An artist's impression of the spectator zone for SailGP's debut event in Auckland in January.
Video / SailGP
Kiwi driver Phil Robertson has been replaced by the Canadian SailGP team after leading them through their first two seasons in the global foiling series.
At the end of last season, the Canadian team were among the four teams at risk of losing their place on the starting line for season five due to a lack of available boats, with two new teams set to join the fleet.
Teams still receiving funding from the league were put on notice late in the season that they could lose their spot, those teams being Canada, France, season four champions Spain and the two-time finalists from New Zealand, the Black Foils. Leading into the season four grand final in San Francisco in July, Canada, France and Spain were all facing the chopping block, however, had all three found the sponsorship to become fully funded without league help, attention would then turn to the Kiwis.
Canada are the first of those teams to confirm their future, with SailGP announcing biotech entrepreneur Dr Greg Bailey had purchased the team.
Robertson will not feature in that future, however, with the Canadians bringing British driver Giles Scott over from the Great Britain team, who are yet to confirm his replacement.
In a statement to the Herald, team principal and chief executive of the Canadian SailGP team Phil Kennard said it was important for the new group to have a Canadian national at the helm, and Scott, who is a Canadian citizen, is a great signing.
“The Canada SailGP Team has a strong foundation in place, with a group of talented athletes. As a new ownership group, we took the time to review all aspects of the team and we felt that to be the only team on the start line without a national on the wheel would impede the growth and progress of the team in this critical phase,” Kennard said.
“We are excited to have Giles - who lived and first sailed in Ottawa - as our new driver.”
Scott moves to the team after British team chief executive Sir Ben Ainslie negotiated an undisclosed transfer fee for his services. The 37-year-old only joined the British team at the helm midway through season four after Ainslie stepped down, but had a successful start in SailGP which included an event win in Halifax, Canada.
“This is a great opportunity for Giles and therefore we support his move to the Canada SailGP Team. Giles did an excellent job as driver of the Emirates GBR F50 and we are sure he will go on to achieve great things with the Canadian team,” Ainslie said.
“This is the first-ever transfer fee deal in sailing and it shows the level of the team’s performance last season as well as the strength of the commercialisation of the league.”
The Herald understands the move is the first in what is expected to be an active transfer market, with more major athlete moves to be confirmed ahead of the beginning of season five in Dubai in November.
Phil Robertson (centre) has been replaced as driver for the Canada SailGP Team after two seasons at the helm. Photo / Felix Diemer, SailGP
“Today’s news is another milestone on SailGP’s journey to grow and professionalise the sport of sailing – with a competitive transfer market for our athletes, and teams that are consistently growing in value,” SailGP managing director Andrew Thompson said.
“SailGP continues to attract interest from a range of different investors and ownership groups. In many ways, this transaction validates the business model – a professional sports team has acquired new ownership and in doing so, retains [their] position in the league; to my knowledge that’s not happened in sailing before.”
Robertson, who has competed in all four seasons of SailGP to date, goes into the new campaign as a free agent. Helping with developing teams has been his modus operandi in the league, driving China to a podium finish in season one, having Spain in a position to contest the final before being replaced at the helm ahead of the season two grand final, and helping the Canadian team develop into a fast, competitive outfit.
A fiercely competitive sailor and world match racing champion, Robertson pushes the limits and was voted as the league’s most aggressive driver in an anonymous league poll earlier this year.
He was also the first driver to hoist the New Zealand SailGP title, driving Canada to their maiden victory in SailGP’s debut on Kiwi shores, in Lyttelton in 2023. The league will return to New Zealand in season five, with an event being held in Auckland for the first time in January.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
