SailGP Grand Final Explained: Everything You Need to Know
The 2025 SailGP Season Champion will be crowned this weekend – here’s how…
Published 11/25/2025
The 2025 SailGP Season returns to the Middle East for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix Grand Final presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, to crown this season’s Champion.
It was in November 2024 that the current campaign kicked off in Dubai and, 11 events later, it’s almost time to find out who will write their name into the history books.
How Many Races Will There Be?
Saturday’s racing will look much like normal. Instead of four fleet races, there will be three races taking place, limited to 16 minutes each, with points on offer based on each team’s placing.
1st = 10 points
2nd = 9 points
3rd = 8 points
4th = 7 points
5th = 6 points
6th = 5 points
7th = 4 points
8th = 3 points
9th = 2 points
10th = 1 point
11th/12th = 0 points
On Sunday, there will be three fleet races as usual, with the 12-strong fleet jostling for their final positions on the Rolex SailGP Championship Leaderboard.
How Does The Scoring Work?
When the fleet races conclude, the event points will determine the finishing positions for the event and be added to the Championship Leaderboard. The top three teams will then progress to the Grand Final.
After 11 events, Emirates Great Britain are top of the standings on 85 points. New Zealand are close behind in second with 82 points, while the BONDS Flying Roos have hold of third with 80 points.
Reigning champions Los Gallos have work to do. Diego Botín’s crew are fourth on 76 points and currently outside the Grand Final places.
Four teams can mathematically reach Sunday's SailGP Grand Final
Who Needs What To Reach The Grand Final?
Mathematically, only the top four can reach Sunday’s Grand Final with a maximum of 10 event points on offer.
That means Spain must leapfrog the BONDS Flying Roos by finishing at least four places ahead of Tom Slingsby’s team to earn the right to defend their status as reigning Champions.
For example, if Spain wins the Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix, they would secure 10 event points. But if Australia finishes second, they would collect 9 points and still qualify for the Grand Final ahead of Los Gallos.
However, a 6th place finish (worth 5 points) would be enough for the Spanish if the Flying Roos finished 11th or 12th (worth 0 points).
In the event two teams finish level on Championship points, the team that finishes higher in the final fleet race of the weekend would secure their Grand Final place.
With the standings so tight, expect a dramatic final fleet race with teams contesting their own personal battles to clinch that all-important place at the start line for the Grand Final.
What Happens In The Grand Final?
Once the three teams are decided, the Grand Final follows the same format as any other event.
It’s a winner-takes-all final with no advantage for finishing 1st on the Championship Leaderboard. That means making a good start is vital – the first leg to Mark One has been crucial throughout the season and the Grand Final will be no different.
Whoever crosses the finish line first will be crowned 2025 SailGP Season Champions and collect that huge $2million prize.
