Sail America

On Thursday, April 4, 2019, at 5pm, SailGP will conclude the opening day programming of the Pacific Sail & Power Boat Show with a presentation to boat show attendees and new SailGP fans.  US Team members Rome Kirby, Helmsman, and Mac Agnese, Grinder, will be on hand to talk about what it’s like to maneuver these new boats.

What is SailGP?

It’s fast-paced racing by young (team mean age is 26) world champion sailors. Some think SailGP is redefining the future of sailing and competitive racing in its inaugural season of fierce competition around the globe. Different than each team designing their own boats to spec like for the America’s Cup competition, the SailGP F50 boats are engineered to be identical – leaving the competition with the teams’ performance and use of the cutting edge technology. According to Rome Kirby, “Sailing the F50 is next level. It is more powerful than anything I have sailed before and is a truly intense ride.”

With his passion for sailing, Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, has underwritten SailGP and remains known for his commitment to the growth and advancement of sailing, not to mention ORACLE TEAM USA’s America’s Cup extraordinary win in San Francisco in 2013.  With this new league, new technology and fast-paced version of sailing, the hope is to excite and introduce the next generation to sailing, increase popularity of the sport and create a pathway for extraordinary athletes.

Six teams – Australia, China, France, Great Britain, Japan and the U.S. – entered this new global sports series, which is racing in iconic harbors and bays throughout the world. Australia won the first event mid February in Sydney and the second event will take place May 4-5 in San Francisco on the waterfront. NY will take place in June, Cowes in August and Marseille in September.

In order to increase viewership, SailGP’s broadcasts will be available on a variety of platforms and will be personality-driven with extra pre and post race analysis. In season two, they plan to start youth sailing programs in each market where they race, providing opportunities through yacht clubs where young people can aspire to become their very best on a pathway to sailing success. In their passion for protecting the oceans, one of SailGP’s sustainability efforts will be to eliminate plastic waste during the races. Details about this new league at SailGP.com

Purchase tickets to the 2019 Pacific Sail & Power Boat Show. http://pacificboatshow.com

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Cover image: United States SailGP team pose for a team photo with their national flag. Standing left to right: Riley Gibbs USA and Rome Kirby USA. Kneeling left to right: Hans Henken USA, Mac Agnese USA and Dan Morris USA. 09 October 2018. Photo: Getty Images for SailGP