Winging It at SailGP in the Port of Los Angeles

SailGP landed in Southern California for a sunny, clear and cool weekend of hot foiling on the Port of Los Angeles waterfront. Saturday was the first time all 12 boats have hit the starting line, though Rockwool Denmark hit a mark with the new T-foils, thereby ending their weekend of racing. Taylor Canfield and Team USA were back in the game with middle-of-the-pack results ranging from fourth to 10th, finishing the weekend in ninth place. It was a sold-out crowd of 6,000 who watched the flat-water, close-quarters racing inside L.A. Harbor.

Saturday was the breezier of the two days, allowing solid foiling for the four fleet races. Sunday turned lighter, making it tough to stay in the air. After four fleet races on Saturday it was New Zealand on top, followed by Australia and Canada. The US ended the day in seventh place overall.

Latitude 38 Good Jibes host Ryan Foland was on hand for Saturday’s action, describing an energized scene of close action and patriotic fans. “This past weekend, I had the chance to experience SailGP in Los Angeles from a whole new perspective. As a sailor who hasn’t actively followed SailGP, I’ve always been intrigued by the spectacle of 50-ft foiling catamarans ripping across the water on foils at multiple times the speed of the wind. Last year, I watched from a boat, but this time — thanks to my media pass for Good Jibes — I was fully immersed in the energy of the crowd, rubbing elbows with pro sailors and diehard fans.”

“From the moment I arrived, the enthusiasm was palpable. The grandstands were packed with a mix of salty sea dogs, young families, and curious first-timers. I met Angelenos who had never set foot on a sailboat, a couple from Tennessee who used the race as an excuse for a California getaway, and yacht club members proudly repping their burgee on hats and shirts. And, of course, I was handing out Latitude38 magazines like hotcakes.”

Ryan also noted, “One of the most striking aspects of the event was the national pride on display as well as how close the action was to the grandstands,” saying the big-screen TVs and live commentary were crucial. “After two SailGP events under my belt, I’m starting to get the hang of how the format works …,” he added, “and I have to admit, I’m hooked.”

The light air on Sunday made it a battle to see who could stay up on their foils. If you were up you were winning, but dropping down was the kiss of death. The tight quarters force maneuvers that slow the boats, making it harder to foil, but the boats, all with just four crew aboard, managed to keep the racing competitive and shake up the standings.

After the three-boat final race on Sunday, Giles Scott and Canada got their first weekend win of the season, followed by New Zealand and Australia. Emirates GBR took fourth for the weekend, maintaining their position at the top of the season-championship scoreboard, followed closely by Australia and New Zealand.

Today the SailGP shore team is packing quickly to shift the whole show north to San Francisco for the next event this coming weekend. Conditions on the Cityfront look solid enough for some good racing and a chance for Team USA to move it up another notch. Grab your grandstand tickets here.