Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard Sunsail 2026 Jan

Latest Racing on the Edge reveals a race against time, as 4 teams fight for spot on 2024/25 Season

by SailGP 8 Jul 2024 11:15 PDT
Racing on the Edge Season 4 Episode 10 © SailGP

This weekend's SailGP Season 4 Grand Final is set to be the final event for one national team - could even title hopefuls New Zealand's place in the league be at risk?

The latest episode of SailGP's Racing on the Edge docuseries, in partnership with Rolex, provides a behind-the-scenes look at tension and uncertainty building across the global racing championship, with time running out for four teams to secure their place on the startline next season.

In the episode, SailGP CEO Russell Coutts reveals that league-owned teams Canada, France and Spain have been issued formal notice that one will be dropped from the league should they fail to secure third-party ownership or full commercial backing by the start of the 2024/2025 Season in November.

Coutts said: "There's one team that's going to have to leave the league. Right now the teams that have been notified are Canada, France and Spain."

The first of new teams and ownerships is confirmed in New York - with a press conference announcement celebrating the acquisition of the league's first South American team, the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team. As the episode goes on to reveal promising commercial developments for Spain, Canada and France, Coutts drops another bombshell: "What if they [Canada, France and Spain] all found their funding? Well then it leaves one other team that could be dropped - New Zealand."

The revelation ratchets up pressure for the Black Foils ahead of this weekend's San Francisco Grand Final - with national pride, personal glory, US $2million in prize money and now, the team's future, all on the line. The season leaders and only team with a confirmed spot in the Grand Final race, fans are also left asking, "Would the league really drop New Zealand?"

Elsewhere, Racing on the Edge provides a personal look at the Canada SailGP Team and driver Phil Robertson. Following Canada at their first home event in Halifax, viewers get a glimpse of Robertson and the team's antics, on and off the water.

Robertson - who has driven for three national teams, including China (Season 1), Spain (Season 2) and now Canada - makes his own case for the team's commercial viability next season - whilst also taking the opportunity to cast doubt on his competitors' chances.

"I've got a lot of optimism about what's happening in the background commercially. There's some good things going on and for sure this team needs to stay in this league," said Robertson.

"Everyone loves to talk it up, and in reality, I don't think many of these teams have many leads. We have a fish on the hook and yeah, it's real."

The most exciting racing on water, SailGP returns for the final stop on the league's record 13-event calendar, the SailGP Season 4 Grand Final, this weekend in San Francisco. Five remaining fleet races will determine who earns a spot alongside Peter Burling's Black Foils in the ultimate decider, the winner-takes-all Grand Final.

Fans can tune into all the action, beginning at 2.30pm local time (PDT) on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July. Racing will be 5:30pm (ET) in the U.S.on CBSSN. Find out where and how to watch around the world, at SailGP.com/Watch.

Limited tickets remain at SailGP.com/SanFrancisco.

Related Articles

Fremantle Doctor shakes up fleet
Ahead of Rolex SailGP Championship's 2026 Season Opener The Rolex SailGP Championship's 2026 Season gets under way this weekend in Perth - with the fleet already reeling from early encounters with the venue's infamous 'Fremantle Doctor'. Posted today at 8:39 am
SailGP: Spain out of Freo event
SailGP confirm that Spain is out of the first event of Season 6 due to yesterday's crash damage. Spain's Los Gallos SailGP suffered board case damage, board damage and hull damage in a nosedive in Freo on Thursday. It was announced at the start of Friday's media conference that the team will not be competing in the weekend's racing. Posted today at 2:18 am
SailGP: Black Foils fill coaching gaps
Matt Steven and Olympic silver medal winner Will McKenzie in the Coaching Booth this season. The Black Foils sailing team will have the support of experienced coach Matt Steven and Olympic silver medal winner Will McKenzie in the Coaching Booth this season. Posted on 15 Jan
Rolex SailGP Championship 2026 Season begins
The historic port city of Perth, Western Australia is expected to deliver a thrilling opening event The Rolex SailGP Championship begins this weekend, as Fremantle, Western Australia prepares to host its inaugural event from Saturday 17 to Sunday 18 January. Posted on 14 Jan
SailGP: Artemis Racing crew member injured
Chris Draper goes for a tumble during training in Fremantle Artemis Racing and Emirates Team NZ crew member Chris Draper, was injured in a training incident on Tuesday in Fremantle, ahead of the first event of Season 6 of SailGP. Posted on 14 Jan
SailGP: Not for the faint-hearted
Updated: A first look at the F50's test sailing on Tuesday in the Fremantle Doctor . Updated: Lindsay Preece of Ironbark Photos gives a first look at the F50's test sailing in Fremantle on Tuesday in the Fremantle Doctor. Most of the competing teams are featured - 11 videos. Posted on 14 Jan
SailGP: Team lists announced for Freo
More than 23 crew changes for the start of Season 6, plus a new team SailGP have published the crew lists for Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix, the opening event of Season 6, which will be contested this weekend in Fremantle. The list is the first to be published since the close of the Transfer Window in early January. Posted on 13 Jan
SailGP: Coutts reveals his Freo formbook
With SailGP Season 6 starting next weekend, in Fremantle, reflects on the 13 team fleet The countdown to SailGP's 2026 Season has officially shifted up a gear, with the start next weekend and a new venue and team. If Russell Coutts is right, fans are in for a year where nothing comes easy and no podium place is guaranteed. Posted on 10 Jan
American Magic partners with SailGP
Providing SailGP teams access to world-class facilities in Pensacola, Florida SailGP has established its first long-term training base at the state-of-the-art American Magic performance and innovation center in Pensacola, Florida. Posted on 8 Jan
SailGP: Coutts says League will grow to 20 teams
Coutts says the value of a team now is USD$70million. current focus is on growing audience size. Ahead of the start of Season 6 of SailGP getting underway in Perth on January 17, SailGP CEO, Russell Coutts talks with the Yahoo Finance channel on the growth, value and future direction of SailGP. Posted on 3 Jan
Sea Sure 2025Festival of Sails 2026Switch One Design