SailGP Valencia marked the tour’s long-awaited debut on the Spanish coast, kicking off a three-year partnership that runs through 2028 and drawing an expected 9,000 fans across two days of racing. The opening press conference, hosted dockside ahead of the weekend’s action, set the stage for what organizers billed as the tightest championship battle of the season, with Australia’s Flying Roos holding a slim 76-point lead over home team Spain, who trail by just 14 points and race in front of their own crowd for the first time on tour.
SailGP co-founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts joined regional and city officials to talk up Valencia’s fit for the championship, praising the tight stadium racecourse framed by the city’s breakwater and drawing comparisons to the America’s Cup staged there years earlier. He argued the format’s proximity to shore would give fans a far more immersive view of the F50 catamarans than previous sailing events in the city ever managed.
Inside the SailGP Valencia Press Conference
The athlete panel brought together Olympic gold medalist Peter Burling of the Black Foils, French driver Quentin Delapierre, USA strategist Annie Haeger, and reigning Rolex SailGP champion Dylan Fletcher of Emirates Great Britain. Delapierre fielded questions about his team’s record-breaking 107.63 km/h run at the previous event in Sassnitz, describing how three boats were pushing into uncharted speed territory before cavitation and, for rivals, a capsize intervened. His account offers a rare inside look at how close the fleet now sits to the outer limits of F50 performance.
Why This Weekend Matters
With only three events remaining after Valencia, every point is magnified, and the tension building around Spain’s title push on home water comes through clearly in the full SailGP Valencia press conference, including Delapierre’s speed-run breakdown and the local delegation’s pitch for the venue’s future.
Video courtesy of SailGP — watch the full video on YouTube.
