A pivotal weekend awaits in Halifax as SailGP’s world-class F50 fleet returns to Canadian waters. Before racing begins, here’s everything you need to know, from the key championship storylines to the weather forecast and teams to watch.
Who can topple the Bonds Flying Roos?
Four wins in six events has put Australia’s Bonds Flying Roos firmly at the top of the Rolex SailGP Championship as the midway point of the season approaches. Tom Slingsby’s outfit have been nothing short of exemplary in 2026 – not always the perfect team but always delivering the goods when it matters most. They’ve clocked 12 race wins in 41 races so far this season, and finished in the top three 24 times to give them an impressive average finish position of 3.8 – the best in the fleet by some margin.
NorthStar on a roll
It’s been a tough year for Canada’s NorthStar SailGP Team – an early-season run of good events in 2025 turned into a string of disappointments as they struggled to find their groove. The podium drought is over now though: they secured their first place in a Final since March 2025 at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix last month, coming away with a third – the perfect boost heading into their home event. And on top of that, NorthStar driver Giles Scott is the reigning Canada Sail Grand Prix champion, having won the Season 4 event when he was with Emirates GBR.
Back in Black
For the first time since their horror crash with DS Team France in February, the Black Foils will be back on the SailGP start line – and under new ownership. The Kiwi team has spent months rebuilding after the dramatic collision left them without an F50, with SailGP Technologies and the team’s shore crew working tirelessly to get a new boat race-ready. After completing successful commissioning sessions in Halifax this week, the Black Foils return to competition determined to reignite their season and make up for lost ground in the championship battle.
Roster shake-ups
Four months since suffering abdominal injuries in the Auckland collision with the Black Foils, DS Team France strategist Manon Audinet is back. She takes back the strategist role from Liv Mackay, who competed with the French team in Rio, Bermuda and New York. Mackay will rejoin the Black Foils, who have also drafted in former Explora Swiss athlete Stewart Dodson for the remainder of the season in place of injured grinder Louis Sinclair. And Mubadala Brazil have confirmed driver Martine Grael will be switching positions with strategist Paul Goodison as a trial in Halifax – a move the team says is driven by their performance goals.
A game of two halves
Halifax’s unique mix of cold Arctic waters and summer sea breezes is set to test teams this weekend, according to SailGP meteorologist Chris Bedford. Saturday is expected to deliver moderate racing conditions, with winds building to 16-26 km/h as an afternoon sea breeze develops. Sunday could prove far trickier, with lighter, more variable winds, increased cloud cover and the risk of showers. As ever in Halifax, rapidly changing conditions, temperature swings and the possibility of fog could keep teams guessing throughout the Canada Sail Grand Prix.
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