Sydney SailGP preview
Get set for the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix, the most exciting racing on water – making its record seventh visit to the iconic Sydney Harbour on 28 February and 1 March 2026.
21 February 2026
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The KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix returns to Sydney Harbour for a record-seventh time on 28 February to 1 March 2026, bringing high-speed, heart-stopping racing to one of the world’s most iconic locations.
Prepare for a two-day spectacle of exhilarating races, intense battles and action-packed entertainment as Tom Slingsby’s BONDS Flying Roos look to harness home support and claim victory in front of a roaring local crowd.
Now a cornerstone of the Australian summer sporting calendar, the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix draws thousands of fans from around the globe.
BONDS Flying Roos driver Tom Slingsby says his team is 100 percent focused on winning their home event in Sydney after claiming Grand Prix victory on Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour.
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The Australians snapped a year-long wait for a win with a composed, high-pressure performance at the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, mastering brutal breeze and a tense three-boat Final to leave enemy waters with maximum points.
It’s huge – it’s been amazing for us to come and win here,” Slingsby said. “It’s been a year since we last won an event, so it’s been a long time between drinks. We sailed really well and I’m just glad we were rewarded for it, because in those three-boat Finals anything can happen.”
Auckland turned on the full theatre. Gusts nudged 50 km/h knots in the pre-start, the kind of wind that makes even F50s feel skittish. Boats bucked and strained on their foils, and simply staying upright became the first objective.
“You basically couldn’t bear away the boat, so you had to start really high just to build any momentum,” Slingsby explained. “The start was literally about staying on our feet and out of trouble.”
Spain’s Los Gallos executed cleanly off the line and kept the pressure on, but the Roos found their opportunity at the top mark, slipping through with a decisive overtake that tilted the race in their favour. From there, it was sharp calls and steady hands to the finish.
“It was a great race from our end – close, with overtakes – and we were lucky to get there at the right time,” Slingsby said.
The result also underlined the growing influence of stand-in wing trimmer Glenn Ashby, whose impact across the opening events has been immediate.
Glenn is improving every day. It’s hard to know where his ceiling is,” Slingsby said. “We wouldn’t be sitting here with a second and a first in the opening two events with anyone else in the world other than Glenn Ashby.”
The Final was missing one familiar foe. The Black Foils were sidelined following Saturday’s dramatic collision, leaving a hollow note in a rivalry that usually crackles.
“We always want to compete against the best, and the Kiwis are the best,” Slingsby admitted. “Not having them out there today does feel a little hollow.”
Now, attention swings firmly to the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix, the team’s true home waters.
“Perth was amazing, but Sydney is really important to us,” Slingsby said. “If you could choose any event in the world to win, it would be Sydney for us. That’s our focus now.”
Tickets available online.
KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix is proudly supported by the NSW Government’s lead agency for tourism and major events, Destination NSW.
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