2025 Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix: Canada Claims Victory in a Turbulent U.S. Weekend

By Tyler R. Letren | MVTT BLVC

LOS ANGELES — It was a weekend of high stakes and high drama on the water as Canada’s Northstar team clinched a long-awaited victory at the 2025 Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix, held March 15-16 at the Port of Los Angeles. The win marks the team's first triumph of the 2025 SailGP season and their first victory since March 2023. With double Olympic gold medalist Giles Scott at the helm, Canada outmaneuvered the formidable New Zealand and Australian teams, who finished second and third, respectively making this the fourth different winner in as many events this season.

Yet, while Canada dominated U.S. waters, tensions on land were notably frostier. With trade disputes simmering and diplomatic snubs making headlines, it was only fitting that a Canadian team should sail into American territory and claim the top prize. A timely reminder, perhaps, that if Canada isn’t winning in negotiations, they’re at least winning at sea.

Celebrity Partnerships and SailGP Growth

The Los Angeles event came on the heels of significant announcements regarding celebrity partnerships that are helping to elevate SailGP's global profile.

Kylian Mbappé Investment

Just before the event, the Rolex SailGP Championship announced that French footballer Kylian Mbappé's Coalition Capital had invested in the France SailGP team. Additionally, Mbappé's 'Inspired by KM' association became the French team's official charity partner. Mbappé expressed his enthusiasm: "We are excited to be on board with this new adventure with the France SailGP Team, alongside Accor and other investors. I'm also proud that IBKM has the opportunity to engage more young people around the world through this relationship.”

DJ Khaled as Chief Hype Officer

SailGP also appointed DJ Khaled as its Chief Hype Officer one week before the Los Angeles event. In this role, Khaled will serve as an ambassador for the sport, highlighting the league and its U.S. Sail Grand Prix in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York throughout the 2025 season.

Day One Racing Highlights

The first day featured an intense competition with full foiling conditions and 11 teams after ROCKWOOL Denmark was forced to withdraw after sustaining damage when they clipped a leeward mark with their port T-foil during the first day of racing, reducing the fleet to 11 teams. The racing was characterized by multiple lead changes and strategic battles throughout the fleet.

Fleet Race 1

New Zealand's Black Foils team immediately established their dominance, taking first place, with Spain securing second and Canada finishing third. Denmark's unfortunate incident occurred during this race when they hit one of the mark floats, causing damage to their F50 and forcing their withdrawal from the remainder of the competition.

Fleet Race 2

The second fleet race saw penalties affecting Austria's performance. New Zealand maintained its strong form, holding onto first place, while Canada secured second position. The Australians showed their resilience by claiming third place after battling with Great Britain, who had briefly held that position

Fleet Race 3

The third race brought early start penalties for New Zealand and Switzerland. Canada demonstrated exceptional sailing skills, securing first place, with Brazil putting in an impressive performance for second. However, Australia's remarkable speed saw them surge past Brazil in the closing stages to claim victory, pushing Brazil to second and France to third.

Fleet Race 4

France claimed victory in the fourth fleet race, with New Zealand taking second and Australia continuing their consistent performance in third place. This result further cemented New Zealand's strong position heading into day two.

Day Two Racing and Final Results

The second day featured noticeably slower winds than day one, resulting in lower speeds but equally intense competition on the compressed racecourse. Teams had to adapt their strategies to the changing conditions, with smooth boat handling and consistent foiling becoming critical factors.

Fleet Race 5

Germany incurred a start penalty, allowing Great Britain to capitalize and take the lead. Emirates GBR maintained their advantage throughout the race, claiming a convincing victory. Spain secured second place, with Canada finishing third. This result demonstrated Great Britain's ability to excel in varying conditions.

Fleet Race 6

Germany faced another start penalty, while both the USA and New Zealand experienced a problematic start where neither vessel crossed the start line at the sound. Australia capitalized on these mistakes to take the lead5. Italy received two penalties that affected their position, dropping them behind France. The race concluded with Australia victorious, New Zealand in second, and Canada securing third place5.

Fleet Race 7

The final fleet race was crucial for determining which teams would advance to the three-boat final. Emirates GBR's Dylan Fletcher delivered an impressive performance, leading from mark one and stretching ahead of the pack to secure a clean victory in front of cheering fans. Despite this strong showing, Great Britain narrowly missed qualifying for the final by just one point. Australia managed to secure seventh place, earning just enough points to advance alongside New Zealand and Canada.

The Final

The three-boat final began with Peter Burling's New Zealand team executing yet another flawless start, winning the sprint to mark one. However, a series of errors from the Kiwis opened the door for Northstar Canada, who seized the opportunity with impressive boat handling in the marginal foiling conditions. Tom Slingsby's Australian team struggled from the outset, trailing over the line and having difficulty maintaining foils.

The Canadian team, comprising British helmsman Giles Scott, wing trimmer Paul Campbell-James, flight controller Billy Gooderham, and strategist Annie Haeger, delivered a decisive victory with remarkably smooth boat handling. They recorded the top speed of the day at 51.07 km/h (31.7 mph) and achieved the best fly time (99 percent) in the final.

Season Standings and Looking Ahead

With the points tallied after the Los Angeles event, Emirates GBR maintains its position at the top of the 2025 Season leaderboard, with Australia holding onto second place. New Zealand moved up to third with 29 points, while Canada's victory propelled them from sixth to fourth in the overall standings.

The Rolex SailGP Championship continues with remarkable momentum, featuring four different winners in as many events this season. The competition now moves quickly to San Francisco for the Oracle San Francisco Sail Grand Prix on March 22-23, 2025, just one week after the Los Angeles event. Known for its big breeze and tactical racing against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco consistently offers some of the most exciting racing on the Rolex SailGP calendar.

2025 Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix: Canada Claims Victory in a Turbulent U.S. Weekend