KPMG SYDNEY SAIL GRAND PRIX
EVENT DETAILS:
Official event name: KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix
Sydney is the longest-running host city – known as the birthplace of SailGP – with 2026 marking a record seventh event in one of the most iconic harbors in the world.
For the first time in SailGP history, twilight racing will transform the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix into a golden-hour spectacle on 28 February and 1 March. The sport’s top athletes will battle both their rivals and the fading light, delivering unforgettable racing on Sydney Harbor.
Sydney’s strong, reliable winds reward confidence and decisiveness. Racing will take place on a tight, tactical course that wraps around Shark Island — the heart of the Race Stadium — demanding strategy and precise boat handling from the sailors while bringing fans a front-row seat to all the action.
The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team secured the win at last year’s KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix – defeating the BONDS Flying Roos on home waters and marking the British team’s first win of the 2026 Season.
Fans can expect fast, physical and unpredictable racing, with identical F50 foiling catamarans reaching speeds in excess of 100 km/h and ensuring every race is tightly contested from start to finish – with national pride, personal glory and the sport’s top prize (US $12.8 million) all on the line.
Fans can experience the racing from the heart of the action on Shark Island hosting all-inclusive Waterfront Premium and sold-out Waterfront Platinum experiences.
Official Spectator Boats provide catered viewing within the exclusion zone, while Bring Your Own Boat (BYOB) allows private vessel owners to secure prime positioning on the course with official access, live commentary and event credentials. Limited tickets remain, with the event expected to sell out.
Sydney is the third stop of the Rolex SailGP Championship’s 2026 Season, and will bring the the APAC series of events to a close.
Home team, the BONDS Flying Roos, led by Driver and CEO Tom Slingsby and co-owned by Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, are the most successful team in SailGP history.Backed by three Rolex SailGP Championship wins, 69 fleet race wins, 17 event wins, and a dominant track record in Sydney, the Bonds Flying Roos are fresh off a win in Auckland – their first in more than a year.
Eleven (of 13) teams will compete in Sydney, with the Black Foils New Zealand SailGP Team and DS Automobiles Team France not able to compete following significant damage sustained in last month’s Auckland event.
RACING IN SYDNEY: COURSE & WEEKEND CONDITIONS (VERY PRELIMINARY FORECAST)
With forecast gusts predicted to range from 18-28 km/h on Saturday – fans can expect tactical, decisive racing where race wins are decided by positioning and wind reading rather than outright speed.
On Sunday, stronger, more consistent easterly winds should allow for higher speeds on the foils and potential for cleaner, faster racing with bigger speed differentials — and possibly more decisive outcomes.
Racing around Shark Island in Sydney Harbor is typically shifty and tactical, with winds that change direction quickly due to the surrounding headlands and cliffs.
Easterly winds from the ocean can funnel through the harbour entrance and strengthen, creating gusty, uneven pressure across the racecourse.
Southerly changes can arrive suddenly and bring stronger, punchier conditions, often with more unsettled water.
The harbor produces short, steep chop rather than large ocean swell, making high-speed boat handling more physical and technical.
Strong tidal flow around channels and islands, including Shark Island, can significantly influence positioning, starts and mark roundings.Sydney’s geography — narrow entrance, surrounding cliffs, multiple bays and urban shoreline — acts like a natural wind obstacle course, creating shifts, gusts and lighter patches that reward smart, reactive sailing.
Teams like Emirates GBR and the BONDS Flying Roos have reputations for performing when the breeze gets shifty – but in these conditions, consistency may beat local knowledge.
KEY EVENT NARRATIVES:
AUSSIES AND BRITS BATTLE FOR TOP SPOT:
League titans – Emirates GBR and the Bonds Flying Roos – are locked even on 19 points, with the Aussies’ statement performance in Auckland earlier this month propelling them to the top of the standings. Now, the spotlight swings to Sydney Harbor, where all eyes will be on 2025 Season champions Fletcher’s Emirates GBR to see whether they can unleash the precision and composure that defined their title run — and edge past Tom Slingsby’s flying crew on home waters in what promises to be a heavyweight showdown.
A SHIFTING ORDER IN 2026:
The start of the 2026 Season has signalled a shifting order in SailGP, with newcomers Sweden and a resurgent United States emerging as real contenders. This weekend’s racing will test whether the established league heavyweights truly have new challengers on their heels. The United States SailGP Team has had strong performances in two of the windiest venues SailGP has ever raced in – Perth and Auckland.
SAILGP’S TWILIGHT RACING DEBUT
SailGP’s twilight racing debut in Sydney promises to deliver a spectacular new dimension to competition on Sydney Harbor, with high-speed F50 racing unfolding against a golden-hour skyline and the iconic backdrop of the city skyline. As the breeze cools and the city lights begin to glow, the later race window is set to heighten drama both on and off the water — creating striking broadcast visuals, an electric on-shore atmosphere and a primetime sporting moment for fans. The shift into twilight not only elevates the spectacle, but adds another tactical layer for athletes adapting to subtle changes in light, breeze and temperature as racing reaches its climax.