catamaran race san francisco

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International sailing competition comes to SF Bay, bringing economic boost

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Thousands of people are converging on San Francisco this weekend to watch giant high-tech sailboats from around the world race on the bay at super high speeds. The United States Sail Grand Prix is returning to the Bay Area for its third year at a time when local tourism officials say it's needed most.

If you have a need for speed, check out the adrenaline pumping sailboat race on the bay, known as SailGP. It's where 50-foot catamarans or 'F50s' almost fly across the water, so close to shore.

"It amazing to watch these hydro foiling rocket ships, which hit 60 mph," said SailGP's Laura Muma.

This weekend, the SailGP season three grand final is matching nine sailing teams from around the world.

MORE: SailGP teams from 8 countries vying for $1 million prize in San Francisco Bay

"It's the Super Bowl of our league. Stakes are high and competition at the highest level," said Mac Agnese from Team USA.

"This is one of the most knowledgeable cities for sailing and racing. All teams love coming back, especially those who were here for America's Cup. In many ways, it's a homecoming," Muma said.

Thousands of sailing enthusiasts are coming to the Marina Green to watch.

"The commentary is excellent. The vibe is excellent. We're getting into sailing. It's an exciting time for the sport," said Erwin Naido from Toronto.

MORE: Caught on Video: Shark jumps on fishing boat in New Zealand

The event comes at a crucial time -- when SF is trying to revive tourism -- post-pandemic.

"San Francisco is still struggling to recover from pre-pandemic levels of tourism, is off 25% of the number of visitors who come here. Business travel is down. People are not working in their offices, so events like this really make a difference, because they bring people into town," said Joe D'Allesandro, SF Travel president and CEO. .

The economic boost is welcome, just like strong winds for the competing sailors.

The final race happens on Sunday. The winning team gets bragging rights and $1 Million dollars.

If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

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2024 sailing events in san francisco, california.

Sailing Save-the-Dates for San Francisco Bay 2024

Known as a sailing mecca the world over, San Francisco is home to hundreds of sailing events every year. From community boat parades and regattas to the latest innovations in the yacht racing world, you can see it on the Bay. Check out this list and mark your calendars to experience these sensational events that bring the local sailing community together on land or onto the Bay. Some of these event dates are "TBD" (to be determined), but we will continually update this page as event dates are announced.

To experience or participate in some of these events aboard our sailing yachts, keep an eye out for Club Sails on event dates at our two locations in Sausalito and Berkeley.

• View the Modern Sailing Club Sails schedule  here . 

Three Bridge Fiasco  - Saturday, January 27, 2024

The Three Bridge Fiasco hosted by the  Single-Handed Sailing Society  takes place right outside of the  St. Francis Yacht Club . Racers compete single- or double-handed to round three buoys or temporary marks representing the three major bridges of the San Francisco Bay; the Golden Gate Bridge, East Bay Bridge, and Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. This race is an annual event regularly attracting more than 300 yachts and teams from all over the Bay Area. 

Enjoy this video clip of Modern Sailing School & Club's owner and CEO, Captain Leigh Hunt and sailing instructor and Captain Jimmie Marquez as they attempted the 2020 socked-in, strong-ebbed regatta. 

Destination Chartering and Sail Tahiti 2024 Information Session - Thursday, February 8, 2024

Join Modern Sailing Global Destinations in our Sausalito conference room for antipasto, fine wine, craft beer, and refreshments while your trip leader, Captain Robert Bivin, presents detailed information on the exciting Sail Tahiti 2024 - The Society Islands of French Polynesia itinerary, boats, travel considerations, and more.

Thinking about an international charter vacation of your own? Consider yourself invited and come pick our captains' brains! At the end of the presentation, there will be a Q&A session during which you'll have the opportunity to ask questions of our expert captains about chartering out of the Society Islands or just about any sailing destination worldwide.

We invite anyone who is considering a sailing vacation or destination charter to attend. In addition to learning about sailing Tahiti, you will have the rare opportunity to learn from the experts about chartering abroad and ask questions of captains who are familiar with many popular worldwide charter destinations!

There is no cost to attend, but please RSVP so that we can ensure there will be enough seating and refreshment for everyone.

DATE: Thursday, February 8, 2024, 5:00 - 7:00pm LOCATION : 2330 Marinship Way, Suite 100, Sausalito, CA 94965

Latitude 38 Crew List Parties - Spring and Fall

Check for updates on  Latitude 38's virtual crew list page . 

These parties, hosted by our favorite maritime news outlet,  Latitude 38 , occur twice annually . Hosted by the  Golden Gate Yacht Club  from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, the event is a meet and greet for Bay Area Sailors (crew and boat owners), featuring stunning views of the Bay, and a live life raft launch from Sal's Inflatable Services. $10 cash at the door or $5 for ages 25 and under with ID.  Learn more . 

Advanced First Aid/CPR for Mariners Course , April 6 - 7 and October 5 - 6 (Sausalito)

Maritime Medical Guides is coming to Sausalito June 10-11 and Oct 14-15th, at the Spaulding Center, to offer Advanced First Aid/CPR for Mariners. Cost is $375. The class is US Sailing Accredited, meets World Sailing Offshore Special Reg. (OSR 6.5) and is also valid for USCG Merchant Mariner credentials.

International Ocean Film Festival  - April 12 - 14 (Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason Center, SF)

Learn about the ocean, its inhabitants, the people who play in it, and people who work on it at the International Ocean Film Festival. Each year the IOFF aims to save the oceans one spectacular film at a time by inspiring viewers to become the voice of Earth's largest organ. 

