'Unfinished business' for Emirates GBR as Dylan Fletcher eyes home SailGP win in Porstmouth

SailGP returns to British waters this weekend as Portsmouth hosts the latest stop on the global championship calendar, with thousands of fans expected to watch one of the most anticipated events of the season. Tune into all the SailGP action across the weekend, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

He is cool, calm, collected and exceptionally well presented. As SailGP returns to Portsmouth this weekend, few sailors will feel the weight of expectation more than Dylan Fletcher, the driver of the Emirates GBR team. 

At the GBR team base, bodies are moving at pace around one another in a bid to ensure every element of the reigning champions’ set-up is perfect for their biggest and most important event of the season so far. 

The team has been up and down since they won the season opener in Australia. Originally, it looked like the defending champions were back with force, but they then struggled to keep the momentum across the next six races. 

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After sustaining damage in the last event in Halifax, USA, which left them unable to race, Fletcher says he is keen to "put on a good show for our fans at home".

Fletcher has also said how scary the experience was in Halifax.

"Losing control of the boat very early through the turn, that was a bit of an eye-opener," he said. "There was only 20 kilometres of wind, yet we had a very violent crash."

The Emirates GBR team are hoping for a big weekend

Image credit: Other Agency

This is only the second time Portsmouth has hosted the global championship. However, the location holds unfinished business for Fletcher, following defeat to Peter Burling’s New Zealand team in 2025. 

”It definitely feels like unfinished business here,” Fletcher said.

”We haven't seen many teams able to deliver in their home waters, we just want to show our potential and show everyone what we're capable of, and we know this is the time to do it.” 

With thousands of British fans expected to pack the grandstands, Fletcher admits the occasion of racing in front of a home crowd carries extra weight.

”I think being on home waters, you feel the pressure,” he said. ”But ultimately, that is a privilege, and we really do feel like when that pressure comes on, we perform to a better level. It really helps sharpen us.”

”Having the home crowd behind you and seeing the thousands of people in the grandstand is very special for us. It's unique for us in sailing to have a home event with 10,000 people all cheering us on. It gets to you.

"You feel very proud to be British and represent His Majesty with the flag on the boat.”

Fletcher will go for glory in front of his home fans

Image credit: Other Agency

The home event also marks the start of a crucial run-in to the end of the SailGP season. With only the top three teams in the overall standings progressing to the winner-takes-all Grand Final in Abu Dhabi, every championship point takes on added significance.

Despite Emirates GBR becoming the first team in SailGP history last season to complete the "treble" by winning the championship, topping the overall season leaderboard and claiming SailGP's environmental Impact League, Fletcher described this year's campaign as a "rollercoaster" and believes consistency will now be key for title contention.

"We've got to be consistently delivering week in, week out, solid starts, fast boat," Fletcher added. "But I think that comes down to trust first, like having the trust with all of us in the team. There's six people.

"We need to be fully in sync, have that amazing choreography and back each other when it counts on the water.

"We want to win every single event, and this is the event we want to win most outside of the grand final."

Australian team Bonds Flying Roos have dominated the season so far and sit at the top of the leaderboard with 62 points, followed closely by the Spaniards with Diego Botin at the helm on 44 points. They are level on points with Emirates GBR.

Will Emirates GBR have what it takes this weekend to deliver in front of a home crowd? Tune in to find out. 

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