Emirates Great Britain crowned SailGP champions for first time after thrilling Grand Final showdown with Australia and New Zealand
Published 30/11/2025 at 17:49 GMT
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Emirates GBR won the Grand Final race to become the SailGP champions for the first team, fending off Australia's 'Flying Roos' and New Zealand’s 'Black Foils' in an exciting race in Abu Dhabi. It was GB's first SailGP title, and they also made history as the first to do the treble and complete a clean sweep, winning the Impact League and topping the season standings on points.
Watch: GB's Fletcher 'proud and stoked' after first-ever SailGP win
Video credit: TNT Sports
The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team has won the 2025 Season Championship after beating Australia and New Zealand in a thrilling three-way Grand Final race in Abu Dhabi.
Emirates GBR fended off stiff competition from the Aussies and Kiwis, in a race that was gripping until the very end, and were crowned champions for the first time to claim $2m (£1.5m) first prize.
The three teams traded the lead throughout the race, but Emirates GBR managed to claw back from third place to overhaul Australia’s BONDS 'Flying Roos' and New Zealand’s 'Black Foils' on the fourth leg of the final shootout.
The team is also the first in history to do the treble and complete a clean sweep, winning the 2025 Season Grand Final, the Impact League and topping the season standings on points.
It brings the team's winnings to $2m for the Grand Final race, $400,000 for the season points and then $57,000 for its Purpose Partner, the 1851 Trust, for its Impact League wins this season.
"It was an unbelievable final and an unbelievable season for the team," Fletcher said.
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Watch: GB celebrate after becoming SailGP champions for first time
Video credit: TNT Sports
He continued: "We had some ups and downs but we dug deep and finished off the season with the treble, winning the Grand Final, the overall season on points and the Impact League.
"I think the Grand Final race is an incredible testament to how the team operates, we stayed calm, kept chipping away and then took the opportunity when it got presented to us. What a team, what a year… I’m stoked."
CEO and four-time Olympic champion Sir Ben Ainslie said: "I’m so proud of this team. On and off the water this season, the team has just delivered and this is such a great day.
"The racing at this level we know is incredibly tight but they really deserved it. It was a classic final, the Aussies had the lead off the line but we made some really smart choices which won us the race. It’s a serious achievement."
Fletcher's crew also had two-time Olympic champion Hannah Mills as on-board strategist, and the 37-year-old sailor said she expected the race to be as close as it was.
"We knew it was going to come down to the wire and we knew even if we did start last, there was always a chance to keep doing the right thing, keep putting the boat in the right place and wait for the other to make mistakes, and luckily we managed to do that and came good in the end. I literally can’t believe it."
It has been a hugely successful season for Emirates GBR, with three event wins, 12 race wins and 30 podium finishes, an impressive feat considering Driver Dylan Fletcher only joined the team at the start of the season.
The team has also had reason to celebrate off the water, after being crowned Impact League champions for the second year running earlier this week.
SailGP’s Impact League is a championship that tracks and rewards teams for their social and environmental impact and Emirates GBR made history as the first team to win the Impact League twice.
On Saturday, Zara Tindall presented Emirates GBR CEO Sir Ben Ainslie with the Impact League trophy on stage in Abu Dhabi.
It was light conditions across the weekend in Abu Dhabi, with crew size being reduced from six to three people on-board for the four races on Saturday, before it was increased to four people on-board for Sunday’s action.
Joining Fletcher on-board the F50 for the final race was Hannah Mills at Strategist, Luke Parkinson as Flight Controller and Iain Jensen as Wing Trimmer, while Grinders Nick Hutton and Neil Hunter had to cheer on from the support boat.
While the 2025 Season has come to a thrilling conclusion, SailGP fans do not have long to wait until the most exciting racing on water returns.
The 2026 Season kicks off on January 17 and 18, with SailGP making its debut in Perth, Western Australia. With the help of the legendary Fremantle ‘Doctor’ winds, the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix, presented by KPMG, is expected to produce some of the most exciting racing in SailGP history.
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