SailGP Saint-Tropez

The Saint-Tropez Gulf, Arena of Absolute Speed

99.94 km/h. That's the mark left by Team France in the Saint-Tropez bay in September 2022, during SailGP Season 3. That day, with winds exceeding 40 km/h, even the slowest boat in the fleet was breaking the 94 km/h barrier. The Gulf is not just another body of water. It demands, surprises, and rewards the bold.

On 12 and 13 September 2026, Saint-Tropez hosts the ninth event of the season. But this edition is unlike any other. For the first time, 14 nations will take the start — a historic expansion forcing the championship to reinvent its racing format.

An Already Rich History on the Côte d'Azur

Since joining the calendar, the ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix has established itself as a must-see event on the European circuit. The Corsican city offers stadium racing of rare intensity: F50s fly between the port and the jetty, just cables away from crowds packed along the waterfront.

The French exploit of 2022 remains etched in memory. Quentin Delapierre and his crew pushed their catamaran to the edge of possibility, flirting with the symbolic 100 km/h barrier. That same year, Jimmy Spithill's United States won the event — though not without incurring penalties after an incident with France that cost them 4 points in the overall championship.

This blend of raw speed, borderline contact, and capricious weather conditions has forged the reputation of the Saint-Tropez fixture. The Mistral can arrive without warning, transforming the bay into a battlefield. Conversely, anaemic breezes have already forced teams to deploy the large wing just to stay airborne.

2026 Format: The Split-Fleet Gamble

Fourteen boats on the cramped waters of the Gulf is too many. Russell Coutts, SailGP CEO, acknowledged this by approving an unprecedented experimental format to manage this density.

The principle:

• The fleet is split into two groups (seven boats each)
• Each group contests separate qualifying races
• The top four teams from each pool advance to the final phase

The stakes are twofold: safety and legibility. With catamarans flying at more than 50 knots in a restricted space, the slightest trajectory error can trigger a collision with serious consequences — both sporting and financial.

But the championship's DNA survives this evolution. The conclusion remains faithful to the "winner-takes-all" format: the top three teams in the event's overall standings face off in a single Grand Final. The winner of this last race takes the event, regardless of points accumulated beforehand. Everything is decided in a few minutes.

Fourteen Nations, Zero Margin for Error

The fleet expansion reshuffles the deck. Here are the most closely watched contenders:

• France — Quentin Delapierre: home speed record holders, they'll carry the weight of a crowd behind them
• New Zealand — Peter Burling: the "Black Foils," consistent and formidable, technical favorites on every racecourse on the circuit
• United States — Jimmy Spithill: victorious here in 2022, their experience of this treacherous Gulf is a major asset
• Great Britain — Ben Ainslie / Giles Scott: perennial podium contenders, they too flirted with 99 km/h in Saint-Tropez
• Red Bull Italy — Phil Robertson: the New Zealander's aggressive style brings welcome tactical unpredictability
• Brazil: one of the circuit's new nations, whose driver remains to be confirmed

With two additional expansion teams, starts will be tighter, covering closer. A single mistake in the qualifying phase can eliminate a favorite before even reaching the final.

F50s: Modular War Machines

The F50 catamarans remain one-designs — identical for all, which places human talent at the centre of the equation. Six people aboard: helmsman, wing trimmer, flight controller, strategist, and two grinders. 15 metres long, 8.8 metres wide, capable of exceeding 100 km/h.

The technical key in Saint-Tropez lies in wing choice:

• 24-metre wing: deployed in light wind, it maximizes power and maintains flight above the water
• 18-metre wing: reserved for beefy conditions, lighter, it reduces drag and permits higher top speeds while securing navigation

This modularity isn't a luxury on the Côte d'Azur. Recent history has proved it: 40 km/h gusts in 2022, near-flat conditions the following year. Technical directors will need to decide quickly, sometimes between races, or risk finding themselves with the wrong configuration at the wrong moment.

What's at Stake Beyond the Water

SailGP is broadcast in more than 190 territories. The 2026 season's global prize pool reaches $12.8 million. Each event is as much a media product as a sporting contest.

For Saint-Tropez, the stakes extend beyond sailing. The event consolidates the city's image as the capital of modern yachting at the end of summer season, attracting an international clientele that extends tourist footfall well beyond August.

The "Race Stadium" deployed on site offers giant screens, live commentary, dining areas, and merchandising — an immersive experience that brings spectators closer to a sport long perceived as distant.

Find the complete SailGP 2026 season calendar on spencer.club.

Mistral or Breeze: The X Factor

Weather will dictate the script. That's the only certainty. A 40-knot Mistral and the bay transforms into a laboratory of pure speed, with F50s on the edge of breaking point. A timid thermal breeze and racing becomes an exercise in patience, positioning, micro-adjustments on the foils.

The split-fleet format adds another layer of complexity: conditions can evolve between the two groups' races, creating classification asymmetries difficult to adjudicate.

What's certain is that Saint-Tropez never leaves anyone indifferent. The Gulf has already produced the fastest moment in SailGP history. On 13 September 2026, it could well write a new chapter.

Compare the competing boats and follow news from this event on spencer.club.