SailGP Season 4 Grand Final Hits the Bay This Weekend

SailGP is back on the Bay this weekend for the Grand Final of Season 4. Unlike in the past three seasons, the Australians are not at the top of the leaderboard. Team New Zealand is heading into the final as the season leader, with a guaranteed spot for the $2 million winner-take-all final race on Sunday.

There will be three fleet races on Saturday and two on Sunday to determine which two teams will take on the Kiwis for the $2 million prize. Australia is currently in second place and Spain in third, with France capable of getting into the mix. The US team, with Taylor Canfield at the helm, is still getting up to speed after Jimmy Spithill’s departure. This is a good opportunity for the Americans to up their game for the home-team crowd.

SailGP boats were on the water Thursday and will be again today as they tune up for the finals. The racing happens from 2:30–4 p.m. each afternoon off Crissy Field. Tickets are still available to get into the official event-viewing area between the St. Francis and Golden Gate yacht clubs. The event grounds are open from 2–5 p.m. each day.

SailGP announced today, “SailGP, the world’s most technologically-advanced and exciting racing on water, has launched new Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) features in the SailGP app — providing fans with an enhanced viewing experience of the league’s Season 4 Grand Final, taking place this weekend in San Francisco (July 13–14). For the first time, fans watching the high-speed racing — either in person or tuning in from home — can enjoy an immersive 3D experience through the award-winning SailGP app simply by pointing their handheld iOS device towards the action unfolding right in front of them.”

We’ll be interested in hearing from readers on Monday about the enhanced 3D viewing experience.

The weekend’s weather forecast is for foggy mornings and sunny afternoons, but with winds perhaps a bit lighter and more southerly than on a typical July summer (winter in San Francisco) day.