Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team has opened the 2026 SailGP season in emphatic fashion, delivering a commanding victory at the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG. Helmed by Olympic champion Dylan Fletcher, the British team ruled the challenging Fremantle waters, sending a clear message to the rest of the fleet: the title defenders are back, and they mean business.
Battling steep ocean swell and wind gusts reaching 45 km/h, race day two left no margin for error. Yet in conditions tailor-made for elite sailors, Fletcher and his crew thrived, defeating the Bonds Flying Roos in second and DS Team France in third in a dramatic three-boat final.
“This is why we came to Perth,” said Fletcher. “To Fremantle, for the Doctor. Absolutely incredible conditions.”
A Flawless Final
Heading into the final, Emirates GBR executed a near-perfect start, immediately asserting control of the race. A pre-start boundary penalty pushed the Australian crew back early, while the French mounted pressure from behind. Fletcher, however, remained composed—sailing clean, precise lines and steadily extending his lead before crossing the finish line first to claim the season-opening title.
A bold tactical decision by DS Team France driver Quentin Delapierre to split from the fleet on the penultimate leg ultimately backfired, allowing the Australians to surge late and secure second place.
Fresh off his 2025 Season Grand Final triumph, Fletcher described the win as a continuation of the team’s momentum.
“We’re on cloud nine,” he said. “We didn’t have the start we wanted yesterday, but today we came out firing. There’s still plenty to work on, but I’m incredibly proud of how the team keeps chipping away.”
Teamwork Under Pressure
Strategist Hannah Mills highlighted the team’s evolving dynamics, including the addition of Stuart Bithell as wing trimmer.
“It’s been a big shift, but we kept a learning mindset and then put it into practice when it mattered,” Mills said. “Perth delivered everything—strong breeze, chop, and phenomenal racing. To win here, in our flight controller’s hometown, makes it even more special.”
Flight controller Luke Parkinson, alongside Fletcher, Mills, Bithell, Nick Hutton and Neil Hunter, lifted the trophy in front of nearly 15,000 spectators at the sold-out Race Stadium at Bathers Beach.
Home Heroes Impress Despite Setbacks
Despite missing out on a home victory, the Bonds Flying Roos impressed in front of the Fremantle crowd. Driver Tom Slingsby praised the venue and even suggested it as a future championship final location.
“Imagine a three-boat final here for a couple of million bucks—it would be chaos, but incredible,” Slingsby said.
Australia also welcomed a late crew change, with sailing legend Glenn Ashby stepping in after an injury sidelined Iain ‘Goobs’ Jensen. With minimal preparation time, Ashby delivered a standout performance, supported closely by Jensen from the coaching box.
High Drama Across the Fleet
The weekend delivered intense racing across the fleet. Northstar SailGP Team claimed a dominant win in the final qualifying race, though it wasn’t enough to secure a podium finish. Newcomers Artemis SailGP Team narrowly missed the final, finishing fourth overall—an impressive debut result that driver Nathan Outteridge described as “something to be really proud of.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. SailGP Team endured a challenging Championship Sunday but left Perth encouraged by their progress in heavy-air conditions.
A Benchmark Season Opener
SailGP CEO and co-founder Sir Russell Coutts hailed Perth’s debut as a resounding success.
“The racing and conditions have exceeded expectations,” Coutts said. “With a sold-out stadium and incredible engagement in the first year, we can’t wait to return in 2027, 2028, and beyond.”
With the bar set high, SailGP now turns its attention to Auckland, New Zealand (February 14–15), where repairs and recoveries will dominate headlines ahead of another high-stakes showdown on the water.
One thing is already clear: Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team has fired the opening shot of the 2026 season—and the fleet has been put on notice.
