DUBAI, UAE- 22 NOVEMBER 2024 – Tom Slingsby’s Australia Team is gearing up to compete in the season-opening Rolex SailGP Championship in Dubai tomorrow, facing off against 10 other nations in the largest fleet in SailGP history. Adding to the excitement, an unprecedented prize purse is now up for grabs, with the stakes now higher than ever for Slingsby’s crew.
Prize Pool
At the drivers’ press conference, SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts announced a record-breaking US$12.8 million (AUD$19.7M) prize pool will be up for grabs across the season which includes the US$2 million Grand Final. Teams that secure podium finishes at each event will share in the bonus prize money, starting with the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix this weekend.
The bonus prize money will be available for teams who make the podium at each event, commencing from the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix this weekend. Australia Team Driver and CEO Tom Slingsby commented on the monumental prize purse saying, “Anyone who says that’s not a motivating factor is lying. We all want to do well, we want success and we want to have our country at the top but we also want to get rewarded for it and that’s motivating for all of us.”
Two New Teams
The Rolex SailGP off-season saw significant roster changes, with the league’s two newest teams, Mubadala Brazil and Red Bull Italy, making bold moves to strengthen their lineups by recruiting key athletes from SailGP heavyweights Australia and New Zealand. Tom Slingsby has said the impact of Australia and New Zealand losing a key member of their teams “cannot be underestimated, heading into the 2025 Season.”
Crew Changes
Australia lost wing trimmer Kyle Langford to Red Bull Italy, announced on Thursday, after Langford was personally recruited by team CEO Jimmy Spithill, while Mubadala Brazil recruited Kiwi flight controller Andy Maloney.
Speaking at the press conference, Slingsby said: “Losing a key person [like Kyle] is going to be tough for our team – yes, we’ve got great new people in, but team culture is how you win these events.”
He added, “It’s identical boats, shared data – all the teams are racing the same machines so it comes down to that culture and belief and skillset in that team.”
Red Bull Italy and Mubadala Brazil will make their debuts this weekend, with Mubadala Brazil’s entry marks a historic moment for the sport, as the team will be led by SailGP’s first female driver, double Olympic champion Martine Grael.
Slingsby said, “This is really groundbreaking for professional sport as a whole, not just sailing. Imagine having a female F1 driver hitting the grid. It’s huge and she has the skillset and the team around her to be a top competitor in this championship.”
Racing takes place in Dubai between 09:00-10:30PM AEDT on Saturday and Sunday, with fans able to tune in live to watch the action unfold on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.
2025 SEASON CALENDAR//
- Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas // Nov 23-24, 2024
- ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland // Jan 18-19, 2025
- KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix | Sydney // Feb 8-9, 2025
- Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix // Mar 15-16, 2025
- San Francisco Sail Grand Prix // Mar 22-23, 2025
- Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix // / May 3-4, 2025
- Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix | June 7-8, 2025
- Great Britain Sail Grand Prix // July 19-20, 2025
- Germany Sail Grand Prix I Sassnitz // Aug 16-17, 2025
- Rockwool Italy Sail Grand Prix | Taranto // Sep 6-7, 2025
- Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix | Geneva // Sep 20-21, 2025
- Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía Cádiz // Oct 4-5, 2025
- Middle Eastern Sail Grand Prix | to be confirmed // Nov 7-8, 2025
- Mubadala Abu Dhabi SailGP Season Grand Final Nov 29-30, 2025
Olivia HoganDirector, Australia SailGP Team
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