SailGP Returns to Bermuda as Championship Fight Heats Up
by SailGP 9 May 06:50 BST
9-10 May 2026
The F50 catamaran fleet in action, ahead of the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix © Jason Ludlow for SailGP
Fast water, a fired-up fleet, and a forecast built for chaos, the Rolex SailGP Championship returns to the Great Sound.
One of sailing's most iconic venues plays host this weekend, as the Rolex SailGP Championship returns to Bermuda for the fifth event of the 2026 Season. With the title race tightening, roster shake-ups across the fleet, and a forecast that promises everything from fast foiling to chaotic conditions, the stage is set for a memorable weekend on the Great Sound.
The Bonds Flying Roos enter the weekend on top of the overall standings after a commanding victory in Rio last month. The team is seven points clear of the remaining fleet - but as three-time Rolex SailGP Champion Tom Slingsby was quick to point out, Bermuda's flat water and reliable breeze could level the playing field this weekend.
"I don't think boat speed's going to be much of a factor," said Slingsby. "All these teams will be able to sail the boat at very close to 100% of its capabilities. So, I think it's gonna come down to the racing skills."
Second overall, Emirates GBR arrive stinging from an uncharacteristic last-place finish in Rio. Driver Dylan Fletcher's message ahead of the weekend was clear: "The focus going into Bermuda is around trying to get back to our strong, consistent starts and then mainly the teamwork, keeping the team in a good place," Fletcher said, "We know that if we all deliver in our role and work well as a team, then the results will take care of themselves."
The Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix will unfold over two action-packed days of racing on the Great Sound (May 9-10). Saturday is forecast to deliver the fast, stable foiling conditions Bermuda is known for - as Red Bull Italy driver Phil Robertson explained: "Dead flat water, so nice and easy, you can really push the boat to its limits and lock it in."
Robertson's teammate - strategist Jana Germani - was quick to add that Red Bull Italy would be going "all in" this weekend. "Phil doesn't fear the fear," Germani said. "It will be spectacular."
Sunday; however, tells a different story, with lighter, patchier breeze setting the scene for a more unpredictable finale. The varying forecast means consistency will be key for teams looking to advance up the leaderboard - particularly as results stretch out and possibilities slip away.
More than 5,000 fans are expected across the weekend, watching from a sold-out Race Stadium at Morgan's Point - a destination as good for the fans, as it is for the athletes, said Artemis SailGP Team driver Nathan Outteridge. "We can fly really high, really find performance in the boats - and we're going to be really close to shore so the fans are going to get to see it," Outteridge said.
New Zealand's Black Foils will not compete following a significant racing incident earlier in the year - their absence, a key driver in a chain of crew movements across the fleet. Kiwi strategist Liv Mackay will once again join DS Automobiles Team France in place of Manon Audinet, while Glenn Ashby steps in for injured French wing trimmer Leigh McMillan. Meanwhile, Black Foils grinder Marcus Hansen has been loaned to ROCKWOOL Racing - a team looking to make moves up the standings. The New Zealand SailGP Team has confirmed hopes of a return in time for next month's Canada Sail Grand Prix | Halifax (June 20-21, 2026).
Switzerland's Sébastien Schneiter also heads into the weekend with fresh energy following a new partnership with title sponsor Explora Journeys, the first event racing under their new colors. "It's been a tough start of the season and this gives us a bit of a breath of fresh air," said Schneiter. "A kind of a new-start energy."
Racing gets under way on Saturday May 9th at 2 p.m. local time. Find out more at SailGP.com/Watch.