SailGP’s Season 4 calendar has come to a dramatic conclusion at the Grand Final in San Francisco, with underdogs Spain securing the win in the three-boat final against Australia and New Zealand to take the $2m prize. While Spain took home the Season Championship trophy, Emirates GBR leave San Francisco with the SailGP Season 4 Impact League trophy, and their third top three finish in as many events.
The British team were crowned winners of SailGP’s Impact League, a second leaderboard which tracks the actions teams make to reduce their carbon footprint and increase inclusivity in sailing. Emirates GBR were highly commended by the celebrity Impact League judges, including three-time W Series Champion and IndyCar driver, Jamie Chadwick, for their work on climate education for youth, renewable energy, gender equity and making the marine industry more inclusive. For winning SailGP’s Podium for the Planet, Emirates GBR secured $25,000 for its Purpose Partner, the 1851 Trust’s climate education programme Protect Our Future.
Sir Ben Ainslie, Emirates GBR CEO said: “Winning the Impact League is testament to the team’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, innovation, and using the power of sport to inspire and educate the next generation. After placing second in the first Impact League Season and second last year, we are proud to reach the top spot this Season. This win highlights the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing environmental challenges. Athletes and sports teams have a responsibility to use their platform to drive positive change and raise awareness about climate issues. By advocating for sustainability, they can help protect our future.”
On the water in San Francisco, Emirates GBR finished the event in third overall with a result of 6-2-2-5-5 across the five fleet races. Giles Scott’s crew also managed to steer clear of any drama on the course, which was quite the achievement given half of the 10-boat fleet came close to capsizing during the weekend of racing.
Emirates GBR Driver Giles Scott said: “It was an amazing event and a really impressive showcase for SailGP and the sport of sailing, with plenty of drama out there for sure. We came third in the event, and if it was any other event we would have been on cloud nine as we would be going into a three-boat final, but with this being the Season finale things are a little different here. We feel the team is in a pretty strong position now, we’ve finished top three in the last three events which is something we can be super proud of. We are in a nice place to build on next season and we do feel like we have a bit of momentum now, so we will be ready to send it next Season and keep those podiums coming.”
The 2024/2025 Season will begin with the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas on November 23-24, 2024. The League’s fifth season will feature a host of new teams and locations, including debut events in Brazil, Germany, Switzerland and Auckland, as well as a return to Great Britain on 19-20 July 2025.
Image:© RICARDO PINTO FOR SAILGP