Sydney Harbour will host the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix this weekend, February 28th and March 1st, marking the seventh time the SailGP championship has visited the iconic location. The event is set to feature a twilight racing window, scheduled between 5:30pm and 7:00pm, offering a unique golden hour backdrop for the competition.
The BONDS Flying Roos, representing Australia, enter the Sydney event in a strong position, tied on points with Emirates GBR. They achieved victory in Auckland and a second-place finish at the season opener in Perth. Emirates GBR mirrored this success with a win in Perth and a second place in Auckland.
Still, the field will be reduced to eleven teams for the Sydney Sail Grand Prix following a collision at the Auckland Grand Prix. DS Automobiles Team France will be absent after their F50 was damaged in a collision with New Zealand Black Foils. New Zealand Black Foils are also sidelined while both teams await repairs and a rebuild of their vessels. A composite F50 is currently under construction at Southern Spars in New Zealand, utilizing the starboard hull of the French F50 and both crossbeams connected to the port hull of the New Zealand F50. A complete second F50 will also necessitate to be constructed before both teams can return to racing.
Sydney’s Race Stadium on Shark Island will return, alongside the Official Spectator Boat offerings, allowing fans to view the F50 fleet racing at speeds exceeding 100kmph just metres from shore. The event is supported by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s agency for tourism and major events.
Race Day 1 is scheduled for Saturday, February 28th, with Race Day 2 following on Sunday, March 1st. For UK viewers, both race days will begin at 06:30 am local time.
Emirates GBR’s team consists of Dylan Fletcher as Driver, Stuart Bithell as Wing Trimmer, Luke Parkinson as Flight Controller, Nick Hutton and Neil Hunter as Grinders, Hannah Mills as Strategist, and Ben Cornish and Eleanor Aldridge as reserve athletes and strategist respectively. Nick Robinson and Hattie Rogers will serve as Performance Analysts, with Robbie Wilson as Coach.
