sail racing – Downtown Magazine

SailGP hits Downtown with gusto this weekend, June 21-22, 2019.

Imagine placing Formula 1 racing, ESPN Extreme Sports and beautiful harbors in a blender and pressing purée. The result is supercharged foiling (that means they actually “lift” off the water’s surface and fly!) catamarans that are technological marvels. Six nations (USA, Japan, Great Britain, France, China, and the Aussies) go head-to-head seeking to claim the SailGP global championship.

The USA Team:

GP Team by Matt Kingbton
Features (in order from left to right): Hans Henken, Dan Morris, *Riley Gibbs*, Rome Kirby, and Mac Agnese
Not pictured: Taylor Canfield

The basic race rules: three fleet races where all six nations compete run from 5 pm to 6:30 pm on Friday the 21st in the Hudson, north of the Battery. The next round continues on Saturday at 5 pm with two fleet races and a final race declaring the winner.

To get us all in the sailing mood, the folks at SailGP have organized a Race Village at Brookfield Place in Battery Park City for both race days.

Doors open at 3 pm. This is a must-see for Downtowners.

Tickets are available at https://sailgp.com and the races will be televised by rebroadcasting at 8:30 pm both days by CBS.

“Fair Winds and Following Seas”

Enjoy a multi-day sailing event featuring the world’s best sailors, racing the fastest boats with the backdrop of New York’s widely recognized harbor and stunning landmark. Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8, enjoy the race festivities on the harbor in Battery Park at Brookfield Place’s North Cove Marina.

Six teams, each sailing on behalf of a home country (defending champion Oracle Team USA, Emirates Team New Zealand, Land Rover BAR for Great Britain, Artemis Racing for Sweden, SoftBank Team Japan, and Groupama Team France) will compete right here in the New York Harbor. The final points of this race will count towards the final competition for the 35th America’s Cup to be held in Bermuda 2017.

The teams will race against one another at the same time in a fleet racing format. Racing will take place from 2pm to 3:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. The crowning of a New York champion will be held on Sunday May 8. Stop by the Event Village located at Brookfield Place’s Waterfront Plaza, and enjoy delicious food, entertainment and fun activities while watching the race on big outdoor screens.

Stop by to see the “Dock Out” Show where you will have the opportunity to hear from each team’s skipper before the start of their race. All of the fun is complimentary to the public so come out and support your favorite team! For more information please click here.

-by Grace A. Capobianco