With a nail-biting catamaran collision in front of the State of Liberty and a thrillingly close finish in the final, the Rolex SailGP Championship proved it’s the world’s fastest boat race.
The series, often described as Formula One of the seas, features 13 national teams sailing identical F50 hydrofoiling catamarans in 13 iconic bays and harbors around the globe for a total purse of $12.8 million. Each ultralight boat, worth an estimated $4 million, is fitted with twin hydrofoils that lift the hulls above the surface of the water, allowing the vessels to fly at an electrifying 60 mph.
For the fourth time, the annual two-day Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix was held in the New York harbor. Fans in the grandstands and the invitation-only Adrenaline Lounge on Governors Island watched Australia’s BONDS Flying Roos soar to victory in the last few meters on Sunday. Emirates Great Britain claimed second place and Rockwell Canada came in third. As the league is packed with highly decorated athletes, all three teams are helmed by Olympic gold medalists who have competed (or been on a winning club) in the America’s Cup.
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