An international sailing championship has become the first of its kind to rank teams on their efforts in sustainability, as well as performance. CNBC explored how SailGP is racing for the future.
An international yacht-racing competition, featuring teams competing in high-tech foiling catamarans across a season of multiple grand prix events, is on a mission to revolutionize sailing.
Launched in 2018, SailGP has a bold ambition to change the face of sailing by combining cutting-edge technology with skills and athleticism. Teams race in the same high-performance boats, and every team has access to its own performance data, as well as that of their competitors.
“It’s not who has the better equipment or who has the technology advantage. Even though we’re always advancing the boats in terms of technology, all of the teams get those modifications at exactly the same time and race with the same equipment,” said Russell Coutts, SailGP’s chief executive officer, in an interview with CNBC’s Converge.
But SailGP isn’t just innovating the racing, the event has developed the Impact League, a separate podium “for the planet” which prioritizes sustainability and inclusion. The competition tracks the positive actions teams take to reduce their overall carbon footprint in sailing. The winner receives a cash prize donation for a local cause.
“They get very competitive, in who is going to win that Impact League Trophy,” said Fiona Morgan, Chief Purpose Officer at SailGP.
“Innovations have come out of it: everything from clean energy to driving, accessibility and sailing. It’s all about social and environmental change,” Morgan added.
The second event of the 2025 season will take place on January 18-19 in Auckland, New Zealand.
To learn more about how SailGP is innovating the sport, watch the video above.