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On May 9-10, SailGP completed its fourth race on the island of Bermuda, with the Australian Ryan Reynolds-owned Bonds Flying Roos taking home first place. But the event was already underway long before the F50 catamarans ever hit the water.
From global shipping and on-site construction to customs clearances and government coordination, SailGP undertakes a logistical odyssey before every race, moving around the world with enough cargo to outweigh seven blue whales.
Charting a course
The first step is choosing the right location.
“When we created SailGP, we wanted to be a traveling championship,” says COO Julien di Biase. “You really want the team and event in the same place, because then you get a super-engaged audience,” adds co-founder and sailing legend Russell Coutts. “Even if they don’t know any of the sailing athletes, that’s enough for a lot of folks.”
Unlike sports such as golf, where established courses already exist at nearly every major resort, finding a suitable venue for a sailing race is complicated. Organizers need the right sea conditions — strong winds, flat water — but also a location that can host large crowds and offers views close enough that fans don’t need a telescope to follow the action.
Then there’s the tech site, the command center where analysts huddle around screens tracking jibbing angles and knot speed, supporting their crews from shore.
“That’s the foundation on which we build all of our logistics,” Julien di Biase explains. “Where is the port for our vessels to arrive? Can we get to that venue based on the dates of the previous and next races? It’s crucial to make sure that once we announce a race in a specific city on a specific date, we can deliver.”
All hands on deck
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