Marina Port Valencia concludes its first SailGP with thousands of fans

The inaugural Spain Sail Grand Prix attracted thousands of fans over the weekend and placed Valencia on the international calendar of top-level competitive sailing.

Marina Port Valencia concluded its debut weekend as a SailGP venue, hosting one of the world’s leading high-speed sailing competitions. Two days of racing brought thousands of fans and visitors to the city’s waterfront. Held on September 5th and 6th, the Spain Sail Grand Prix Valencia marked the city’s first appearance on the championship calendar and strengthened its position as a destination associated with sport and international nautical activity.

Thirteen teams competed throughout the weekend aboard SailGP’s F50s, catamarans capable of exceeding 100 kilometres per hour, on a racecourse off the Valencian coast. The competition provided spectators with an especially close-up experience, with the Marina Port Valencia area serving as one of the main gathering points throughout the event.

The event also received a strong response from fans, with tickets sold out for the racing days. The presence of spectators, together with the arrival of teams, technical staff, organisers and visitors, generated significant activity around the Marina and waterfront during a weekend in which sport once again took centre stage in the city.

On the sporting side, the Spanish team Los Gallos was one of the major protagonists on the opening day, recording two victories and a second-place finish to lead its group. Sunday’s wind conditions altered the course of the competition and left the Spanish team out of the final. The United States ultimately claimed victory, ahead of Australia, in a race day marked by particularly challenging conditions.

For Marina Port Valencia, hosting the Spain Sail Grand Prix meant putting its facilities and spaces at the service of an international-scale competition. In recent weeks, various areas were adapted to meet the needs of teams, organisers and spectators. The result was the coexistence of the Marina’s regular activities with a competition that temporarily transformed the surrounding area and brought part of the championship closer to the city’s urban environment.

The event will also have continuity. Valencia is part of the three-year agreement reached with SailGP, meaning the championship will return to the city in the coming seasons. Valencia’s inclusion as a permanent venue on the circuit helps consolidate a relationship that goes beyond a single event and provides a further opportunity to enhance the international profile of its waterfront.

With the conclusion of this first edition, Valencia can look back on its SailGP debut with a new experience in hosting and organising major international competitions. It was a weekend in which the sea, the city and sport once again came together, opening the door to future editions of one of the sailing circuits with the greatest international potential.