As SailGP returns to Bermuda’s iconic Great Sound for a fourth time, the stage is set for a weekend of high-speed drama and tactical intrigue. With the leaderboard tightening and the weather gods threatening to intervene, here is everything you need to know ahead of the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix.
Four events into the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship, a natural order is emerging—and sat comfortably at the top are the BONDS Flying Roos. Tom Slingsby’s three-time champions are currently operating at a different level, boasting an impressive 2, 1, 5, 1 scoreline.
This consistency has handed them a healthy seven-point lead over current title holders Emirates GBR, with the U.S. SailGP Team a further point behind. While the "usual suspects" occupy the top half of the table, the pressure is mounting on the likes of Germany, Italy, NorthStar, and Switzerland to find their form before the season slips away.
Despite an early-season setback in Perth, Spain’s Los Gallos are on a roll. Diego Botin’s outfit were winners the last time SailGP took to the Great Sound during Season 4, and they head into this weekend buoyed by a string of top results.
They face stiff competition from Emirates GBR, who won in Bermuda in spectacular fashion back in Season 2. However, the Brits arrive with a point to prove following an uncharacteristic last-place finish in Rio last month. The only other team to have ever tasted victory in Bermuda? Slingsby’s Flying Roos.
With the Black Foils confirmed to be out of action for both Bermuda and New York, the transfer market has been busy. Strategist Liv Mackay joins DS Automobiles Team France in place of Manon Audinet, while the legendary Glenn Ashby stands in for injured wing trimmer Leigh McMillan.
In a further twist of the roster, Black Foils grinder Marcus Hansen has been loaned to ROCKWOOL Racing to cover for Luke Payne for the next two events, ensuring that even with the New Zealand boat sidelined, their talent remains on the racecourse.
The weather gods are planning to keep the teams on their toes with a varied—and at times chaotic—forecast. Weather guru Chris Bedford is predicting a stable day of fast foiling on Saturday, but Sunday looks set to be a lighter, more patchy affair. In SailGP, these unpredictable shifts can either catch a frontrunner out or provide a golden opportunity for a trailing team to pounce.
Before racing begins in earnest, the fleet hits the water midday Friday for official practice. The forecast is looking so "punchy" that officials have already made the call to split the fleet into two groups and utilize the smallest 18m wings.
The Great Sound can be unforgiving in high winds; fans will remember the U.S. team’s dramatic capsize during practice here two seasons ago. With the small wings out and the adrenaline high, there is every chance we could see more high-stakes drama before the first official points are even on the board.
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