ABU DHABI, UAE – November 30, 2025
Emirates GBR win the ultimate prize in SailGP, outpacing Australia and New Zealand in a dramatic, winner-takes-all Grand Final to become the 2025 Rolex SailGP Champions. The season-ending showdown on the Arabian Gulf capped off one of the most competitive SailGP seasons yet, with ROCKWOOL Racing also making history by scoring their first-ever event win.
A season of excellence ends in triumph
For Dylan Fletcher and his crew, the title marks the peak of a season built on consistency, pace, and precision. Returning to the league last November in Dubai, Fletcher led Emirates GBR to more event wins (three), fleet race victories (11), and podium finishes (24) than any other team.
Speaking after lifting the trophy, Fletcher said, “Everything was incredibly stressful – like we were up against the best sailors in the world. Even though the Grand Final teams hadn’t performed great this weekend, we were all managing our own little battles ourselves. So when it came down to it – I think you saw testament to how close it is at the top. Any one of us could have won that race and I’m very happy it was us.”
A Grand Final for the ages
The final 10-minute sprint was a masterclass in pressure racing. All three finalists – Emirates GBR, the BONDS Flying Roos, and the Black Foils – held the lead at different moments. Australia burst off the line first, before New Zealand surged ahead to a 100-metre advantage by the halfway mark.
But the defining move came from Fletcher, who hauled Emirates GBR from third to first on the fourth leg, passing both rivals in a decisive charge to the finish. On the final reach, Tom Slingsby launched one last attack, slingshotting Australia into second, but it wasn’t enough to stop the British victory.
Emirates GBR also made history by becoming the first team to top both the Rolex SailGP Championship and the Impact League in the same season.
Team principal Sir Ben Ainslie said, “I’m so proud of the team, both on and off the water. It’s been a long season with plenty of highs and lows, but to finish in such strong fashion — to win the Impact League, win the season outright, and then win the Grand Final – it’s a huge achievement. The team has been brilliant.”
ROCKWOOL racing make history with first event win
While the Grand Final delivered the season’s climax, the event win went to ROCKWOOL Racing – the eighth different team to top a podium in the 2025 season. The Danes led the six qualifying fleet races and finally broke through for a long-awaited victory.
Driver Nicolai Sehested said “We’ve been in a lot of Finals and come so close so many times, so it’s good to get it off our backs – it’s been hanging there for a while. In the team base you could smell it for a long time. Hopefully this is a new beginning for us, where we can clear our minds, reset and just go racing”
