REPORT: U.S. SailGP Team wins Spain Sail Grand Prix in dramatic Final

A dramatic maneuver at the final mark in Valencia clinches our second event win of the season

Published 09/6/2026

The U.S. SailGP Team won the 2026 Spain Sail Grand Prix in Valencia after a dramatic maneuver at the final mark in the Final, seeing off the challenge of the BONDS Flying Roos who had led throughout.

Taylor Canfield and the Crew booked their place in the Super Sunday showdown by winning their only fleet race on Day 2 as light-air conditions halved the number of fleet races taking place.

After being fouled by NorthStar in the startbox, the Crew pulled away on the reach to Mark 1 and were the first team up and foiling. From there, Canfield’s team built their lead and won the abridged race with ease.

Crucially, ROCKWOOL Racing - P2 in Group B overnight - could only finish P4 with Los Gallos, winners of two fleet races on Day 1, only able to secure a P6 that saw them miss the Final after starting the day top of the group.

In Group A’s deciding race, a blanket start saw Explora Journeys Swiss, Black Foils, Artemis and Red Bull Italy approach Mark 1 four wide. However, it was Italy and Phil Robertson - who had picked up a huge race win on Day 1 - who took the whole shot.

U.S. SailGP Team driver Taylor Canfield speaks to the media following the team's Final victory

After coming through Gate 2 unscathed, Italy were away and clinched their Final berth with ease. The real battle was behind them, where Emirates GBR were looking to usurp the BONDS Flying Roos by finishing second.

However, Tom Slingsby’s crew held onto P5 to ensure it was they - and not the Brits - who would join the U.S. SailGP Team, Italy and ROCKWOOL Racing in the winner-takes-all Final.

In the Final, Italy was hit with an on-course side (OCS) penalty at the bottom of the line as Australia narrowly snuck ahead of the U.S. SailGP Team to lead at Mark 1.

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However, by Gate 3, the Crew had worked diligently to cut the Aussies’ lead and briefly took over in P1. Predictably, Slingsby and the BONDS Flying Roos did not take that lying down and soon wrestled back control.

By the time the two approached the final mark rounding, the U.S. SailGP Team had once again cut into the Australian lead.

A masterful move from Canfield and co. meant that despite having two maneuvers left to the Roos’ one, the U.S. SailGP Team got the turn to the finish and secured a dramatic victory in the final seconds of a scintillating finale.

Victory in Valencia earns the U.S. SailGP Team a huge 10 points in the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship standings, moving the Crew back into P3 with three events remaining.

Next up is a return trip to Geneva for the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix on September 19-20 before the season concludes with a double header in the UAE. The top three teams after those remaining events will contest the Grand Final in Abu Dhabi on November 28-29.

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