THE captain of the Aussie team at last weekend’s SailGP has called for the final to be held in Fremantle as debate rages on whether Abu Dhabi’s placid conditions can match the port city for excitement.
In a race week which saw the Spanish team crash out before competition and New Zealand bow out after a first race collision, team Great Britain breezed through to victory in the final, beating France and Australia, who suffered a boundary penalty at the start.
Fremantle Chamber of Commerce CEO Chrissie Maus said Fremantle “owned the moment” as it hosted the world-class sailing.
• Freo folk ganged together to put on a spectacle and put the port city back on the global sailing map. Photos by Gus Cullen
“SailGP positioned Fremantle as a confident, capable, global waterfront destination,” she said.
“What made me proudest was not just the event itself but how Fremantle showed up around it.
“Our business community leaned in. Our locals embraced it.
“There was energy on the streets, curiosity on the foreshore and that unmistakable Freo buzz that happens when the city is firing on all cylinders.”
SailGP CEO and cofounder Sir Russell Coutts was also thrilled with how the weekend panned out.
“Perth’s SailGP debut has exceeded expectations – with incredible racing and conditions built for the sport’s very best,” Sir Russel said.
“The support we’ve had from the local community and our partners at Tourism Western Australia has been outstanding.
“With a sold-out race stadium and incredible engagement in the very first year – we can’t wait to be back in 2027, 2028 and hopefully for many years to come.”
Having steered the Bonds Flying Roos through to second place behind Great Britain, CEO and captain Tom Slingsby believes they should go one better.
“I think Fremantle should be the final,” Slingsby said.
Chaos
“It caused a bit of chaos and some damage as we are headed into the second event of the season, but I think this would be the best final venue.
“Imagine doing that three-boat final for a couple of million bucks – I think that’s how we should do it in the future,” he said.
Currently the SailGP grand final is held in Abu Dhabi after a season of races across the globe, with the top three teams sailing it out to become SailGP champions.
• Spot the resemblance? Aussie Flying Roo Kinley Fowler’s family made no bones about who their fave was.
The SailGP comms teams told the Chook: “At this stage, there are no plans for Perth to host a SailGP grand final event. The 2026 season grand final is confirmed for Abu Dhabi and remains locked in.
“Any future grand final locations would be subject to further discussion.”
Bonds Flying Roos grinder Kinley Fowler’s sister Kate watched from the stands with her family and said she was “really proud” of the team considering its setbacks.
The Flying Roos raced without wing trimmer Iain Jenson, who was subbed out after sustaining a knee injury in training.
Besides the result Ms Fowler said she would also change the number of toilets and availability of water for next year’s event.
Apart from public toilets already on South Mole, just 15 portaloos were placed at the very end of the groyne for the crowds who filled the stands, the rest back towards the stadium’s entrance.
Setting aside national pride, Western Australia’s can at least share partially in the victory thanks to local boy Luke Parkinson being aboard team GB’s winning boat as flight controller.
One hundred and eight containers delivered the boats, event equipment, technical assets and other SailGP goods to Fremantle, and they’ve since been reloaded ready for the next stage in Auckland.
by GUS CULLEN