SailGP to make UK debut on Solent next month

The French, Japanese, British, and American teams cross in front of One World Trade Centre during day two of competition at the SailGP event in New York City. Picture: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

SailGP will debut on UK waters when its six supercharged F50s will be among the fastest race boats ever to fly on the Solent next month.

The series will bring awe-inspiring action to Cowes on August 10-11, for what will be the penultimate event in the championship’s inaugural season.

Racing just metres from the shore off Egypt Point, Cowes SailGP will be a heart-stopping spectacle for fans visiting during the first weekend of the Cowes Week regatta.

Following five short-format fleet races throughout the weekend, the top two teams will face off in a match race finale to determine the winner on the Sunday afternoon.

The GB SailGP Team – skippered by rising star Dylan Fletcher and comprising of some of the country’s top sporting talent – are planning to put on a show for the home crowd as they take on rival teams from Australia, China, France, Japan and United States.

All six teams will race in identical 50-foot foiling catamarans at speeds capable of breaking sailing’s elusive 50 knot speed barrier.

With an array of ticketing options both on shore and on the water, as well as a free-to-access Race Village between Cowes Green and Egypt Point, fans can place themselves in the heart of the action.

Spectators can get prime shore-side views of the racecourse with reserved seats all day in the SailGP Grandstand or upgrade to a privileged ringside position with the Cruise Premier, an all-inclusive premium on-water hospitality option.

Boat owners can sign up to the SailGP Boater Programme to access designated spectator zones on the racecourse perimeter.