Copenhagen Will Host SailGP in September
SailGP has added another event to their 2020 season. The ROCKWOOL Copenhagen SailGP will take place in the Danish capital on September 11-12, serving as the fifth event in the global championship’s second season. Seven national teams will compete in the 50-ft foiling trimarans in Scandinavia for the first time. The home crowd will get to cheer on Nicolai Sehested’s Denmark SailGP Team. Tickets will go on sale in April.
Season 2 will kick off on February 28 in Sydney. Events in San Francisco (May 2-3), New York, Cowes, UK, and now Copenhagen will follow. The Danish team will host defending champion Australia and challengers from France, Great Britain, Japan, the USA and fellow new entry Spain. They’ll all be vying for sailing’s largest monetary prize of US$1 million.
Danish helmsman Sehested said: “The upcoming season is shaping up to be historic for our team and Danish sailing. Our crew could not be more excited to race in front of a home crowd this September. We’ll have several races on the F50 catamaran under our belts by then, and look forward to making our friends, family and fellow Danes proud.”
Lonely Planet named Copenhagen the world’s top city for 2019. The Danish capital has set a goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 70% by the year 2030.
The event will offer a ticketed and free spectator areas at the cruise terminal at Oceankaj adjacent to Nordhavn, with an on-water option. The racing will take place on the water’s edge, with fans just yards away from the high-flying action.
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “Denmark has an incredible record of success in sailing on the international stage. We’re thrilled to bring our exciting, action-packed racing to Copenhagen. As we continue to evolve our championship, we’re being approached by new locations that not only have an appetite to host the world’s fastest sail racing, but also see SailGP’s potential to help create a positive and lasting legacy for the host city.”
Season 2 of the global championship begins later this month, with tickets available at SailGP.com/Sydney. Organizers may add a sixth event to the schedule later.
In Friday’s ‘Lectronic Latitude, we’ll check in on the American SailGP team and meet their sailing crew for 2020.