumulated in each race throughout the season, culminating with a final match race between the top two teams for the SailGP Championship.
MEET THE TEAMS: Australia SailGP Team – Great Britain SailGP Team – United States SailGP Team – France SailGP Team – China SailGP Team – Japan SailGP Team.
For further information on how to secure a Flag, please contact: