# SailGP Portsmouth race safety reforms and results

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sailgp-portsmouth-race-safety-reforms
> Updated: 2026-07-26T19:02:20.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 3.

The U.S. SailGP team entered the Portsmouth Grand Prix as fourth on the season leaderboard, hoping to exploit moderate to fresh south‑westerly winds forecast for July 25‑26. Team CEO Mike Buckley highlighted the conditions as conducive to faster racing, while driver Taylor Canfield’s confidence rose after the team’s first‑event win in Sydney and an eighth‑place finish last season.

In response to three serious collisions earlier in the year – a three‑boat pile‑up in New York and earlier crashes in Perth and Auckland – SailGP officials implemented a new group‑stage qualification format for the Portsmouth event. The 13‑team fleet was split into two groups of seven and six, seeded on previous results, with the top two from each group advancing to a four‑boat final. The format, first trialed in Halifax, aims to reduce head‑to‑head crash risk while preserving the series’ high‑speed excitement.

During the races, Spain’s Los Gallos claimed victory, while the United States and Sweden progressed to the final. The defending British crew, Team Emirates GBR, failed to qualify, finishing fifth and sixth in its group and missing the final before a crowd of about 20,000. The British team expressed disappointment and pledged to regroup ahead of the season’s remaining events.

## Timeline

### 2026-07-26: Great Britain's SailGP team misses final at home Portsmouth Grand Prix

Reigning champions Team Emirates GBR missed the Portsmouth SailGP final, finishing bottom of Group B after poor starts, while Spain won the event.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/great-britains-sailgp-team-misses-final-at-home-portsmouth-grand-prix

### 2026-07-24: SailGP Portsmouth adopts new group format to boost safety

SailGP’s Portsmouth event on July 25‑26 will use a new group‑stage qualifying format to cut crashes, splitting the 13‑team fleet into two groups and expanding the final to four boats, with over 10,000 fans set.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sailgp-portsmouth-adopts-new-group-format-to-boost-safety

### 2026-07-24: U.S. SailGP Team Prepares for Portsmouth Race Amid Strong Winds

U.S. SailGP aims for fast Portsmouth race with favorable winds; team now fourth, Australia leads, Abu Dhabi final ahead, and season marked by multiple high‑speed catamaran crashes.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sir-ben-ainslies-british-sailgp-team-seeks-reset-amid-legal-dispute-and-poor-results

---
Cite as: SailGP Portsmouth race safety reforms and results. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sailgp-portsmouth-race-safety-reforms