Svendsen's Spring Fling Show - April 12 - 13

In Alameda at Svendsen Marine's third annual Spring Flow Show, you'll meet top sailing and boating brand representatives and explore Svendsen's 20,000 square-foot store for the best deals of the year on your boating and sailing gear! There are also raffle giveaways happening all day long. Download free tickets to claim your show swag bag. Visit springflingboatshow.com for information and tickets.

Opening Day on the Bay - Sunday, April 28

Celebrate the official beginning to the San Francisco Bay sailing season with fellow sailing enthusiasts! 2024 marks the 107th annual celebration kicking off the start of the boating season in the Bay Area. From the blessing of the fleet in Racoon Straits to the parade of decorated boats, Opening Day on the Bay is one of the premier sailing events of the year. Dating back to 1917 and organized by the Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association , the parade sails from the shadows of the Golden Gate Bridge to just past Pier 39. Any vessels can take part as long as they register beforehand. The procession regularly features tug boats, clean-up boats and tour boats, with visitors and spectators onboard. Judges are on hand to dish out prizes for the décor and imagination of the colorful vessels.

Remain subscribed to the Modern Sailing weekly newsletter email for Opening Day on the Bay Parade Club Sail announcements so that you can join in and participate in this spectacular event. If you're not already subscribed, subscribe to our weekly newsletter here .

Pacific Sail & Power Boat Show  - May 16 - 19

The Pacific Sail & Power Boat Show is one of the West Coast’s premier boat shows, featuring new sail and cruising power boats, gear, hardware, seminars, and interactive workshops. It will be held in Redwood City at Westpoint Harbor.

Jazz and Blues by the Bay  - Friday Nights this Summer

Enjoy late summer nights and the smooth tunes of jazz on land or from the water. Hosted by Sausalito Parks and Recreation, Jazz and Blues by the Bay is a community event focused on park enjoyment and music appreciation. During the summer, these weekly Friday night concerts occur in Gabrielson Park overlooking Richardson Bay and the Sausalito Yacht Club mooring balls. Modern members can book a boat to enjoy the tunes and sunset, or join one of our Jazz and Blues by the Bay Club Sails .

The Master Mariners Annual Regatta - Memorial Day Weekend

Hosted by the  Master Mariners Benevolent Association , a San Francisco yacht club that dates back to 1867, the Master Mariner's Regatta is an exquisite event showcasing wooden tall ships from all over the Bay Area. In contrast to the modernity of SailGP, regatta boaters and spectators will have the opportunity to experience the historic heritage of sailing innovation at its finest.

One Ocean Film Tour on  World Oceans Day - June 8

The One Ocean Film Tour is a world-class series of ocean-loving films focused on adventure, the aquatic environment and inspirational stories.  The tour was created in 2020 with the vision to increase awareness about ocean protection and conservation by sharing films made by people who have dedicated their lives to the ocean and all her glory. One Ocean Film Tour is a spectacular visual journey in itself. Join us! Immerse yourself in the mighty power of One Ocean!

Summer Sailstice  - June 22

Celebrate the year's longest day and the start of summer on the "Sailstice." Organized by Bay Area sailor John Arndt, this event is a global affair that brings sailors together to celebrate their favorite pastime - sailing. Participation in the Summer Sailstice event is free. All you have to do is slip the lines, hoist your sails, and head out to your favorite body of water on a sailboat. Modern Sailing members can participate in Summer Sailstice by chartering a boat or joining a Club Sail.  Share your Sailstice plans for a chance to win epic prizes from sponsors such as North Sails, Navionics, American Sailing Association, US Sailing, and more!

Master Mariner's Wooden Boat Show at Corinthian Yacht Club - June TBD

The Annual Wooden Boat Show is one of the highlights of the San Francisco sailing season, and one of only a few West coast wooden boat shows.

Open to the public and generously hosted by the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon, this unique event is an once a year opportunity to enjoy one of the most beautiful Yacht Clubs in the world, and dozens of the most elegant and delightful traditional sailing boats from the Bay and beyond. We'll let you know as soon as show dates are announced.

Independence Day Celebration - Tuesday, July 4

Celebrate America's independence on the water! Charter a sailboat or join a Club Sail to watch the multitude of fireworks shows around the Bay Area from the water. See our Member Resources article Best Places in SF Bay to See Fireworks by Boat .

SailGP San Francisco   (F50 foiling catamaran races) - July 13 - 14

There are a few ways to witness the exciting action of F50 foiling catamarans zipping and splashing around the Central Bay: (1) watch the race from shore by buying  tickets from SailGP . Modern Sailing club members can (2) charter a boat or (3) join a Club Sail to watch from the water.

Rolex Big Boat Series  and J/88 Nationals - September TBD

The Rolex Big Boat Series is a four-day regatta founded by the St. Francis Yacht Club in 1964. The annual event attracts competitive racing teams and big racing boats from all over the state, nation, and world. Thousands of racers and hundreds of boats take to the Bay each day of the race, competing for first place and the Rolex watch that comes with it. MSC club members can bareboat charter or join a Club Sail to witness the excitement from the water.

Island Yacht Club Women's Sailing Seminar - September TBD

IYC's 3 days of sailing, learning and fun includes in-person and streaming seminars and keynote speeches, food, drink, and no-host cocktail hours, giveaways including t-shirts and totes, and an amazing raffle drawing! Stay tuned for more details as we approach September.

