Bermuda selected to host prestigious SailGP Season-Opening Event in 2021

Bermuda Tourism Authority will be the Official Host Partner for the launch of SailGP’s Season 2, when the global league stages a four-week training camp followed by its live-televised, two-day kick-off event on the waters of the Great Sound. The event, taking place April 24-25, 2021, will highlight Bermuda as a world-class destination for leisure and business travel and tourism investment.

“Bermuda is open, safe and welcoming travellers in search of a truly extraordinary experience. A getaway to Bermuda delivers warm weather, cultural exploration and exciting sporting events year-round. Bermuda is incredibly proud to have been selected to host the prestigious 2021 season-opening event for SailGP, which is rapidly emerging as the pinnacle league in professional sailing. The island's tremendous sailing legacy, cultural diversity and global proximity will be on full display. The spring event will play a vital role in our tourism recovery; it's also an ideal season for superyachts to come and charter here, enjoying spectacular scenery with a front-row seat to this dynamic on-the-water event,” said Glenn Jones, interim CEO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority. “Last month, the island hosted the 70th Bermuda Gold Cup and 2020 Open Match Racing World Championship, along with golf’s Bermuda Championship that became the first PGA TOUR event to welcome live spectators since March.”

The Bermuda Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess adds Bermuda to the dynamic league’s second-season roster. West End Development Corporation (WEDCO) is the Official Venue Partner of the event, while the event has the support of three additional partners: insurance firm BF&M, global reinsurer RenaissanceRe and leading independent offshore bank and trust company Butterfield Group. The event, to be broadcast live in the US and Canada on CBS Sports Network and in the UK on SkyTV, will feature nine events in host nations around the world. The showdown will follow a month-long camp held on Bermuda for SailGP’s eight national teams—Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States—to hone their skills in pre-season practice. And, for the first time, female athletes will be included in the training as part of SailGP’s gender-equity initiative.

“The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club is extremely honoured to serve as Title Partner for the kick-off SailGP event next spring,” said Tim Morrison, general manager of the property. “The event will showcase our beautiful island home and we’re excited to welcome both athletes and spectators with our signature brand of welcoming hospitality.”

Established in 2018 and headquartered in London and New York, SailGP is an annual, global sports championship featuring cutting-edge technology and athleticism. Rival national teams battle it out at speeds reaching up to 50 knots in F50 catamarans that evolved from the foiling vessels first featured during the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda in 2017. The Bermuda Tourism Authority will be the host partner for the 2021 event, with a first option to renew for return engagements in 2022 and ’23.

“Bermuda is a truly ideal location to open our global championship next year,” said SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts. “It is not only a stunningly beautiful destination with perfect racing conditions, but it also offers a haven for our league to safely resume our calendar amidst the pandemic. The island has proven itself as an incredibly capable and welcoming host to major international events, and is where the first generation of our F50 catamarans was introduced to the world during the America’s Cup in 2017. We look forward to fully engaging with the local community via our Race for the Future purpose-driven actions, and in spending April in Bermuda as we prepare for and launch our second championship season, which is shaping up to be a huge step forward in the world of professional sailing.”

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