SailGP, one of the world’s fastest-growing sports assets, has inaugurated a new technology and innovation base in Southampton, UK, ahead of this weekend’s Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth.
SailGP Technologies, a cutting-edge facility, will be the global racing league’s centre of excellence for engineering, design, and high-performance boatbuilding. It contains over 100 professionals in sectors like as composites, aerodynamics, and hydraulics, and represents a $10 million (£7.7 million) investment in the future of the Rolex SailGP Championship.
The Southampton site will play a more significant part in the building and maintenance of the championship’s distinctive F50 foiling catamarans, which include boats 13 and 14. The new centre is near to SailGP’s London headquarters and replaces the company’s existing production facility in New Zealand, which closed in late 2023.
Joel Marginson, Director of SailGP Technologies, said, “This facility gives us greater control and resilience across the fleet. It enables faster turnaround of repairs, more consistent performance, and a reliable supply of spares while on tour. It’s a key step in future-proofing SailGP – ensuring we can deliver uncompromised high-performance racing, anywhere in the world.”
The ceremony also marks the beginning of SailGP’s first apprenticeship course in collaboration with the South Hampshire College Group. The program will give hands-on training to six developing experts in fields such as boatbuilding and composite engineering, with all participants located at the Southampton location.
Sir Russell Coutts, CEO and Co-founder of SailGP, said, “As we grow, it’s incredibly important to have fully integrated capabilities and expertise. This state-of-the-art facility will enable SailGP to remain at the very forefront of industry technology and innovation. Just as importantly, we’re committed to developing the next generation of boat building talent through our apprenticeship scheme.”
In addition to technical operations, the Southampton facility will help off-water athletes grow. SailGP is developing a simulator suite as part of an upcoming athlete training program that will include racing regulations, safety, medical preparation, and role-specific teaching for new teams.
