After 12 events of racing across the globe, the 2025 Rolex SailGP Championship comes down to one last weekend – Abu Dhabi, on 29–30 November. For some teams, the 2025 Rolex SailGP Grand Final will end in glory; for others, heartbreak. Hosted at Mina Zayed, the final stop of the global league brings together the season’s best teams for one winner-takes-all race that will crown the 2025 champion.
The 2025 Rolex SailGP Grand Final unfolds over two days of 12-boat fleet racing, with an event winner crowned
Those scores, added to each team’s season total, will determine the top three teams who advance to the Grand Final – a single race where the first across the line takes the title and the US $2 million prize purse. To win the title is simple: be first past the last mark, but the stakes are enormous.
Who to watch: The teams in contention
Three national teams sit at the top of the leaderboard: first, Emirates Great Britain; second, the Black Foils (New Zealand); and third, the BONDS Flying Roos (Australia). All are well positioned to reach the final showdown. The outlier with the most to gain is fourth-placed Spain (Los Gallos) – the defending Season 4 champions. If they deliver a standout performance in the fleet races, they can still force their way into the top three.
Only two teams have ever lifted the Rolex SailGP Championship trophy: the BONDS Flying Roos, champions in Seasons 1, 2, and 3, and Los Gallos, who claimed their first title last July.
Race Wins & Podiums
- Across 11 events, Emirates GBR leads with 11 race wins and 29 podiums, making them the in-form team of the season.
- The Black Foils follow with 10 wins and 24 top-three finishes.
- The BONDS Flying Roos have 9 wins and 22 podiums.
- Los Gallos have 5 wins and 18 podium appearances.
In event victories, Emirates GBR has three so far this year; New Zealand and Spain have two each; Australia has one.
A new wing for Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi also marks the debut of SailGP’s new 27.5-metre wing, tested earlier in Cádiz. Sitting between the 24-metre all-purpose wing and the 29-metre light-air configuration, the new setup adds flexibility across wind conditions – setting the stage for a very tactical weekend on the water, especially in light winds.
The 2025 season story so far...
Emirates GBR
2025 has been a breakthrough season for Emirates GBR. With Dylan Fletcher replacing Giles Scott and joining strategist Hannah Mills, they have formed an almost immediately dominant partnership under the leadership of Sir Ben Ainslie. Three event wins and six Final appearances make them the benchmark heading into Abu Dhabi.
Black Foils (New Zealand)
The Black Foils remain one of the fleet’s most precise and consistent teams. Five Finals and the best foiling-quality score in the fleet highlight their performance. They also remain undefeated in the UAE — and the question now is whether this is finally the year Peter Burling lifts the Rolex SailGP Championship trophy.
BONDS Flying Roos (Australia)
Three-time champions, the Flying Roos entered 2025 determined to prove a point after missing out on the 2024 title. They’ve made five Finals this season and secured one win. But with Tom Slingsby’s experience and three Finals behind him, they remain one of the dangerous teams in the fleet.
Spain (Los Gallos)
The defending champions have had an unpredictable but explosive season. Led by Diego Botin, fresh off a 49er World Championship win, Spain remains a wildcard — inconsistent across events but lethal under pressure. With two wins in the three-boat Finals they’ve made this year, Los Gallos can still strike if they reach the last race.
And now it all comes down to the final weekend in Abu Dhabi, where months of racing will come to a thrilling conclusion. Emirates GBR may be the team to beat, but the Black Foils remain firmly in the hunt for their first Rolex SailGP Championship title. And, of course, never count Australia out.
And then there’s the wildcard – Spain. If Los Gallos win the Abu Dhabi event, they could go all the way.
As always, we’re backing the Kiwis.
