Will AI technology reach beer can racing?

There was a time when one design classes resisted allowing VHF radios to limit cost and complexity, but that dam has burst. New electronics nearly start the boat while collecting performance data, and that bar will continue to rise. This Business World report comes from the Oracle AI World conference:

SailGP is working on an AI agent that would enable coaches to ask questions about performance information, including why teams selected particular racing routes or configurations. The initiative is intended to make complex datasets easier to interpret and support the development of athletes entering the competition.

Another project involves AI-based wind-field modelling. SailGP is developing technology to predict wind conditions across different sections of a racecourse using simulation models and information collected from sensors. The system is intended to help teams understand how wind conditions change across the water, including variations caused by the movement of competing boats.

There are also plans to combine sensor analysis with voice recognition, allowing observations from athletes to be examined alongside technical information. – Full report

SailGP information: sailgp.com

Season 6 Results (after 11 of 13 events)
1. Australia, Tom Slingsby (AUS), 2-1-5-1-1-1-4-7-1-2-2, 94 points
2. Spain, Diego Botin (ESP), 12-3-3-2-2-12-1-1-3-5-1, 78
3. Sweden, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), 4-5-9-3-11-5-2-2-5-9-7, 59
4. United States, Taylor Canfield/Martine Grael (USA), 5-7-1-4-7-6-6-6-11-1-13, 56
5. Great Britain, Dylan Fletcher (GBR), 1-2-2-12-4-2-11-11-9-6-9, 53
6. France, Quentin Delapierre (FRA), 3-4*-13-8-9-4-10-8-6-12-6, 46
7. Canada, Giles Scott (CAN/GBR), 6-10-11-10-6-3-8-3-2-10-8, 44
8. Denmark, Nicolai Sehested (DEN), 8-9-6-5-7-12-9-10-4-3, 40
9. Switzerland, Sébastien Schneiter (SUI), 11-12-10-11-5-8-3-4-8-7-4, 39
10. Germany, Erik Heil (GER), 9-6-8-6-3-11-7-10-7-8-12, 36
11. Italy, Phil Robertson (NZL), 7-13-4-7-8-9-9-12-12-3-11, 30
12. New Zealand, Peter Burling (NZL), 13-8-12-13-13-13-5-5-4-11-5, 27
13. Brazil, Martine Grael/Paul Goodison (BRA/GBR), 10-11-7-9-12-10-13-13-13-13-10, 9
* Received compensation points for Sydney due to boat damage in Event 2.

Season 6 – 2026 Schedule:
• Jan 17-18 – Perth, Australia
• Feb 14-15 – Auckland, New Zealand
• Feb 28-March 1 – Sydney, Australia
• Apr 11-12 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• May 9-10 – Hamilton, Bermuda
• May 30-31 – New York, USA
• June 20-21 – Halifax, Canada
• July 25-26- Portsmouth, GBR
• August 22-23 – Sassnitz, Germany
• Sept 5-6 – Valencia, Spain
• Sept 19-20 – Geneva, Switzerland
• Nov 21-22 – Dubai, UAE
• Nov 28-29 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
Note: The 11th event was moved to Geneva from Saint-Tropez, France.

Season 6 format:
• Thirteen teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event is two days.
• The league shifted to a split fleet format at Halifax for qualifying, using season standings to balance the two groups.
• The top two from each fleet advance to a 4-boat final race for the event title.
• The season ends with the Grand Final event which includes the Championship Final Race for the top three teams in the season standing.
• All league teams are privately owned, with New Zealand as the last to be acquired on June 19, 2026.

Season 6 prize money:
A total of USD $12.8 million is up for grabs in 2026. The winner of each of the 13 events takes home $400,000, with $260,000 for second and $140,000 for third. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins $400,000, while the team that wins the Championship Final Race wins USD $2 million.

F50 Configuration:
All teams use same configuration based on weather forecast. There are four wingsail sizes (18m, 24m, 27.5m, and 29m), six jib sizes, two T-foil daggerboards (high-speed and low-speed), and one set of rudders with high-speed and low-speed settings.

Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing among national teams in some of the iconic harbors around the globe.