SailGP Sydney analysis

SailGP Sydney analysis

Author: Justin Chisholm March 2, 2026 Duration: 42:33

On the latest episode of the Yacht Racing Life Podcast Justin Chisholm is joined once again by fellow British yachting journalist Magnus Wheatley to chew over the goings on at the third event of SailGP Season 6, which took place in Sydney, Australia over the past weekend.

The racing may not have been as adrenaline-fuelled as the previous two events, but despite the uncharacteristic drifting conditions that prevailed out on Sydney Harbour, Magnus and I still had plenty to talk about, including:

  • the two starkly contrasting performances from the event winners, Taylor Canfield's US SailGP Team – who strung together their best ever – and Tom Slingsby's hometown heroes, the BONDS Flying Roos – who sparkled at times but ultimately missed out on a place in the final by some margin.
  • the impressive performances of the other two event finallists – Dylan Fletcher's Emirates Team GBR and Diego Botín's Spanish Los Gallos 
  • plus, we debated the thorny question of whether SailGP might be losing its appeal to sailing fans and the wider sporting audience – and asked whether a racing format change could help to spice things up?


Image © Felix Diemer for SailGP



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Yacht Racing Life Podcast is where performance-obsessed sailors and informed fans come to dive deep into the fast-moving world of competitive sailing. Hosted by British sailing journalist Justin Chisholm, this podcast goes beyond the press releases to uncover the stories, strategies and personalities driving the sport today. Across a mix of in-depth interviews and timely news-led conversations, you will hear from top professional racers, emerging talents, coaches, designers and insiders shaping everything from Olympic campaigns to grand prix offshore programmes. Expect insightful race debriefs, tactical and technical discussion, and honest reflections on life at the sharp end of the sport. Whether you race dinghies at club level or follow the major international circuits, Yacht Racing Life Podcast offers fresh perspective on how elite sailors think, train and compete. Subscribe and listen episodes to stay close to the action, wherever you are in the world.
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