SailGP New York

Catamarans hitting 103.9 km/h at the foot of Manhattan's skyline: the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix returns on May 30-31, 2026 for what promises to be one of the most electric stops of Season 6 on the global circuit.

Fourth Act in the Big Apple

New York is no longer a passing port of call. Since the inaugural 2019 season, when the F50s first burst onto the scene in front of the Statue of Liberty, the city has established itself as a marquee date on the calendar. After consecutive editions from 2023 to 2025, the Grand Prix is now confirmed through 2027.

The impact extends well beyond sport: in the first season alone, the circuit's five events generated approximately $115 million in economic benefits for host cities. With 1.8 billion viewers in the previous season, the SailGP media machine is running at full throttle.

Competitively, this late-May stop comes at a pivotal moment. Teams are scrambling to lock in their qualification for the Grand Final. Every point counts, every botched start can cost a season.

The Hudson River, Urban Arena

The New York racecourse is unique on the circuit. Racing takes place on the Hudson River, in a "stadium" format bounded by virtual marks. Space is tight, maneuvers frequent, and the crowd—packed along the Manhattan and Governors Island shorelines—finds itself mere meters from the action.

• Wind: Late May brings variable conditions. Light air is the main enemy of spectacle, but the F50s have adjustable wings to compensate.
• Current: Hudson tides add a formidable tactical layer. Strategists who misread the current pay dearly.
• Traffic: Organizing a regatta at over 100 km/h in the heart of a metropolis demands precise coordination with port authorities and ferry management.

The Format: Short, Brutal, Readable

SailGP was designed to captivate beyond the sailing cognoscenti. Races last about 15 minutes—no time to lose focus.

The weekend begins with fleet races: all 13 catamarans compete simultaneously, points awarded by finishing order (10 for first, 9 for second, and so on). After these qualifying rounds, only the top three teams advance to the "Winner-Take-All" final.

Umpiring happens in real time from shore, using telemetry data and video feeds. Penalties drop instantly. No room for ambiguity.

Thirteen Nations, Zero Margin

The 2026 season fields an expanded fleet of 13 national teams. The depth is extraordinary.

• United States — Taylor Canfield: the home team, backed by a media ownership group, dreams of victory on home waters.
• Australia — Tom Slingsby: the "Flying Roos," historic champions, remain the benchmark with Iain Jensen on the wing.
• Spain — Diego Botin: "Los Gallos," Season 4 winners, confirm their status as a dominant force.
• New Zealand — Peter Burling: the "Black Foils" field the Olympic duo Burling/Tuke, eternal rivals of the Australians.
• France — Quentin Delapierre: steady progress for the Blues, with Manon Audinet on strategy.
• Brazil — Martine Grael: the two-time Olympic champion takes the helm of a new team under close scrutiny.
• Great Britain — Dylan Fletcher: supported by strategist Hannah Mills, another Olympic legend.
• Denmark — Nicolai Sehested: holders of the absolute speed record (56.1 knots), fearsome when the breeze builds.

Germany (Erik Kosegarten-Heil), Italy (Phil Robertson), Switzerland (Sébastien Schneiter), and Canada round out an ultra-competitive fleet.

Find the complete calendar and live standings on spencer.club.

The F50: 15 Meters, 5 Sailors, 100 km/h

The F50s are development one-designs—identical hulls, only talent makes the difference. A few numbers to grasp the beast:

• Speed record: 56.1 knots (103.9 km/h), set by Denmark in 2025.
• Rigid wing: 24 meters tall in standard configuration, reducible to 18m in heavy weather or extendable to 29m in light air.
• Titanium foils: Since 2025, new "T"-shaped appendages machined from titanium and carbon fiber improve upwind performance and flight stability.
• Crew: Reduced from 6 to 5 people thanks to hydraulic assistance powered by lithium-ion batteries for foil control.

The onboard technology is spectacular, but ultimately, it's the coordination among five athletes under extreme pressure that wins races. The F50 forgives nothing.

Business and Premium Hospitality

SailGP's commercial positioning in New York pulls no punches. Mubadala as title sponsor, Rolex among the partners: the circuit attracts prestige brands.

On the public side, pricing reflects the ambition: from $275 for a day ticket to $640 for the weekend Platinum experience, with access to exclusion zones at the edge of the racecourse. The "VELA Privé" program on Governors Island offers an all-inclusive environment dedicated to business networking.

For broadcasters, the formula works: extreme sport + iconic urban backdrop = content tailor-made for social media and streaming. The young audience that sailing struggled to capture elsewhere, SailGP reaches here.

The Challenges of Racing in a Working Metropolis

Flying racing catamarans in the middle of an active harbor is no small feat. Setting up the technical base for 13 teams—with cranes, workshops, and temporary port infrastructure—demands colossal logistics, managed by a centralized operations team.

Light wind remains the main wild card. But the wing's modularity (up to 29m) allows the F50s to take flight even in modest breeze. And when the weather cooperates, the Hudson transforms into a floating Formula 1 circuit.

Compare technical specs of competing boats on spencer.club.