Fleet Week  - October 2 - 8

The grand finale to summer in San Francisco, Fleet Week, celebrates the United States Navy allowing civilians to tour warships while their sailors tour the city. The week begins with a parade of ships progressing to free concerts, educational events, and family fun. Fleet Week's grand finale is a two-day air show over the Bay featuring the Blue Angels of the United States Airforce, the F-35 Demo Team, a demo from United's largest airplane, and several internationally known performance flight teams. The best seat in the house for these shows is from a boat on the Bay - keep an eye out for our Club Sails that weekend. 

Fleet Week Boating Safety

Sausalito Lighted Boat Parade - December 7

Spark the spirit of the season with holiday lights, music and fireworks on the water! This special event is a holiday tradition in Sausalito and across the Bay Area. Every year, we enter two of our club boats in the parade and our hard-working fleet staff decorate them for our members and guests to participate in this magical experience. With the sounds of holiday music and cheering spectators, you and your guests will be dazzled by the spectacle of decorated boats and fireworks. An enchanting and memorable event to kick off the season, even the grinchiest of sailors will be unable to resist the holiday cheer.

Do you know of any other San Francisco Bay Area sailing events? Let us know and we'll add it to this list!

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Testimonials.

We just took our ASA 106 at a school in Rhode Island as we prepare for 6 months of cruising in the Caribbean. The class was great, but more than anything it made us really appreciate the quality of teaching and rigor at Modern Sailing. Even though we were the newest to sailing, the group seemed to think that we had the best fundamentals. We felt very well prepared and we see why Modern Sailing has the reputation it does.

The office staff was very accommodating in meeting my availability.

I started sailing at Modern at the end of 2021 and threw myself into it, spending as much time out on the water as I could. I came to Modern with some flat water dinghy sailing experience and it was quite a transition learning to sail bigger boats in much tougher conditions. There was a lot to learn, but the Modern instructors, Club Skippers and fellow Modern sailors made learning fun and rewarding. My Modern instructors were clearly very experienced sailors and sailing with them was inspiring! I want to thank the maintenance crew and office staff for their dedication and hard work - you are the folks who make things work! There is a lot more to learn and I look forward to sailing with Modern for years to come.

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Sausalito Location 2310 Marinship Way, Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 331-8250 (800) 995-1668

Berkeley Location 1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley, CA 94710 (415) 331-8250 (800) 995-1668

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Other Sports | Photos: Mubadala SailGP Season 3 Grand Final…

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Other sports | google to purge ‘private’ incognito mode user records, but will keep snooping, other sports | photos: mubadala sailgp season 3 grand final practice of world’s fastest sailboats in san francisco, f50 catamarans are the world’s fastest boats.

The Mubadala SailGP Season 3 Grand Final kicks off in San Francisco this weekend with some of the best sailors in the world from nine countries, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and the United States vying for the championship.

The weekend’s racing will decide who will compete against Season 3 leader Australia in the Grand Final race, a winner-take-all, final sprint to claim the $1 million grand prize. The U.S. SailGP Team, helmed by sailing legend Jimmy Spithill, is mathematically unable to qualify for the Grand Final, but hopes to win the weekend Grand Prix on home turf.

The event will also include onshore entertainment and activities for fans in the Marina Green Race Village, including live music, food and beverage vendors, and interactive exhibits. To purchase limited tickets and learn more, see their website www.sailgp.com .

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SailGP San Francisco 2022: Free live stream, TV schedule, how to watch U.S. Grand Prix sailing

• Published: Mar. 26, 2022, 12:16 p.m.

How to watch this weekend's coverage. (Ricardo Pinto/SailGP via AP) AP

• Nick O'Malley | [email protected]

SailGP hits San Francisco as the world’s best hit the water with Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge in the background at the 2022 Mubadala United States Sail Grand Prix. Helmsman Jimmy Spithill leads the United States team in the second season of SailGP. The U.S. Grand Prix marks the final events of the SailGP season and is set to be a championship-deciding Grand Final. Fans can watch coverage for free online on SailGP’s Facebook page and YouTube page . Fans can also watch TV coverage via CBS Sports Network and stream via Paramont+ and fuboTV , which has a free trial.

How to watch the 2022 Mubadala United States Sail Grand Prix

What time does each event start? Where can I watch it on TV? - Race Day 1 will air as a delayed broadcast at 6:30 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network. Race Day 2 will air live on CBS Sports Network as a live broadcast at 5 p.m. EST.

Live stream : CBS | Sling | fuboTV | Paramont+ - Both race days will be available to stream on live for free via SailGP’s Facebook page and YouTube page . If you have a cable subscription, you may be able to stream online via CBS using the login credentials from your TV provider. If you don’t have cable, you can sign up for fuboTV (free trial), Sling or Paramount+ (free trial) to watch online.

More coverage via the Associated Press

The U.S. SailGP team capsized its foiling 50-foot catamaran just off Alcatraz Island on San Francisco Bay on Monday, six days before it will race for the global league’s $1 million, winner-take-all season championship.

Helmsman Jimmy Spithill said there were no injuries and the boat was quickly righted and the crew sailed back to base. There was minimal damage and the team should be back on the water Tuesday, said Spithill, a two-time America’s Cup winner who is in his first season in SailGP.

Spithill said the team was attempting a foiling tack at more than 40 mph when a button stuck and the wingsail didn’t pop over. The boat rolled over, with the starboard hull and the tip of the wingsail in the water and the port hull suspended in the air. The crew was in the starboard hull, along with guest racer Kai Lenny, a big wave surfer who like Spithill is sponsored by Red Bull.

