Dylan Fletcher, the 38-year-old driver of the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, returns to Portsmouth this July with a championship to defend and unfinished business on home waters. The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, set for 25-26 July 2026, marks the second consecutive year the event is held in Portsmouth, showcasing the fastest sailing in the world.
Historic Championship Victory
Fletcher led his team to a historic SailGP championship victory last season, narrowly defeating the New Zealand Black Foils and Australia's Bonds Flying Roos. This triumph capped a six-year journey for Fletcher, who was initially dropped from the Emirates GBR team before winning Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020. "It feels like since Tokyo, my life has just completely changed," Fletcher said. "I've been really lucky to have a very accelerated path in this sport, and to win SailGP last year meant a huge amount. It's hard to put it into words just how much it meant. We beat Pete [Burling] and Blair [Tuke] in the Olympics and they are now part of the Black Foils. So to come back to SailGP and win against the best sailors in the world, who have been around for a while, it really meant a huge amount."
Challenges in Portsmouth and Beyond
Despite winning the overall championship, the team faced challenges at the Portsmouth Grand Prix last season, finishing second behind the Black Foils. The event proved pivotal, marking a turnaround for the British team after a mid-season slump. This season, the crew has encountered similar difficulties, trailing in third place overall after boat damage forced them to miss racing at the most recent Grand Prix in Halifax, Canada. "There's a huge amount of drive within the team, and last year it was incredible to get second. It felt like a bit of a bounce back of a tricky part of the season," Fletcher noted. "We are feeling the pressure, but me and Hannah [Mills] said last year we actually really felt like we thrived and loved that pressure side. Don't get me wrong, it was really disappointing and then after breaking the boat in Halifax and missing the racing when we felt like we were in a good place was tough. But again, it just adds more fuel to Portsmouth and our home territory. We've got to try and do it for the fans. We haven't won an event now since Perth. We've been close a few times, so it feels like we need to get our act together and make sure we deliver."
Portsmouth 2026: A New European Leg
Portsmouth 2026 will kick off the European leg of the SailGP 2026 season, featuring world-class sport alongside food, drink, and entertainment. With boats exceeding 100 km/h and a strengthened fleet, Fletcher is determined to return to winning ways. The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix is run by British sailing icon Sir Ben Ainslie and will take place on 25-26 July. Limited tickets remain available.
