Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth

This stretch of water practically invented yacht racing. The Solent, sitting between the south coast and the Isle of Wight, hosted the first America's Cup in 1851, built the Royal Navy's reputation, and shaped generations of British sailors long before foiling catamarans were a glint in anyone’s eye. Portsmouth leans into that heritage, with crowds lining the shoreline, a spectator fleet of 100-plus boats, and one of the loudest atmospheres on the circuit.

The racing itself is deceptively tricky: strong tides, frequent frontal weather changes, and chop that rewards tactical intelligence over brute speed. This is where Emirates GBR bask in home support, but also where excuses run thin. They finally cracked the global title in Season 5, yet the home event slipped away – New Zealand broke British hearts with a clinical win last time out. A dominant result in Portsmouth remains unfinished business for the Brits.

With racing scheduled for late July, there’s the slim chance of some British sunshine.

Past winners: New Zealand (Season 5)