“In a lot of ways we were actually really, really lucky this happened in training, this malfunction,” Spithill said by phone. “Clearly if it had been a race day, that would been the race.”

The American team has been involved in a number of mishaps during races this season but has still sailed well enough to qualify for the podium race, along with defending champion Team Australia, skippered by Tom Slingsby. Team Japan, skippered by Australian Nathan Outteridge, has the best chance of clinching the third spot. Slingsby beat Outerridge for the inaugural season championship in 2019 and the $1 million prize.

There will be three fleet races Saturday in the Mubadala United States Grand Prix and two more Sunday before the $1 million race. Spithill said the American and Aussie crews have to sail carefully in the fleet races to keep their catamarans in one piece for the podium race. With the boats capable of going 60 mph, danger is always lurking. Team Japan slammed into Team USA in the season’s opening regatta in Bermuda, knocking the American boat out of the competition. Spithill was leading the podium race in Italy when the boat hit a submerged object and had to retire.

Racing for $1 million is “an awesome opportunity,” Spithill said. “I’ve never had it in my career, to have a three-boat final race, 12-14-minute race, winner takes all, a million bucks. It’s just unreal. No doubt clearly the Aussies are the favorite and we’re the underdogs. The Aussies have been sailing well but as we’ve seen, sometimes it’s good to be the underdog in San Francisco.”

Spithill was referring to the 2013 America’s Cup on San Francisco Bay, when he steered Oracle Team USA out of an 8-1 hole against Emirates Team New Zealand by winning the final eight races for one of the biggest comebacks in sports. Slingsby was one of Spithill’s crewmates in that regatta.

Lenny said he was standing behind Spithill when the boat rolled over. The big wave surfer and kite surfer said he was impressed with how calm Spithill and his crew were.

“These things are just rockets,” Lenny said. “It definitely felt really alive. I felt like I was on my toes the whole time. It felt very physical. I wasn’t actually doing anything to make the boat work, but I was like basically having to hang on.”

Before the 2013 America’s Cup, Lenny raced his kite board against Spithill’s 72-foot catamaran. Lenny got off to a great start before Spithill put down the hammer to pull ahead of his friend.

SailGP was founded by tech tycoon Larry Ellison and five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts of New Zealand.

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US team capsizes catamaran in San Francisco Bay ahead of $1 million race

50-foot catamaran capsizes in san francisco bay.

SAN FRANCISCO - A 50-foot catamaran carrying team US SailGP, capsized in the San Francisco Bay on Monday.

The team was preparing for a highly coveted $1 million prize in a race happening Saturday and Sunday in San Francisco . During the practice run, their F50 catamaran overturned, according to team officials.

"It was insane, we went so fast," said surfing legend Kai Lenny. "I don’t know if anyone really realizes watching from land, just how intense it is on those boats."

SEE ALSO: Stephen Curry injures foot, out indefinitely: reports

The culprit for the capsize was a systems issue that caused the wing sail to not invert properly, according to Team CEO Jimmy Spithill.

When Spithill initiated a maneuver, the race boat heeled over and overturned, right in front of Alcatraz Island.

The US SailGP catamaran capsized Monday, March 21 while practicing for $1 million championship.

"There is so much going on, you’re pulling three Gs of force from side to side, said Lenny. "The boat is a living breathing creature, and you can feel the vibration of it as you go through the wave chop and the gusts of wind."

"That whole experience was absolutely so fun and just as I was getting used to running across the trampoline from side to side, we ended up capsizing," said Lenny.

SEE ALSO: Record-breaking dad runs Oakland's half-marathon pushing quintuplets in stroller

All athletes were safe following the incident, and the team’s catamaran sustained minimal damage. 

Following system checks, the team is expected to resume training on Tuesday, according to US SailGP officials.

The official race will happen in the Bay between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island, and spectators can watch from Marina Green. The event begins at 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.  

Watch CBS News

Oracle Team USA caps stunning comeback to win America's Cup

September 25, 2013 / 6:58 PM EDT / CBS/AP

SAN FRANCISCO Skipper Jimmy Spithill and Oracle Team USA won the America's Cup on Wednesday with one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.

Spithill steered Oracle's space-age, 72-foot catamaran to its eighth straight victory, speeding past Dean Barker and Emirates Team New Zealand in the winner-take-all Race 19 on San Francisco Bay to keep the oldest trophy in international sports in the United States.

All but defeated a week ago, the 34-year-old Australian and his international crew twice rallied from seven-point deficits to win 9-8. Owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison, Oracle Team USA was docked two points for illegally modifying boats in warmup regattas and had to win 11 races to keep the Auld Mug.

After almost dunking its chances when it buried its bows in a wave shortly after the start, Oracle's hulking black catamaran - with a big No. 17 on each hull - showed its incredible speed when it reeled in the Kiwis while the boats zigzagged toward the Golden Gate Bridge on the windward third leg.

They fly across the water thanks to underwater wings called hydrofoils, reports CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker.

"You're hitting near freeway speed - over 50 miles an hour," San Francisco sailor Kimball Livingston told Whitaker. "These are the fastest boats ever built. We've never seen anything like this in any kind of sailing boat, much less the America's cup."

They don't just look spectacular, they're spectacularly expensive - $100-million to build and operate, Whitaker reports.

The New Zealanders were game despite being stranded on match point for a week. Spithill and crew still had to sail their best to end the longest, fastest and by far wildest America's Cup on a course between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.

