SailGP: Northstar 3rd in Portsmouth

Aug 13, 2026

Canada’s NorthStar SailGP Team delivered one of its strongest performances of the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship season, with a third place finish at the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix after a weekend of consistent racing on the Solent, coming out on top of Group A after five fleet races.

The Canadian team demonstrated impressive pace and composure throughout the event, overcoming challenging conditions and a competitive 13-team fleet to earn its place on the podium.

The NorthStar crew showcased precise starts throughout the weekend, converting strong fleet race results into a haul of championship points as SailGP’s European leg got underway, to move one place up the season leaderboard.

Northstar leads Los Gallos SailGP Team over the finish line as spectators wave Canadian flags from the Grand Stand in Race 1 on Race Day 1 of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth UK 25 July. Rolex Photo: Gary Oakley for SailGP.

“Amazing racing – we were sailing the boat really well in these conditions. It’s nice to finish the second day on the bounce. That certainly showed in the results,” said Giles Scott, driver of the NorthStar SailGP Team.

“Third place is a good and solid result, but we feel like we could have done a little bit better in the grand finale. We lost our wing display, so we didn’t know where the boundary was! We sailed off the course and picked up a penalty which was disappointing, but we’ve come away with a third place which, we have to be very pleased with.”

“Feels good to be in the top mix and fighting with those guys. Within our group, to be able to come out first, builds confidence. We like the windier conditions – with all six of us on the boat, everybody is doing their job, which allows us to get the boat locked in and sailing as a unit,” sail Flight Controller Billy Gooderham.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto for SailGP.

Commenting on the final fleet race of the day, when the Canadians managed to pass Spain to secure their place in the grand finale, Billy said, “We put the after burners on and we pushed the boat to what we call mode eleven. You’ve got to get there and that’s what we managed to do.”

After a slow start, the podium result continues NorthStar’s positive momentum following a series of increasingly competitive performances this season and reinforces the team’s ability to challenge at the front of the fleet against SailGP’s best.

From Portsmouth, the fleet heads to Sassnitz for the ROCKWOOL Germany Sail Grand Prix on 22-23 August.

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