ABU DHABI, UAE – November 30, 2025
Emirates GBR have closed out the SailGP season in style, winning the Rolex SailGP Championship in Abu Dhabi with a worthy performance in the winner-takes-all Grand Final. The British crew defeated Australia and New Zealand in one of the most intense and closely fought finales the league has seen.
The ten-minute sprint final delivered multiple lead changes, with each of the three finalists holding the advantage at least once. Australia made the strongest jump off the start, but New Zealand surged forward soon after, opening a 100-metre buffer halfway through the race.
Then Emirates GBR’s moment came with a decisive move on the fourth leg, using the right-hand buoy to stay on the foils and take control of the Grand Final. At the final mark, Australia slingshotted around New Zealand to claim second, but the race was already won by the British – thoroughly deserved season and Final winners.
Emirates GBR: Season outright win and grand final victory in Abu Dhabi
Celebrating the season-ending victory, 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.”
The finale win also cemented Emirates GBR as the first team in SailGP history to claim both the Season Championship and the Impact League in the same year. 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.”
For Australia and New Zealand, it was another near miss. Tom Slingsby said the BONDS Flying Roos remained proud of their effort, while New Zealand’s Peter Burling admitted the defeat stung deeply: “We’re all definitely hurting right now, but that’s what you want in these situations. If the team didn’t care about what we’re doing and the mission we’re on, we wouldn’t feel the hurt we’re feeling now. Super close, but the cards didn’t quite go our way this time.”
A fitting end to what has been a great season of SailGP.