Team New Zealand had the lead the first time the boats crossed on opposite tacks. By the time they crossed again, the American boat - with only one American on its 11-man crew - had the lead.

As Oracle worked to stay ahead, tactician Ben Ainslie, a four-time Olympic gold medalist from Britain, implored his mates by saying, "This is it. This is it. Working your (rears) off."

It had to have been a gut-wrenching moment in New Zealand, which has been on edge for a week as the Kiwis failed to close out the victory on a warm, sunny afternoon.

The Kiwis had been faster upwind in running away with races early, but Oracle constantly made changes to make its cat a speed freak.

As Spithill rounded the third mark onto the downwind fourth leg, his catamaran sprang onto its hydrofoils at 35 mph, its hulls completely out of the water, and headed for history.

There were hugs and handshakes after he steered the cat across the finish line, 44 seconds ahead of Team New Zealand. Ellison, who has spent an estimated $500 million the last 11 years in pursuing, winning and now defending the silver trophy, hopped on board and the crew sprayed him with champagne.

It wasn't always so jubilant, of course, but Spithill refused to let his team fold after the penalties were announced four days before racing started.

How big was this win?

In sailing terms, it was the equivalent of the Boston Red Sox sweeping the final four games of the 2004 ALCS over the New York Yankees, the only 3-0 comeback in major league history. It's also comparable to the Philadelphia Flyers overcoming a 0-3 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins in the 2010 NHL playoffs.

As stirring of a comeback as it was for Spithill and his mates, it was a staggering loss for Team New Zealand. Barker, 41, was looking for redemption after losing the America's Cup to Alinghi of Switzerland in 2003 and then steering the losing boat in 2007, also against Alinghi.

Team New Zealand was funded in part by its government.

This was the first time the America's Cup was raced inshore and San Francisco Bay provided a breathtaking racecourse.

The catamarans were the vision of Ellison and his sailing team CEO, Russell Coutts, who is now a five-time America's Cup winner.

Powered by a 131-foot wing sail, the cats have hit 50 mph, faster than the speed limit on the Golden Gate Bridge.

After Artemis Racing's Andrew "Bart" Simpson was killed in a capsize on May 9, sailors began wearing body armor, knives, an air tank and breathing tube, self-lowering equipment and underwater locator devices.

The new, cutting-edge boats are not without criticism and Ellison defended what some call risky engineering and sailing tactics in an interview with CBS News' Charlie Rose last month .

"People really criticize professional athletes going into the Olympics," Ellison told Rose. "People don't like change. A bunch of people don't like the Olympics now because we've added skateboarding. ... We're modernizing the sport."

Ellison added: "We're competing with other sports to get kids attention. We've got to make our sport exciting and we've got to modernize it. ... It can't be unchanged since 1851."

More from CBS News

Sports | Sailing in Marin: Foiling events take main…

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Sports | Sailing in Marin: Foiling events take main stage on San Francisco Bay

Marin's Henry Vare winging it on the San Francisco Bay. Vare and Morgan Headington are set to participate in a wing foiling freestyle exhibition and slalom racing events between the official SailGP races which take place between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz starting at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Bryan McDonald)

Redwood High sophomore Morgan Headington wings foils around the buoys on the San Francisco Bay. Headington and Henry Vare are set to participate in a wing foiling freestyle exhibition and slalom racing events between the official SailGP races which take place between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz starting at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Bryan McDonald)

Marin's Henry Vare makes wing foiling look easy on the San Francisco Bay. Vare and Morgan Headington are set to participate in a wing foiling freestyle exhibition and slalom racing events between the official SailGP races which take place between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz starting at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Bryan McDonald)

The infamous SailGP event hits San Francisco Bay this weekend showcasing the world’s best foiling sailors on the F50 foiling catamaran. The event, now in its second season, continues to create drama and magic on the water in the world’s best sailing venues for a winner-takes-all-prize.

The F50 is a further iteration from the AC 50 launched early in 2017 for use in the 35th America’s Cup in 2017 in Bermuda and has been a boost to the huge and growing interest in foiling watersports anywhere there is breeze and water. Perfect for kids like Marin groms Henry Vare (13) and Morgan Headington (15) who thrive on fast and exciting.

The pair will be flying high on the Bay along with six other youth wing foilers when they participate in a wing foiling freestyle exhibition and slalom racing events between the official SailGP races which take place between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz starting at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday, with a practice session for all fleets on Friday afternoon.

Henry’s dad, Michael Vare, spearheaded the opportunity for the youngsters, reaching out to SailGP Inspire, the League’s community outreach program, to coordinate a youth event as part of the San Francisco SailGP stopover. He said the kids are ecstatic to be involved in such a high-profile event doing something they love and excel at. As part of the program, the kids will meet with the SailGP teams and be a big part of the action this weekend.

“The kids put together their bios including their favorite tricks and who they ride for, so they’re very excited,” Vare said. “SailGP Inspire will provide them with bright colored jerseys, they’ll have numbers on their wings and there will be commentary shoreside about this growing sport of wing foiling,”.

Vare and Headington followed their dads into wing foiling some 2 1/2 years ago and now the dads are taking a bit of a back seat as the kids’ passion for wing foiling grows. But that’s okay, says Geoff Headington, a long-time competitive water sports enthusiast, who loves being out on the water with his son.

“I feel like it takes some of the pressure off me from a competitive standpoint,” Headington laughed. “It makes me happy to support him and make sure he’s on the right gear, watch him go and give him tips and instruction, I’m becoming more of a coach than a competitor. I get a lot of joy seeing Morgan improve.”

