March 11 (Reuters) - Rio de Janeiro is gearing up to host SailGP's Brazil debut in April, an event expected to draw tens of thousands to one of the city’s famous beaches a year after its cancellation due to equipment issues, organisers said on Wednesday.
“We hope everyone will head to the beach ... to follow the race. We’re talking about the elite of world sailing, something completely unprecedented in Brazil and designed with spectators in mind, with the boats really close to the public,” said Alan Adler, CEO of the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team and head of the IMM company organising the event in Rio.
Last year, SailGP cancelled the Rio event scheduled for May after identifying a defect in select wingsails in the F50 fleet. The issue emerged after the Australian boat’s wing collapsed in San Francisco, prompting further testing and analysis.
The Rio event this year, the fourth of the season, is set to take place in Guanabara Bay from April 11–12, with the Sugarloaf Mountain providing the backdrop.
Organisers expect to fill the 5,000 grandstand seats on both days, with a much larger crowd expected to gather on the beach to watch the competition.
The Brazilian boat is competing in the league for the second year and is helmed by Martine Grael, a two-time Olympic sailing champion who won one of her gold medals in the same Rio waters in 2016. She is also the only woman to lead a boat in the SailGP.
Earlier this month, the United States team, led by Taylor Canfield, won the Sydney race, securing their first victory since October 2023. Defending champions Britain lead the standings with 28 points, followed by Australia and the American team.
New Zealand will not compete in the Brazilian event after an accident involving their boat and the French team during the Auckland race. France will return to racing in Rio after missing the Sydney stage.
SailGP is an international competition featuring high‑speed races in identical F50 foiling catamarans capable of exceeding 100 kph (60 mph). The league pits national teams against each other in a series of regattas held at iconic locations worldwide.
(Additional reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico CityEditing by Toby Davis)
