SAILGP
SYDNEY’S GREATEST HITS: THE MOMENTS THAT SHAPED A CHAMPIONSHIP
A natural amphitheatre of headlands and high rises, Sydney Harbour has delivered some of the most cinematic moments in SailGP history. This weekend the F50 fleet returns to one of the most iconic stadiums in sport, where the breeze ricochets off the city skyline and the margins are measured in heartbeats.
Few venues on the SailGP calendar have produced such a rich highlight reel. The Australia versus New Zealand rivalry has often stolen the headlines, but the Harbour has also been a launchpad, a turning point and occasionally a trapdoor for the rest of the fleet.
Season 1: home waters roar
In SailGP’s first ever outing on Sydney Harbour in 2019, Tom Slingsby’s BONDS Flying Roos delivered a statement victory in front of a partisan crowd, establishing the city as a stronghold for the home team. The tight racecourse, framed by the city skyline, amplified every maneuver. It was not just a win, it was a declaration that the Aussies intended to be the team to beat – and it opened the world’s eyes to the potential of SailGP.
2020: the season that never was
Just as SailGP had captured the world’s attention, the COVID pandemic put paid to what was gearing up to be Season 2. Sydney was the opening event, and it went the way of Britain, then led by Ben Ainslie, notching up their first ever SailGP win. Ainslie called it “one of the best sailing events I’ve ever taken part in” – but sadly the remainder of the season was postponed and the points were wiped off the scoreboard.
Season 2: margins and mayhem
All eyes were on the dominant Australian team when SailGP rolled into Sydney for the penultimate event of Season 2. With three Grand Prix wins already under their belts the home team were the undisputed favorites to notch up another victory on home waters – and again they delivered, defeating the U.S. SailGP Team and the Spain SailGP Team in a nailbiting Final. Beyond the winners, the big talking point was the comeback from the Japanese team – led by Nathan Outteridge, now of Artemis – who finished fourth overall despite missing the entire opening day after a collision with Great Britain.
Season 3: weather chaos forces early finish
In one of those quirks of nature, a freak storm blew through the SailGP Tech Site following the end of the first day of racing. The high winds caused damage to a number of F50 wings, forcing the cancellation of the second day. The early finish meant the podium was decided by the results of day one, gifting the win to France with the U.S. SailGP Team and Australia coming home second and third.
Season 4: Green and gold redemption
Australia answered back a year later, reclaiming control in front of the Harbour faithful. It was an enormous win, having missed out on the top spot at the previous six Grands Prix despite making the final in each – and put them firmly in command of the season leaderboard. Their rivals that day? A spirited New Zealand crew driven by stand-in Nathan Outteridge, and a much improved ROCKWOOL Racing outfit. A fifth place for Los Gallos SailGP Team wasn’t a headline-grabber, but gave glimpses of the sharp tactical edge that would later define their rise to become Season 4 Champions, executing bold starts and aggressive mark roundings that forced more established teams onto the defensive.
2025 Season: Britannia rules the waves
Sydney was the third event of the 2025 Season – and after podium finishes in Dubai and Auckland it was a rampaging Emirates Great Britain that ended Aussie hopes of a fourth win in five years. Reenergised by the introduction of new driver Dylan Fletcher, the Brits nailed every shift in a tense final with big hitters Australia and New Zealand to claim their first Grand Prix win of 2025. “There’s much more to come,” Fletcher prophesied – and he was right. The British crew went on to win the 2025 Rolex SailGP Championship in a Grand Final against none other than Australia and New Zealand.