The boys dialed in some pre-event training when they raced a wing foil regatta several weekends ago on the Bay, the first ever to be raced in the US and hosted by the St Francis Yacht Club. They’re stoked for this weekend.

“I’m really excited to have the great opportunity to race between the F50 races because of the novelty that it has,” Morgan, a sophomore at Redwood High said. “Some of my sailing idols are skippers of these boats and being able to sail alongside them, especially in the same event, is awesome. I’m also excited for the freestyle exhibition because that style of winging is my favorite part of the sport and its super fun to try tricks, even if you fly uncontrollably through the air and bellyflop into the water.

“I’ve been working on my 360 spins for the freestyle event, as well as tactics and mechanics for the slalom racing. For the racing I’ve been practicing speed gybes and my VMG (velocity made good) angle downwind.

Henry, an eighth grader at Del Mar Middle School, was a regular at the St Francis Yacht Club wing foiling race events last year and at just 12 years old placed 3rd overall at the end of the season. He’s been an inspiration for both his peers and adults wanting to get into the sport and is psyched for this weekend.

“I am really looking forward to performing in front of an audience!” Henry said. “I’ve been practicing my racing skills and freestyle tricks leading up to the event.”

Supporting activities that are on the pathway for the next generation of sailing athletes to become inspired and involved in SailGP is as important to the event as staying at the leading edge of technology which ultimately benefits the kind of foiling watersports, like winging, that we regularly see on San Francisco Bay.

“The F50 is constantly being updated, with new wingsails in Season 2 and new T foils being built now,” Russell Coutts, co-founder of the SailGP circuit said. “With the new foils (expected in October) they are predicted to exceed 55 knots of boat speed. The new wings are modular which allow us to use a smaller (faster) configuration in strong winds. The next development will be new rudders. We are also increasing the ‘righting moment’ by making adjustments to the rudder settings which will also make the boats faster.”

Coutts continued, “The F50 is a very good boat for what we are doing because they can now sail both in very efficiently light winds and very strong winds which opens a lot of additional venue possibilities. They are also transported in containers which is essential for this League.”

Catch the foiling action from Crissy Field or the City Front this weekend, info at: https://sailgp.com/races/22/united-states-sail-grand-prix-san-francisco/overview/

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World’s fastest on-water racing set for San Francisco as part of SailGP’s inaugural season

• United States SailGP

Tickets go on sale February 21 for first U.S. grand prix in May 2019

SailGP, now embarking on its inaugural season, today revealed new details of its highly anticipated San Francisco event, which will take place on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday May 5, introducing U.S. audiences to a redefined form of sailing while showcasing the members of the national team on their home turf. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday February 21 , at SailGP.com/SanFrancisco.

As SailGP’s first grand prix in the United States, the San Francisco engagement will be the second in a series of five events happening throughout the inaugural year and around the world in 2019. Spearheaded by Sir Russell Coutts and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, SailGP is officially sanctioned by World Sailing.

Each of this year’s events will feature teams representing six countries – the United States, Australia, China, France, Great Britain and Japan – all racing on identical 50-foot foiling catamarans, known as the F50 – the world’s fastest, most technologically advanced flying catamaran.

A new boat class, the F50 is a redesigned, supercharged incarnation of the exceptional foiling catamarans used for the past two America's Cups. Twelve months of further development at the hands of leading designers, technicians and engineers, the F50s are expected to break the 50-knot (60mph/100kph) barrier.

On Saturday May 4 and Sunday May 5, San Francisco SailGP will take place from 12 to 2pm, just off the Marina Yacht Club Peninsula in the heart of the San Francisco Bay, with the Golden Gate Bridge serving as a stunning backdrop. Each national team will compete in a total of five short-format fleet races, culminating with the top two teams facing off in a match race finale to determine the event winner on Sunday afternoon.

"San Francisco has a unique harbor that is perfect for sailing and we are thrilled to hold our first U.S. SailGP event in the Bay Area. The Bay’s consistently strong thermal winds will create an ideal test for these top sailors, and the shoreline serves as a natural amphitheater for spectators to take in the action. Fans in San Francisco will witness six flying catamarans going faster than ever before in a race environment – this is the next generation of sailing."

Sir Russell Coutts

Beginning today, fans can register at SailGP.com/SanFrancisco to receive exclusive updates on unique experiences available for the event, including access to ticket presales, as well as on-water boater registration, which offers special perks for fans wishing to watch the action from personal boats. Those who register early will also receive important race management information, including detailed schedules, spectator zones and the latest race course maps.

U.S. fans will be treated to the stateside debut of the U.S. SailGP Team – comprised of some of the most talented high-performance sailors in the country. As announced in October 2018, the five team members are: Rome Kirby, 29, of Newport, Rhode Island (helmsman); Riley Gibbs, 22, of Long Beach, California (wing trimmer); Hans Henken, 26, of Coronado, California (flight controller); Mac Agnese, 24, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida (grinder); and Dan Morris, 31, of Newport, Rhode Island (grinder).

SailGP’s Sydney inauguration will occur in February (15-16), after which SailGP will move on to San Francisco in May (4-5), followed by New York in June (21-22) and Cowes in August (10-11), before the Marseille final in September (20-22), which will feature a winner-takes-all, $1 million championship match race between the season’s top two teams to conclude three days of racing.

All six SailGP teams will be in San Francisco practicing for two weeks prior to the start of San Francisco SailGP.

