The Rolex SailGP Championship returns to New York this weekend with teams preparing for one of the most demanding venues on the circuit. Twelve national teams will race on the Hudson River during the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix on 30-31 May, with championship points becoming increasingly valuable as the season reaches its halfway stage.
New York hosts the sixth event of SailGP's 13-regatta calendar and is widely regarded as one of the toughest stops on the tour. Strong river currents, confined race boundaries and unpredictable winds funnelled between Manhattan's skyscrapers are expected to test crews throughout the weekend.
The fleet's identical F50 catamarans can exceed 60mph, leaving little margin for error on the tight urban racecourse.
Home hopes rest with the U.S. SailGP Team, which arrives just outside the top three in the championship standings. Driver Taylor Canfield believes changing conditions could create opportunities across the fleet. "With the conditions we have coming up tomorrow, it's going to be full of noise and super exciting," said Canfield. "There's going to be a lot of opportunities around the track, so races are never going to be over."
Home Team Focus — United States SailGP Team driver Taylor Canfield and grinder Anna Weis address the media ahead of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix. Photo: Jed Jacobsohn
Canfield added, "We're going to keep pushing all the way around. Obviously, we want to eliminate the bad moments, but if we do have them, we'll keep pushing and try to get those points back."
Australia's Tom Slingsby and the BONDS Flying Roos arrive in New York chasing a third consecutive event victory.
The Australians face strong competition from Spain's Los Gallos, helmed by Diego Botín, and reigning champions Emirates GBR. "It's a long season, and we're sailing really well," said Slingsby. "As we know in SailGP, it's a game of confidence, team culture and everyone coming together. The difference is confidence and a good vibe in the team, and we have that at the moment."
Championship Contenders — Leading SailGP drivers and strategists discuss the weekend's challenge at the New York press conference before racing gets underway on the Hudson River. Photo: Jed Jacobsohn
Germany SailGP Team by Deutsche Bank will also look to build on momentum after a strong showing in Bermuda. Driver Erik Heil-Kosegarten said the team continues to close the gap on the leading contenders. "We're catching up," he said. "I feel we're getting closer in many areas, and we're sailing pretty well through the fleet."
Meanwhile, New Zealand's Black Foils have confirmed their return to competition at next month's Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax.
Racing on the Hudson is scheduled to begin at 3.30 pm local time on both Saturday and Sunday, with teams aiming to strengthen their championship campaigns before the season enters its second half.
