#ac 32

Just picture it: five of these incredible machines winding up on the start line before being unleashed onto a boundary-limited racecourse. It’s going to be an unbelievable sight. In a traditional two-boat match race it takes about a minute to reach the left-hand boundary after the start, and the first interaction is usually spicy enough. Now imagine five boats arriving there together at 40 knots of boat speed. That’s sailing we’ve never seen before. I’m assuming – unlike SailGP – that we’ll still see an upwind start. If that’s the case, the marginal crosses and high-speed ducks on the first beat will be insane. We saw glimpses of it with the AC40 fleet racing in Barcelona, but the raw speed and scale of an AC75 pulling off the same manoeuvres could completely redefine what foiling inshore racing looks like.

The level of tactical awareness and onboard communication required will be off the charts. In match racing you’re focused on one opponent, executing precise boat-on-boat manoeuvres to outfox them. Fleet racing is a totally different game. Suddenly you’re managing four competitors, balancing boat-on-boat tactics with classic fleet strategy – all while travelling at 40 knots.

Yes, I hear you: we see fleet racing every month in SailGP, and it’s fantastic to watch. But somehow the scale of the AC75, on a longer racecourse, is going to hit very differently.

SailGP will host events in Valencia, Spain for the first time after putting pen to paper on a three-year host venue deal. The inaugural Spain Sail Grand Prix | Valencia will take place from September 5-6, 2026.

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Diego Botín, driver for the Spain SailGP Team, said: "We are delighted to announce Valencia as the venue for 'our event'. Los Gallos are coming home, and that is always excellent news. Valencia is an iconic city closely linked to the sea throughout its maritime history. The city has been heavily involved in many major sailing events, not just high-level competitions, for a long time and offers the perfect conditions for a world-class SailGP event. With the perfect mix of wind and waves, we are ready to deliver plenty of action. We look forward to seeing all our fans this year - and in the years to come."

Second Vice President and Minister of the Presidency in the Valencia Government, José Díez, said: "The Valencian Government would like to welcome this major competition, which will provide a new platform to showcase the advantages that the Valencian Community in general, and the city of Valencia in particular, offers for hosting top-level sporting events such as this one. Furthermore, the region's long-standing connection to sailing competitions and its experience in organizing major sporting events lead us to believe that our collaboration with SailGP will be fruitful and successful."

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Although the announcement does not mention where in Valencia the events would be held, the press release includes a photograph of the Port America’s Cup waterfront area that hosted the team bases and race village for the 2007 and 2010 America’s Cups. It would be great for these facilities to be used again and a Valencia Grand Prix making use of them is something this blog has advocated for since Spain joined the league:

Sometimes when spelunking the depths of YouTube you find charming things like 2007-vintage Team Alinghi fan vids with Windows Movie Maker effects and power ballad soundtracks.