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US SailGP team capsizes 6 days ahead of $1 million race

In this image provided by SailGP, the U.S. SailGP team, helmed by Jimmy Spithill, capsizes as they sail past Alcatraz Island during a practice session ahead of San Francisco SailGP, in San Francisco, Monday, March 21, 2022. (Bob Martin/SailGP via AP)

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The U.S. SailGP team capsized its foiling 50-foot catamaran just off Alcatraz Island on San Francisco Bay on Monday, six days before it will race for the global league’s $1 million, winner-take-all season championship.

Helmsman Jimmy Spithill said there were no injuries and the boat was quickly righted and the crew sailed back to base. There was minimal damage and the team should be back on the water Tuesday, said Spithill, a two-time America’s Cup winner who is in his first season in SailGP.

Spithill said the team was attempting a foiling tack at more than 40 mph when a button stuck and the wingsail didn’t pop over. The boat rolled over, with the starboard hull and the tip of the wingsail in the water and the port hull suspended in the air. The crew was in the starboard hull, along with guest racer Kai Lenny, a big wave surfer who like Spithill is sponsored by Red Bull.

“In a lot of ways we were actually really, really lucky this happened in training, this malfunction,” Spithill said by phone. “Clearly if it had been a race day, that would been the race.”

The American team has been involved in a number of mishaps during races this season but has still sailed well enough to qualify for the podium race, along with defending champion Team Australia, skippered by Tom Slingsby. Team Japan, skippered by Australian Nathan Outteridge, has the best chance of clinching the third spot. Slingsby beat Outerridge for the inaugural season championship in 2019 and the $1 million prize.

There will be three fleet races Saturday in the Mubadala United States Grand Prix and two more Sunday before the $1 million race. Spithill said the American and Aussie crews have to sail carefully in the fleet races to keep their catamarans in one piece for the podium race. With the boats capable of going 60 mph, danger is always lurking. Team Japan slammed into Team USA in the season’s opening regatta in Bermuda, knocking the American boat out of the competition. Spithill was leading the podium race in Italy when the boat hit a submerged object and had to retire.

Racing for $1 million is “an awesome opportunity,” Spithill said. “I’ve never had it in my career, to have a three-boat final race, 12-14-minute race, winner takes all, a million bucks. It’s just unreal. No doubt clearly the Aussies are the favorite and we’re the underdogs. The Aussies have been sailing well but as we’ve seen, sometimes it’s good to be the underdog in San Francisco.”

Spithill was referring to the 2013 America’s Cup on San Francisco Bay, when he steered Oracle Team USA out of an 8-1 hole against Emirates Team New Zealand by winning the final eight races for one of the biggest comebacks in sports. Slingsby was one of Spithill’s crewmates in that regatta.

Lenny said he was standing behind Spithill when the boat rolled over. The big wave surfer and kite surfer said he was impressed with how calm Spithill and his crew were.

“These things are just rockets,” Lenny said. “It definitely felt really alive. I felt like I was on my toes the whole time. It felt very physical. I wasn’t actually doing anything to make the boat work, but I was like basically having to hang on.”

Before the 2013 America’s Cup, Lenny raced his kite board against Spithill’s 72-foot catamaran. Lenny got off to a great start before Spithill put down the hammer to pull ahead of his friend.

SailGP was founded by tech tycoon Larry Ellison and five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts of New Zealand.

Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/berniewilson

Published on March 27th, 2022 | by Editor

Australia repeats as SailGP Champions

Published on March 27th, 2022 by Editor -->

San Francisco, CA (March 27, 2022) – The second season of SailGP came to a climax at the 2022 Mubadala United States Sail Grand Prix as Australia won the winner-take-all final race to claim the title and the $1 million prize purse.

The format for the San Francisco event was adjusted to both recognize the event winner alongside the season champion. Five fleet races determined the San Francisco event results, with that ranking then included in the season scoring to advance the top three teams for the title determining finale.

Season 1 champion Tom Slingsby’s Australia team and Jimmy Spithill’s United States SailGP Team arrived in San Francisco having accrued enough points for the final, with Nathan Outteridge’s Japan team claiming the last ticket after leading through yesterday’s three fleet races.

While San Francisco westerly winds off the ocean are reliable during the summer, hosting the event in March can be risky and that was the case today as a more southerly direction off the land delivered variable conditions in both strength and direction.

All eight teams completed the final two fleet races, in which Slingsby’s team won the San Francisco title before the top three teams in the season rankings – Australia, USA, and Japan – took over the stage to claim the 8-event championship title.

But an incident in the fourth fleet race damaged the USA boat as Spain took unearned room at the first leeward mark, damaging the American’s stern and knocking them out of the final fleet race. Drastic repairs got the U.S. Team ready for the title race, but uncertain if any issues would remain for boat performance.

The test would soon come, and while the USA held the lead through the first offwind leg, they would drop to last when the teams turned upwind, with the race getting abandoned due to a whale on the course. Soon thereafter, the wind dropped to just a few knots, causing further delay.

Winds remained light for the do-over, with only Australia popping off the start line with speed. Their lead quickly became significant, but dropping off their foils at the first upwind mark offered an opportunity for the USA. However, that was soon lost as the home team misplayed their approach, getting passed by Japan while Australia regained their mojo to finish with a lead of over 600m on Japan and nearly 1900m on USA.

“More important than the money is that Australia came out on top and we can call ourselves the best in the world,” said Slingsby. “Money comes and goes and glory lasts forever, I know that’s a saying, but we really feel it right now.”

