The Rolex SailGP Championship makes its much-awaited return to Lake Geneva on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September. A year on from the inaugural Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix, Geneva, the competition has intensified. The league has expanded to 13 teams while welcoming two new venues to the 2026 Season calendar – Perth, Australia, which hosted the season’s opening event, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in April.
Following a series of landmark moments, including a new championship speed record of 107.63 km/h set by the DS Automobiles SailGP Team France, in Sassnitz, Germany last month, the European leg culminates this weekend. The cutting-edge foiling F50 catamarans will once again take flight near the Swiss city’s famous Jet d’Eau, one of the championship’s most spectacular backdrops.
Rolex has supported the championship as a Founding Partner and Official Timepiece since its inception in 2019, becoming Title Partner ahead of the 2025 Season. This commitment reinforces a rich sailing heritage that began in 1958 when the Swiss watchmaker formed an association with the New York Yacht Club. Now the Rolex SailGP Championship is preparing to race again at the home of the Swiss watchmaker.
Rolex Testimonee Hannah Mills, strategist for the Emirates GBR SailGP Team, says: “Geneva is an iconic location on the 2026 Season calendar. Racing in fresh water creates an unusual challenge for the fleet, as the foiling F50 catamarans behave differently than in salt water – they tend to be more buoyant and are less forgiving in freshwater conditions. Racing at the home of Rolex as a Testimonee was truly memorable last year and I’m really excited to be going back.”
The 2026 Season has featured a major shift in format, with split fleet racing introduced in July ahead of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix Portsmouth. To progress to the four-boat final, teams must place in the top two in their group, adding an extra layer of pressure to produce consistent performances. As the path to the Grand Final at the end of the season becomes more of a challenge, there will be little margin for error.
Rolex Testimonee Tom Slingsby, driver for the BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team and the championship’s most successful athlete with more than 100 fleet wins, recognizes the importance of making every second count: “There are 41 sequences in a manoeuvre that need to happen in perfect synchronisation, and if one person is a fraction out of time, it impacts everything that follows. Precise timing and accuracy are essential, particularly as there is additional risk during a manoeuvre.”
Emerging as leading contenders ahead of November’s Grand Final in Abu Dhabi, Slingsby’s Australian team and Los Gallos SailGP Team of Spain sit in first and second place respectively, with 17 points separating them.
Rolex’s long-standing commitment to the championship has helped shape its development; from it being the first global sports league to mandate teams race with at least one female athlete to the introduction of the Impact League, an initiative which places sustainability at the heart of the sport.
A member of the Rolex family since 2019 and an important part of SailGP since Season 2 is Sir Ben Ainslie, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Emirates GBR SailGP Team. The sailing legend reflects: “I’m very proud to be a Rolex Testimonee and to have Rolex as Title Partner of the league. Rolex embodies integrity, excellence and unwavering perseverance, values I have consistently strived to uphold throughout my career. Throughout my journey in the sport, I have always believed that true success is built on discipline, resilience and an uncompromising commitment to improvement. This shared dedication inspires me to continue pushing boundaries and setting new standards.”
The countdown to the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix, Geneva has begun and the 11th round of the championship is set to mark another chapter in the sport’s evolution. A journey defined by pioneering technology, world-class athletes and a commitment to opening new pathways continues at the home of perfect timing.
REACH FOR THE CROWN
The latest Reach for the Crown moment celebrates human endeavour at the heart of the Rolex SailGP Championship. Reflecting on the league’s journey since its inaugural season in 2019, the film explores the challenges faced by its athletes and their road to achievement in this high-action spectacle. It shines a light on the stories that have shaped the Rolex SailGP Championship.
