Rockwool Germany Sail Grand Prix | Sassnitz

Nobody had heard of Sassnitz. A small town on Rügen Island, miles from anywhere, about as far from Manhattan’s skyline or the Riviera’s superyachts as the circuit gets.

And yet the Season 5 debut venue turned out to be one of the best events on the calendar. Flat water, reliable breeze, and a tight stadium course that had sailors raving by the end of the weekend. Denmark used the conditions to reach a whopping 103.93 km/h, a new SailGP speed record. Spectators watched from the clifftops with sightlines most venues would kill for.

Then there was the drama. In two unrelated incidents, training day saw Brazil suffer structural damage and France’s rudder fail within twenty seconds of each other. France’s Quentin Delapierre ended up in hospital. His crew rebuilt the boat overnight, he was discharged, and days later the French stood on top of the podium having beaten Australia and Great Britain in the Final. Fairytale stuff, and exactly why Sassnitz won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Past winners: France (Season 5)