The Rolex SailGP Championship fleet is preparing for a high-stakes return to the water at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by DP World. Scheduled for November 21-22, 2026, this penultimate event serves as the critical final hurdle for seven teams vying for the last remaining spot in the season-ending showdown. All 13 national teams return to the water at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by DP World on November 21-22, 2026, two months after the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix In Geneva. That leaves one – and it changed hands in Geneva. Dubai’s conditions will play their part. November typically brings flat water and temperatures around 30 degrees – ideal for foiling and kinder on the flight controllers keeping the F50s in the air.
The stakes are defined by a winner-takes-all race for the championship and a $2 million prize purse, which will be decided at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix. Hosted for the first time at Emirates Palace, that event will conclude the season on November 28-29, featuring only the top three teams from the current standings.
Two teams have already locked in their positions for that final race. The Bonds Flying Roos command the leaderboard with 94 points, followed by the 2024 champions, Los Gallos, who hold 78 points after securing their third event win of the season in Geneva. The race for the final qualifying place is intense, with the Artemis SailGP Team currently holding the advantage on 59 points after a strong performance in their debut season.
Artemis moved into third place during the Geneva event, having successfully overtaken the U.S. SailGP Team, who now sit at 56 points. Emirates GBR, last year’s champions in Abu Dhabi, remains in the hunt with 53 points. Commentator Stevie Morrison noted that while Artemis currently holds the “box seat,” they must remain vigilant given the narrow margins separating the chasing pack.
Artemis driver Nathan Outteridge acknowledged the pressure, stating that the team must continue refining their skills to secure a finals berth. He noted the high level of competition from the top two teams, emphasizing that while they aim to compete against the leaders in Abu Dhabi, there is significant work left to be done. The season standings also keep other teams mathematically alive, including DS Automobiles SailGP Team France with 46 points, NorthStar with 45, Rockwool Racing with 40, and Switzerland with 39. Racing with Martine Grael drafted in days before the event after driver Taylor Canfield broke his collarbone, artemis took four points from the weekend while the US scored none. You can see that the top two teams are the top two teams for a reason – we’d love to be racing them in Abu Dhabi but we’ve got a bit of work to do still.
Conversely, four teams—Germany, Red Bull Italy, Mubadala Brazil, and the Black Foils—are officially out of contention for the top three spots. The upcoming race in Dubai offers unique challenges, with expected light winds that may require crews to use larger sail wings and operate with fewer athletes on board. The tight city-side racecourse, combined with a sea wall that can influence breeze patterns, places a premium on strategic decision-making. The city-side racecourse adds its own test.
Beyond the championship qualification, the Dubai event carries a $800,000 purse, with the eventual winner taking home $400,000. As the Bonds Flying Roos look to rebound from recent final-race losses and Los Gallos arrives with momentum, the remaining field faces the pressure of having only 20 points available across the final two events to overcome the current leaders.
