The opening test of the 2025 SailGP season, newly named Rolex SailGP Championship Under a sponsorship agreement with the watchmaker, it takes place this weekend, November 23 and 24, in Dubai. He Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix has the participation of 11 national teams.
The Spanish team led by Diego Botín The season starts with the same crew that led them to glory last year, but in the rest of the teams the signings have caused interesting changes. In addition, they are released as new equipment Red Bull Italia SailGP and Mubadala Brazil.
All-time league leaders Australia and New Zealand will compete with new crews this weekend, following the departure of Kyle Langford from the Australians to the Italian team as wing trimmer and the signing of Kiwi Andy Maloney by Mubadala of Brazil.
Tom Slingsby has stated that the impact of Australia and New Zealand losing a key member of their teams “cannot be underestimated” ahead of the 2025 season.
Besides, both Canada and Emirates GBR will race with new drivers after former British driver Giles Scott moved to Canada. Meanwhile, Dylan Fletcher will be his replacement at Emirates GBR. Switzerland, for its part, debuts with an almost completely renewed lineup.
The Italian crew.
The new Italian team is already among the favorites. Directed by Jimmy Spithillthe double Olympic champion Ruggero Tita will pilot the Red Bull Italia SailGP. Giulia Fava, two-time world bronze medalist and recent winner of the women’s America’s Cup, will assume the role of strategist, and Andrea Tesei, Italian national champion, that of flight controller.
«As an Italian sailor – Tita has declared – it is an honor to be part of the first Italian team in this championship as a pilot. “We have a group of extremely talented athletes, who are incredibly excited to take on this challenge, and we plan to make a positive initial impression during the racing at the start of the 2025 season in Dubai this weekend.”
France will not participate in the first test of the 2025 season while awaiting delivery of its new F50, the circuit’s foiling catamaran, which can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h. The French team will join the fleet at the Auckland start line in January 2025.
The 2025 Rolex SailGP Championship gets underway this weekend, with two action-packed days of racing in the pristine waters of Mina Rashid. The Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas is set to be a flagship event on the Middle East sporting calendar, the third time SailGP has visited the city.
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