SailGP set to light up Portsmouth in 2025
December pre-sale for RYA members offers priority access to SailGP tickets
UK sports fans can look forward to adrenaline-packed on-water action this summer when SailGP makes its long-awaited return to home shores after a three-year break.
Portsmouth will play host to the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix from 19-20 July 2025, with thousands of fans set to descend on the city’s historic dockyard and harbour.
Twelve national teams will battle it out side-by-side on the Solent in identical F50 catamarans reaching speeds of up to 60mph (52kts), with racing set against the backdrop of the iconic local landmarks of Spinnaker Tower and Southsea Castle.
Close-to-shore action, fierce rivalries and a commitment to sustainability make SailGP the ultimate fusion of sport, technology, and environmental responsibility.
And with the Emirates GBR team – led by CEO Sir Ben Ainslie and with new driver Dylan Fletcher MBE at the wheel – making a stunning Season 5 debut to finish second at the curtain-raiser in Dubai, there promises to be plenty for home fans to cheer for.
Top talent
Fletcher, who won Olympic 49er gold in Tokyo, the Moth World Championships in 2022 and co-helmed with Ainslie in the 37th America’s Cup, said he was ‘buzzing’ to be back racing in the F50s again after competing in SailGP’s inaugural season in 2019.
He’s joined on board this season by Olympic gold medallists Hannah Mills OBE and Iain Jensen and three-time America's Cup athletes Neil Hunter, Nick Hutton and Luke Parkinson.
Kai Hockley completes the squad as a development sailor. The 18-year-old from Tottenham, London, has spent the last nine months learning the ropes as part of the SailGP and INEOS Britannia shore teams and will now combine the on-shore role with an on-the-water development pathway with the aim to race on the F50.
‘Spectacular show’
“I'm thrilled to be part of the Emirates GBR team as we prepare for SailGP's debut in Portsmouth,” said Fletcher, looking ahead to his home event.
“It's an incredible feeling to race in front of a home crowd, and I'm excited to see thousands of UK sailing fans come together to experience the action up close.
“This promises to be one of the biggest sporting events of the year, and we’re ready to put on a spectacular show for everyone cheering us on from the shores.”
Exclusive RYA pre-sale tickets
You can book your piece of the action in Portsmouth thanks to an exciting pre-sale offer for RYA members.
We’ve teamed up with SailGP to offer members an exclusive pre-sale window, before tickets open up to the general public.
RYA members can access event tickets via a priority link on Monday 9 December 2024, ahead of the general sale on Wednesday 11 December.
Keep an eye on your inbox - a link will be shared via an email to members on Monday 9 December.
You can follow all the action from the Rolex SailGP Championship this season at sailgp.com, with fans in UK and Ireland able to watch every moment of this season live via TNT Sports.