SailGP, Team Spain is the winner of the 2024 circuit

San Francisco – SailGP sits at the very apex of yachting. Teams of supremely talented athletes, racing state of the art foiling catamarans at high speed on tight courses. On and off the water excellence, innovation and transformation are the very essence of everything SailGP aspires to achieve. The global championship, partnered by Rolex as the Official Timepiece and Presenting Partner of SailGP since the outset in 2019, sets new standards of achievement with every series. Season 4, which ended in San Francisco over the weekend of 13-14 July was no exception. Up against two crews led by past and present Rolex World Sailors of the Year, a young Team Spain delivered a masterclass in control, skill and belief to win the league’s fourth winner-takes-all Grand Final, in doing so breaking the dominance of three-time winners Australia.

Passion lies at the heart of all sport. It underpins the belief and dedication required to perform, and more so to succeed, at the highest level. Other qualities are necessary too, a willingness to challenge oneself, an ability to raise ones game, the acceptance and management of pressure. During the three team, last race showdown, the Spanish demonstrated their abundant credentials to secure the Season 4 Championship title ahead of previously invincible Australia and New Zealand, the top team across the season.

Reflecting compatriot, and Rolex Testimonee, Carlos Alcaraz’s courageous and dominant display at the Wimbledon tennis championship earlier in the day, the young crew showed no nerves at all. Taking charge from the outset, they left their more experienced opposition in their wake. Winning the start, the Spanish were first to Mark 1 and continued to lead the entire race. Damage to a rudder late on, and dropping off the foils at the final turn, allowed the chasing pair to close, but never to overtake. The Spanish crew sailed a precise and assured race, mastering the strong conditions with ease, managing the lightning fast boat with dexterity, and defying expectation with a display of rare talent.

Tom Slingsby, leader of the Australian team and a Rolex Testimonee knows what it takes to secure victory at this event, having done so on the previous three occasions, saying simply: “You have to sail the perfect race to win the Grand Final.”

In this respect, SailGP offers a platform that echoes the Rolex quest for perpetual excellence and rewards achievement that stems from commitment and precision. It forms an integral part of the brand’s long-standing relationship with yachting that dates back to the late 1950s. The series differs from other parts of the sport through the sheer quality of the sailing on display. Not only are the boats representative of the latest technology and innovation, but they are also absolutely matched. The difference on the water is down to the skill and athleticism of the crews, as Slingsby explains: “The reason SailGP has been so successful is because it attracts the very best and offers the opportunity to go up against the very best. Knowing that it is the skill of the teams that makes the difference is why SailGP stands out.”

Finishing second in a Grand Final is a raw experience for Slingsby. Yet he has experienced setbacks before and, hugely self-motivated, draws inspiration from every aspect of his life and career to channel into performing at the highest level time and again. He was reflective, but defiant on stepping ashore after the race:“We will learn from this tough loss, but I believe in the team, and we will come back stronger in Season 5.”

Beyond the sailing, Rolex is proud to be associated with a series that also aims to play a key role in the future of the sport and, indeed, the planet. Earth is dependent on individuals and organizations committed to finding solutions to protect it. Rolex has long supported those who go above and beyond to safeguard and preserve the Perpetual Planet for the next generations. SailGP has significant ambitions in this regard. Believing that sport has the power to change, it is harnessing innovation to scale and integrate new technology throughout the event footprint. Teams, too, are actively engaged through the Impact League which runs alongside the sporting championship.

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