Sail GP: New Driver Takes Updated Boat Mid-Fleet

Dec 5, 2024

With a new owner, new brand and new skipper, we can look forward to a full season of Sail GP fun.  Being alive in the Sail GP Series is particularly important since the consensus is that fleet racing catamarans is the future, especially since the America’s Cup was widely viewed as a something of a bore.

Brief Q&A with driver, Giles Scott

1. How Canadian is he?  He has a passport – how?  Did he sail much here?  Does he ever come here?

“I spent my very young years in Canada in the late 1980s and early 90s, about six years in total. My father was working there and we returned to the UK when I was 7.  We were granted Canadian citizenship at that time, so I have a Canadian passport.”

“My first sailing experience was on the Ottawa River. The bulk of my sailing career was in the UK, but Canada is very close to us Scotts.”

2. – On racing in the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix

“We were fighting the pack today, but we had some pretty nice starts. It was tricky for us, we were bouncing around in the middle.  We struggled today, there is a lot going on, especially with the transitions. We have a bit to look at, but there are a lot of positives from today.”

“We have an amazing foundation, but we have to learn each other.  We are in a good spot and look to step forward for Auckland.” 

Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team helmed by Dylan Fletcher ahead of Canada NorthStar SailGP Team during racing on Race Day 1 of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas in Dubai, UAE. Saturday 23 November 2024. Photo: Felix Diemer for SailGP. Handout image supplied by SailGP

Dubai Report

Picking up where they left off in January, Peter Burling’s ‘Black Foils’ have claimed their third consecutive win in the UAE, soaring ahead of the Emirates Great Britain and U.S. SailGP Team on the pristine waters of Port Mina Rashid. The Black Foils are back-to-back-winners of the Rolex SailGP Championship’s season-opening event. 

Following a day of technical, light-air racing on Saturday, the 11-strong Rolex SailGP Championship fleet enjoyed breezy, foiling conditions – providing a show-stopping spectacle for fans watching along the shoreline.

Heading into the fifth and final fleet race of the weekend, a tight battle for third was poised between a handful of teams, including Emirates GBR and reigning Rolex SailGP Champions Spain. But it wasn’t to be for Los Gallos, who couldn’t manage to stay in front of Fletcher and missed out on the final. Despite leading the fleet heading into day two, the Flying Roo also missed out after finishing last in race five.

One of the Rolex SailGP’s two new nations in the 2025 Season, Red Bull Italy missed out on event points whilst fellow debut Mubadala Brazil added their first point to the Rolex SailGP Championship standings.

The Series heads down under in January, with the Rolex SailGP’s first event of the new year, the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland (January 18-19, 2025). 

The new brand

LEADERBOARD //
1 // New Zealand 10 points
2 // Emirates Great Britain 9 points
3 // United States 8 points
4 // Spain 7 points
5 // Australia 6 points
6 // Canada 5 points
7 // France 5 points
8 // ROCKWOOL Denmark 4 points
9 // Germany 3 points
10 // Switzerland 2 points
11 // Mubadala Brazil 1 point
12 // Red Bull Italy 0 point

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