New Zealand Sail Grand Prix

Last updated

Flag of Australia (converted).svg New Zealand Sail Grand Prix
Race information
Times held Christchurch (2)
Auckland (1)
First held 2022
Last held 2025
Most wins
Last event (2024-25)
Final
1. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bonds Flying Roos
2. Flag of Spain.svg Los Gallos
3. Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Emirates GBR

The New Zealand Sail Grand Prix officially the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix is a sailing event that is held as part of the SailGP Championship since the 2022-23 season. The event has twice been held in Christchurch, and once in Auckland, with Australia most recently winning the event. [1]

Contents

The 2026 edition is due to take place in Auckland on 14–15 February. [2]

History

Christchurch

The New Zealand Sail Grand Prix was first announced at the start of 2021 set to be hosted at Lyttleton Harbour, Christchurch for the 2021-2022 championship, [3] followed later that year by the announcement of an alternating four season hosting arrangement with two events scheduled for Auckland and two for Christchurch, including the one announced previously. [4] The first event however was ultimately delayed as a result of the country's COVID-19 response, [5] until the 2023-2024 season where it held the penultimate place on the schedule taking place on 18–19 March 2023. [6]

During the 2024-2025 season the New Zealand SailGP event returned to Christchurch [7] after it could not be hosted in Auckland where the city's Wynyard Point was not available for the event. [8] Early in 2024, the Christchurch event was voted favourite amongst sailors. [9] At the time, the event was the largest ever in SailGP history featuring 22,000 attendees over the weekend [10] and generating NZ$33.7 million for the Cantebury region. [11] Ultimately the decision was made for SailGP not to return to Christchurch after no racing took place on the first day of the event following Hector's Dolphins being spotted in the harbour. [11] [12]

Auckland

During the 2024–25 SailGP championship the New Zealand Grand Prix made its debut in Auckland at Wynyard Point, where the event had a financial impact of NZ$59.2m (US$35.9m) on the city. [13] In mid-2025 it was announced that SailGP would return to Auckland for the 2026 season [14] with a planned 30% increase to 10,236 seats which is expected to break the current SailGP spectator record, which including unticketed viewing is expected to top 30,000 over the weekend. [15]

Winners of the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix

By year

YearLocationTeamReport
2022-23 Christchurch Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada Report
2023-24 Christchurch Flag of Australia (converted).svg New Zealand Report
2024-25 Auckland Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia Report
Source: [16] [17] [18]

References

  1. ↑ "Tom Slingby's Flying Roo has sailed to victory in SailGP's Auckland debut". www.sail-world.com. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "Calendar - SailGP 2026 Season Schedule, Race Listing and Venues". SailGP. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "BREAKING NEWS: SailGP announce Christchurch event for 2022". Live Sail Die. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  4. ↑ Reive, Christopher (8 December 2021). "SailGP announces four-year deal to host events in New Zealand". NZ Herald. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  5. ↑ McDonald, Liz (16 September 2022). "Covid-19 sinks SailGP's multimillion-dollar NZ yachting event". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  6. ↑ Houghton, Lucy (17 March 2022). "SailGP: 2023 New Zealand Sail Grand Prix dates and race course confirmed". www.sail-world.com. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "The Press". www.thepress.co.nz. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "Auckland won't hold SailGP racing event in 2024". 1News. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  9. ↑ Reive, Christopher (3 January 2024). "Christchurch voted SailGP's best location ahead of March return". NZ Herald . Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  10. ↑ "ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix set to be largest-ever ticketed sail racing event". SailGP. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  11. 1 2 "SailGP won't return to Christchurch in 2025". www.stuff.co.nz. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  12. ↑ "Stuff". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  13. ↑ Reive, Christopher. "Auckland's multimillion-dollar boost from hosting SailGP in January". NZ Herald. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  14. ↑ Reive, Christopher. "'A fabulous venue': SailGP confirms return to Auckland". NZ Herald. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  15. ↑ "SailGP: Auckland event set to top 30,000 fans as funding stalemate hits all major events". www.sail-world.com. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "SailGP Results - ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix: Christchurch Rankings, Leaderboards". SailGP. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  17. ↑ "SailGP Results - New Zealand Sail Grand Prix: Christchurch - Rankings, Leaderboards". SailGP. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  18. ↑ "SailGP Results - New Zealand Sail Grand Prix: Auckland - Rankings, Leaderboards". SailGP. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
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