SailGP locks in a return to Sydney Harbour

The Australian leg of the SailGP calendar will run from December 17-18, 2021, as the race series winds up its European rounds. The return to Sydney marks the second time the 100km/h-plus F50 catamarans will compete in Australia this season.

Britain narrowly edged out Australia to take victory in what was to have been the official SailGP season two opener in February last year.

“The Australia Sail Grand Prix forms part of the league’s expanded second-season roster that features nine events in iconic harbours around the world,” the event’s organisers said in a statement announcing the return to Sydney.

“Each of SailGP’s eight teams race in identical 50-foot flying catamarans which produces incredibly close racing. 

“The teams are made up of the world’s best athletes, including Australian Olympic gold medalist and Season 1 Champion Tom Slingsby. Slingsby will go head-to-head in Sydney against seven national teams from Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States of America,” it said.

The second SailGP season was suspended last year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with event organisers replacing the real-world series with a virtual one until real-world racing could resume earlier this year.

SailGP said more than 25,000 people turned out to watch Olympic Games sailing gold medallist Tom Slingsby and the Australia SailGP Team compete at their home event on Sydney Harbour in February 2020 – the only event that took place before the 2020 season was postponed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It said the event reached 39 million people worldwide, with $29 million spent to host the event.

The SailGP series will head to New Zealand in January 2022, followed by San Francisco, which will host the $1 million winner-takes-all grand final on March 26-27.

Tickets for the Australian leg of the SailGP will go on sale in August.