TAKE NOTE ! –Racing will be on from 9:30pm AEST this evening (Friday) and not Saturday like normal. They have a short turn-round to get up to Lake Geneva for next weekend! – Much more of a social time for us in Australia.
With a Mistral wind forecasted, the Rolex SailGP Championship is set to return to Saint-Tropez, France, this weekend. Twelve national teams are prepared for a high-speed, high-stakes event as they compete in the ninth stop of the 2025 season.
The race kicks off today, September 12, with expected wind gusts exceeding 40 km/h, perfect conditions for SailGP’s F50 fleet. France SailGP Team driver Quentin Delapierre anticipates a thrilling day reminiscent of the previous year’s record-setting race, where the French team reached a speed of 99.94 km/h.
Delapierre expressed hope for another exceptional racing day, though he acknowledged that breaking records isn’t the primary goal. Meanwhile, the recent speed record of 103.93 km/h was set by Nicolai Sehested of Rockwool Denmark just last month.
In a significant organisational effort, both Brazil and the U.S. teams are expected to compete after extensive rebuilds, with the SailGP Technologies team putting in around 4,000 hours of work. However, as of now, Brazil’s Mubadala team is still completing final checks before they can hit the water.
Sir Russell Coutts, league CEO, also announced plans for the league’s expansion, confirming the sale of team 13 to an undisclosed group and a projected team 14 debut in 2027. This aligns with the league’s strategy to prioritise the current fleet while developing new training facilities for existing and future teams.
With only three events remaining before the Grand Final, teams are eager to secure their standings. Emirates GBR driver Dylan Fletcher mentioned the importance of consistency as they approach the climax of the Championship. Similarly, New Zealand driver Peter Burling, currently tied with Australia at the top of the leaderboard, emphasised the ongoing rivalry with the Australian team and the need for focused performances to maintain their lead.
The ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix will feature two days of racing starting at 1.30pm CEST on September 12 and 12.30pm on September 13, broadcast live on Canal+ Sport. Fans can find more information on the event at SailGP.com/Watch.
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