The Rolex SailGP Championship will make its German debut in Sassnitz
by Hannah Jackson 11 Aug 2025 14:07 BST
16-17 August 2025
Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank helmed by Erik Heil - SailGP Season 4 Grand Final in San Francisco © Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
For the first time in the history of the Rolex SailGP Championship the iconic fleet of identical F50 foiling catamarans will compete in Sassnitz, Germany on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 August. Known for its maritime history and white chalk coastline, the bustling port will see the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank make their home debut in search of their first podium finish of the 2025 Season.
As Title Partner of the Rolex SailGP Championship and a Founding Partner since 2019, Rolex plays a vital role in supporting the sport's future, celebrating its legacy while inspiring the next generation of elite athletes. Rolex Testimonee and strategist for Emirates GBR SailGP Team, Hannah Mills says: "The Rolex SailGP Championship has completely changed the narrative around the sport. It is sailing like we have never seen it before. It has made the sport more accessible for fans by enabling people to get up close to the racing. It's a complete game changer. I think it will only have a positive impact on the growth of the sport, which is exciting."
For double Olympic gold medalist and driver of the German team, Erik Heil, the weekend is the most significant on the calendar. Heil says: "To race in front of a home crowd on German waters is something I've dreamed about since joining the Rolex SailGP Championship. It will give the team that extra boost to go out and race at our best. The competition will be tough, but we can't wait to deliver an unforgettable performance for local fans."
Also motivated to take on the Baltic Sea's brackish waters and shallow depths is Rolex Testimonee and the championship's first female driver, Martine Grael. The trailblazing Brazilian athlete says: "I'm especially looking forward to racing in Sassnitz. I think it will be an extremely exciting weekend of racing with the unique conditions testing our team's ability to work together."
After narrowly missing out on a place in the final of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth last month, the event in Germany provides the perfect opportunity for the BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team to reclaim their position at the top of the Rolex SailGP Championship leaderboard. Having led the Australian team to three consecutive titles, Rolex Testimonee Tom Slingsby has been an integral part of the league since the start.
Reflecting on Rolex's support of the championship since its inception, he says: "Rolex has a long history of aligning itself with excellence in sport and to see a brand with its prestige recognize the potential in sailing and invest in it for the long term is monumental. Having Rolex as the Title Partner is an incredible endorsement of the Rolex SailGP Championship."
As the 12 competing teams prepare for the eighth event of the season, the race weekend is set to be one of the most tightly contested of the championship. With success on the water decided not only by the athletes' ability to navigate the unpredictable currents and conditions but by their determination to work together as a team under pressure.