Racing Redefined

Rolex and SailGP are reshaping the very idea of elite sailing, fusing raw speed and environmental purpose into a sport built for the future

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When the foils of an F50 catamaran lift clear of the water, it cuts forward at speeds of close to 100 km/h; the precision of the moment reflects not only the skill of the athletes but also the vision of Rolex. The Swiss watchmaker is shaping the future of sailing as the title partner of the Rolex SailGP Championship—an elite global series where top sailors race in identical, high-performance F50 foiling catamarans across renowned international harbours. Launched in 2019, SailGP has rapidly become the sport's most ambitious and democratic competition, where national teams race identical, high-performance foiling catamarans in short, high-intensity contests in front of some of the world’s most iconic waterfronts, such as the Sydney Harbour, San Francisco Bay and Spain’s Bay of Cádiz, among others.

Unlike traditional regattas, where budgets and technology often determine the victor, SailGP strips racing back to pure skill. Every team starts with the same machine; every win is earned through strategy. Races unfold close to shore, pulling spectators into the heart of the action and, in a move unique to this league, all race data is openly shared—a radically transparent move that forces strategy to evolve in real time.