SailGP has partnered with American Magic to establish a long-term training base in Pensacola, Florida, which opened on 7 January 2026.
Pensacola will become American Magic’s first permanent base and will also operate as a North American training hub for SailGP teams. Activity at the site is scheduled to begin in September 2026 under a multi-season agreement that runs through the end of 2031.
The agreement provides SailGP teams with access to year-round training facilities and technical infrastructure.
SailGP CEO and co-founder Sir Russell Coutts says: “Today’s news marks an exciting next chapter for SailGP and our competing teams. With access to world-class training and facilities, our athletes can continue to develop year-round – bolstering competition and ensuring we continue to attract and retain the very best in the sport.
“Pensacola’s selection reflects its growing importance as a high-performance sailing hub, offering world-class facilities, consistent conditions and a central base for SailGP in the United States. We’re delighted to work alongside our partners at American Magic on this bold new venture.”
American Magic co-founder Doug DeVos says, “The American Magic High Performance Centre is the foundation of our long-term vision: building a sustainable, high-performance American sailing platform. By positioning Pensacola and the US as a destination for world-class training, we strengthen our ability to support sailors across youth, women, Olympic, and SailGP programmes.”
The Pensacola base will operate as a shared facility managed by SailGP, which will coordinate scheduling to provide consistent access for all teams. On-water activity and shore-based operations will be supported from the same location, with American Magic providing technical specialists and safety resources.
SailGP says the facility is intended to support preparation outside of race weekends, allowing teams to conduct testing and training throughout the season. All participating teams will operate under the same standards and procedures. Access will be provided on a pay-to-train basis, with teams paying only for the days used.
The announcement comes ahead of the opening event of the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship season in Perth, Australia. Thirteen international teams are scheduled to compete across two days of racing on 17 and 18 January 2026.
SailGP reported record US viewership for its The Race to Abu Dhabi broadcast on 23 November 2025, which attracted 3.47m viewers. This marks the highest audience recorded for a SailGP broadcast in the US and the most-watched sailing race in the country’s history, exceeding the 3.27m figure set by the 1992 America’s Cup on ABC.
The post SailGP and American Magic establish new Pensacola training base appeared first on Marine Industry News.
Leave a Reply