Sea of color hits the Hudson
by SailGP 20 Jun 2019 16:11 AEST
Team prepare on the Hudson ahead of the New York SailGP © Matt Knighton / SailGP
New Yorkers got a sneak preview of what to expect when SailGP makes its highly anticipated debut on the lower Hudson River this weekend, as all six SailGP teams today hit the racecourse together.
Sailing in front of Manhattan's iconic skyline, the six national teams, led by the home team helmed by Rome Kirby, got their first glimpse of what to expect on the Hudson. Hitting the water for the first time, the teams representing the United States, Australia, China, France, Great Britain and Japan also got the first glimpse of their competitors to see if the hard work studying the data and time on the simulator since the San Francisco event last month has paid off.
"We are planning to come out swinging here in New York," said Kirby. "In San Francisco, we made massive improvements and were nipping at the heels of the leaders, leading in many of the races. We can't wait to race for real on the Hudson River and put on a great show for our fans. It's anyone's race out there and we plan to give it our all."
The showdown begins at 5 p.m. on both Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22. All six teams will compete in identical supercharged, hydrofoiling F50 catamarans, engineered to fly across the water at speeds never before seen in sailing competition.
Currently, the Australia SailGP Team helmed by sailing legend Tom Slingsby sits atop the rankings, after taking home wins in Sydney and again in San Francisco. The United States SailGP Team sits behind Japan and Great Britain.
Slingsby's team is ready to show off for the crowd lining the waterfront at Battery Park City.
"I'm most excited to see the crowds here in New York," he said. "The racing will be very close to the shoreline, and we'll be able to hear the cheering."
The New York SailGP Race Village, located at Brookfield Place in Battery Park City, will serve as the center of the festivities, an ideal place to take in the race action and cheer on the national teams. Visitors will be able feel the buzz and excitement around this new, global event, with access to big screens showing live race coverage and commentary, concessions, the official merchandise shop, entertainment (including the awards ceremony and athlete appearances), and other activities.
For fans who wish to 'feel the spray' from SailGP's supercharged catamarans as they fly around the racecourse, SailGP is providing three premium ticketed on-water experiences. Limited tickets are still available at SailGP.com/NewYork