San Francisco Results 1. Australia, Tom Slingsby, 2-4-3-2-1, 33 2. Great Britain, Ben Ainslie, 1-6-4-3-2, 29 3. Japan, Nathan Outteridge, 6-2-1-6-4, 26 4. Denmark, Nicolai Sehested, 4-1-6-7-5, 22 5. New Zealand, Peter Burling, 3-5-8-1-3*, 21 6. United States, Jimmy Spithill, 5-7-5-5-DNC, 14 7. France, Quentin Delapierre, 7-8-7-4-6, 13 8. Spain, Jordi Xammar, 8-3-2-DNF-DNC, 9 * Four penalty points added due to foul with France

Final Results – SailGP Season 2 Championship (8 events) 1. Australia, Tom Slingsby, 85 2. Japan, Nathan Outteridge, 77 3. United States, Jimmy Spithill, 74 4. Great Britain, Ben Ainslie (alternate – Paul Goodison), 50 5. New Zealand, Peter Burling (alternate – Arnaud Psarofaghis), 47 6. Denmark, Nicolai Sehested, 45 7. Spain, Jordi Xammar (alternate – Phil Robertson), 43 8. France, Quentin Delapierre, 39

SailGP information – San Francisco details – Crew lists

How to watch – Results – Noticeboard – SailGP Insights

Format for SailGP events: • Teams compete in identical F50 catamarans. • Each event runs across two days. • There are three races on each day, totaling six races at each event. • The opening five fleet races involve every team. • Race scoring provides 8 points for first, 7 points for second, etc. • The final race in each event pits the three highest ranking teams against each other to be crowned event champion. • The season ends with the Grand Final, which includes the Championship Final Race for the top three teams from the season ranking for a winner-takes-all match race for the $1m prize.

SailGP Season 2 Schedule April 24-25, 2021 – Bermuda Grand Prix June 5-6, 2021 – Italy Grand Prix – Taranto July 17-18, 2021 – Great Britain Grand Prix – Plymouth August 20-21, 2021 – ROCKWOOL Denmark Grand Prix – Aarhus September 11-12, 2021 – France Grand Prix – Saint-Tropez October 9-10, 2021 – Spain Grand Prix – Andalusia December 17-18, 2021 – Australia Grand Prix – Sydney January 29-30, 2022 – New Zealand Grand Prix – Christchurch ( CANCELLED ) March 26-27, 2022 – United States Grand Prix – San Francisco (Season 2 Grand Final)

Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing in some of the iconic harbors around the globe. Rival national teams compete in identical F50 catamarans with the season culminating with a $1 million winner-takes-all race.

Tags: SailGP , SailGP San Francisco

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Photos: A San Francisco street race for ‘adults who never grew up’

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San Franciscans of all ages gathered Sunday for an annual tricycle race on what they say is the city’s curviest road—and it’s nowhere near Lombard Street .

Dozens of people bumped and jostled past one another to see who was the fastest on three wheels going down a serpentine stretch of Vermont Street in the city’s Potrero Hill neighborhood, a tradition that's gone on for more than 20 years.

It was Sergio Lamar’s first time riding in the Bring Your Own Big Wheel race, but he was more than ready.

“I’m one of those adults who never grew up,” Lamar said.

After having spent 15 minutes trudging uphill in a bulky Chewbacca costume holding a yellow tricycle, the 42-year-old said his participation in the downhill race was years in the making. Lamar said he has wanted to go ever since he first heard about it eight years ago. Despite all the buildup—and the evident risk of crashes—Lamar was unperturbed.

“There’s a little risk to everything,” Lamar said. “But I’ve got health insurance.”

According to the event’s website , the race was conceived in 2000 by "a madman" named Jon Brumit, who came up with the idea after he "happened across a [Big Wheel]."

"He wondered what he should do with it and much like the apple that fell on Newton’s head, Jon had the vision of riding his newly found plastic toy down Lombard Street," the site reads.

In 2006, 30 people took part in the race, and the following year, the number of participants and spectators numbered in the hundreds, according to the website. Shortly after, the Lombard Street race was shut down, and organizers moved the event to Vermont Street in 2008, where it has remained since, the website said.

The site does not explain why the race occurs on Easter, other than that Brumit chose to ride down Lombard on a tricycle on Easter Sunday.

Though started by an adult, Sunday's Bring Your Own Big Wheel race was far from an adults-only affair, with the street chock-full of families with kids, especially toddlers.

Kit Urkov, 4, said this year was her second time at the event.

“It’s a race,” Urkov said, when asked why she enjoyed riding down alongside dozens of other children on her silver tricycle.

Her father, Owen Urkov, was more descriptive in explaining why he enjoyed rumbling down the serpentine road on three plastic wheels.

Gallery of 19 photos

“It’s insane chaos, but it’s a blast,” Urkov said.

Is it dangerous?

“Absolutely,” Urkov said. “That’s the fun.”

Sitting astride two rainbow-colored tricycles, Annie Acheson, 15, said racing down the hill this year was her idea. Acheson had gone down the hill three times that afternoon, and she was getting ready to go a fourth time.

“It’s fun because it challenges you, but if you mess up, people won’t make fun of you,” Acheson said.

Her mother, Amanda Acheson, 51, was on deck.

“It’s just such a San Francisco thing,” Acheson said. “A lot of cities don’t have weird stuff like this, and it’s kid-friendly.”

Amanda Acheson said she thinks it’s worth the risk for kids to participate in the downhill race, as it exposes them to a cultural event and lets them socialize with other kids.

“Besides, she’s got a helmet,” Acheson said.

Garrett Leahy can be reached at [email protected]

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