Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team delivered a clear statement to the fleet on January 18, claiming a commanding win at the Oracle Perth 2026 Sail Grand Prix, presented by KPMG, to open the Rolex SailGP Championship 2026 season.
Battling steep seas and gusts reaching 45 km/h under classic Fremantle Doctor conditions, Dylan Fletcher and his crew controlled Championship Sunday, defeating the Bonds Flying Roos in second and DS Automobiles Team France in third in a high-pressure three-boat final.
Fletcher described the conditions as “Absolutely incredible. This is why we came to Perth… To Fremantle, for the Doctor,” as Emirates GBR executed a clean start and built a decisive lead to secure the first event win of the 13-stop season.
Emirates GBR set the pace on Championship Sunday in Perth 2026, putting together the most consistent run of the day with wins in fleet races five and six
Dylan Fletcher worked steadily through the fleet in each race, gaining positions rather than defending them, and looked comfortable in conditions that caught out several teams – early signs that Emirates GBR may be shaping as the team to beat in 2026.
One result does not decide a season, but Emirates GBR’s dominance on day two offered an early indication of their potential in 2026.
While the Northstar SailGP Team closed the qualifying races with a dominant win, the result came too late to affect the overall standings, leaving the Canadians sixth overall and Emirates GBR firmly in control heading into the final.
Behind the winners, Australia narrowly missed a home victory despite strong late speed, while France were undone by a split decision late in the final
Artemis finished fourth overall after missing the event final, with Nathan Outteridge saying the result was “an awesome result” for the new team, while the U.S. SailGP Team ended the event fifth after a difficult second day.
Nearly 15,000 fans packed the sold-out Race Stadium at Bathers Beach, with SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts saying Perth’s debut had “exceeded expectations.” The championship now moves to Auckland on February 14–15, with repairs underway to get the Black Foils back on the startline.
