Please select your home edition
Edition
C-Tech 2021 SnuffAir 728x90 TOP

SailGP: Candians extend a helping hand to long-time event sponsor

by Jonno Turner, Rockwool Denmark 23 Mar 02:22 UTC
Northstar Canada reliveried their F50 platform - Race 1- Oracle San Francisco SailGP - March 22, 2025 - San Francisco © Ricardo Pinto/SailGP

The NorthStar SailGP Team will feature an eye-catching new logo on the race course at the Oracle San Francisco Sail Grand Prix, after offering to have Rockwool's logo on the team's F50 as Rockwool Racing SailGP Team sit out this event.

The unique collaboration is a goodwill gesture from the Canadians to the Danish, after Nicolai Sehested's boat was ruled out of racing in San Francisco on Thursday, due to damage attained during a collision at the Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix last weekend.

Despite best efforts from the SailGP Tech Team, the damage was subsequently deemed too extensive to fix in time to go racing in the second part of SailGP's USA double header.

Reacting to the news at the SailGP Press Conference on Friday, Rockwool Racing driver Nicolai Sehested said: "We are so grateful to the whole NorthStar team, and in particular their owner, Dr. Greg Bailey and the team's CEO Phil Kennard, for this incredibly kind offer to have Rockwool on the team's F50 for this event."

He adds: "The whole SailGP community has been really supportive since the incident last week, plus the subsequent news that we can't go racing here in San Francisco - and none more so than Canada. We really want to say a big thanks to them for representing us on the race course this weekend."

The two teams share a history of collaboration stretching back several seasons - culminating in the Rockwool Canada Sail Grand Prix in Season 4, which saw Rockwool and the Danish team work together with the Canadians and SailGP to deliver the first ever Canadian Sail Grand Prix in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

"We really feel for the Rockwool Racing team, having to sit out most of the event in LA, not making the start line here, and receiving maximum season damage points," said NorthStar driver Giles Scott. "I think most teams look at their situation and think - that could be any one of us."

Giles added: "We believe that as SailGP teams, we need to stick together. For us, this is just a way of helping out a good team in their hour of need and hopefully easing some of the pressure around their situation."

Rockwool has hosted more than 100 VIP guests across the Los Angeles and San Francisco events and Sehested admits that the kind gesture from Canada comes with significant commercial impact for the team's title partner.

"Firstly, it gives our guests a team to cheer for during the event here in San Francisco. I know they will be cheering for the Canadians in our place," he said.

"But importantly, we know just how valuable SailGP is as a platform for global brands like Rockwool. The live broadcast gets millions of views and that has a direct financial value for our commercial partners across the board. So whilst these situations are tough to take from a racing point of view, there are consequences off the water too."

He continued: "Rockwool has been the most amazing partner to us for more than five years now, and has always had our backs - through thick and thin- and we have had some thin times this week."

"I'm happy that, with Canada, we have been able to find this creative solution to help represent Rockwool on the water. I have promised Giles that NorthStar will have a lot of Danish fans this weekend - including our sailors... for this event!"

"We will be back stronger and we can't wait to meet NorthStar back on the start line, in Rio de Janeiro at the next event in May."

Related Articles

SailGP: Canadian team reveal new name
Start of a new era for the Canadian team with a new name, new owner and new driver Start of a new era for the Canadian team with a new name, new owner and new driver. The new NorthStar Team is focussed on performance and purpose with a commitment to inspiring good health and wellbeing. Posted on 6 Nov 2024
SailGP Canada - Against all Odds
How the Canadian team navigated the tumultuous water of their first season New video from the Canada SailGP team tracking their progression through SailGP - all the highs - and learning experiences - on the inception of the team and how the team navigated the tumultuous water of their first season in SailGP. Posted on 24 Jul 2024
Canada SailGP Team finish fifth
In ROCKWOOL Italy Sail Grand Prix Racing got under way yesterday at the ROCKWOOL Italy Sail Grand Prix in one of Italy's southernmost cities, Taranto. The Canada SailGP Team lined up against eight teams in the most challenging, top end conditions that the fleet has seen to date. Posted on 24 Sep 2023
Canada SailGP Team Sydney Update
After the severe weather system which passed through while the F50 was being craned out Following on from yesterday's racing in the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix - Sydney, a severe weather system passed through while the Canada SailGP Team's F50 catamaran was craning out. Thankfully, no one on the team was seriously injured. Posted on 19 Feb 2023
Canada SailGP Team Christens New F50 SPIRIT
Before the team's inaugural sail in preparation for the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix - Sydney Georgia Lewin-Lafrance, Strategist of the Canada SailGP Team, did the honours today naming the team's new F50 SPIRIT, just before the team's inaugural sail in preparation for the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix - Sydney which takes place this weekend. Posted on 16 Feb 2023
Canada SailGP Team finish 6th in Singapore
Light air conditions put all nine teams to the test The inaugural Singapore Sail Grand Prix took place this weekend in challenging, light air conditions which put all nine teams to the test. Posted on 15 Jan 2023
Canada SailGP Team hot out of the blocks in Dubai
But things don't go to plan on Sunday The inaugural SailGP event in the Middle East started out exceptionally well for the Canadian team with a win in Race 1. Posted on 13 Nov 2022
Ed-Tech partner joins Canada SailGP team
Toronto based ed-tech company, Oliver Solutions, is the newest partner to join Canada SailGP Team. Oliver Solutions is the newest partner to join Canada SailGP Team. The Toronto based ed-tech company is a leader across multiple industries in its field of online learning and certification. Posted on 6 Oct 2022
Canadians shine in Spain Sail Grand Prix today
Two race wins mean they finish just one point out of the finals Two wins for the Canada SailGP Team today, to finish just one point out of the finals and fourth place overall in Spain. Posted on 25 Sep 2022
Ride for the Future update
Canada SailGP athlete Isabella Bertold cycles over 1,100 km to next event At first light on Monday, 12 September, Canada SailGP Team athlete Isabella Bertold set off from Saint-Tropez on her Factor road bike to travel over 1,100 km to Cadiz, Spain, the location of the upcoming SailGP event on 24-25 September. Posted on 20 Sep 2022
Rooster 2025PredictWind - Offshore App 728x90 BOTTOMTrofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca 2025