Lindsey Vonn supports US SailGP Team

The SailGP sports league moves to Bermuda for the next event on May 4-5, and while the US SailGP Team has slid down the Season 4 ranking since the new ownership group has taken control, they are not opposed to making a splash in other departments.

Their latest update is how American former alpine ski racing stud Lindsey Vonn has joined the United States SailGP Team as a member of the board of directors. Vonn, who is part owner of the Utah Royals, an American women’s professional soccer club, is a three-time Olympic medalist and eight-time world championship medalist.

“As a Red Bull partner for nearly two decades, I’ve had the pleasure of sailing with Red Bull and that experience engaged my interest in sailing and encouraged my decision to get involved,” said Vonn. “As a member of the Athlete Team of advisors for the Avenue Sports Fund, this partnership feels full circle. The energy and vision of the team aligns with the drive I have felt in my career, so I am extremely grateful and excited to take part.”

“Lindsey is one of the greatest athletes of all time, an American icon, and has tremendous business acumen,” said Mike Buckley, U.S. SailGP Team CEO. “I am really looking forward to collaborating on how we tap into the passionate racing fanbase and introduce our team and league to new audiences.”

The U.S. SailGP Team was purchased last November by a group of sports, technology, and entertainment leaders, led by founding Uber engineer Ryan McKillen, Margaret McKillen, and two-time world champion sailor Buckley. The Avenue Sports Fund, led by Avenue Capital Group CEO Marc Lasry, is the lead investor in the largest team acquisition in SailGP history. Lindsey is a member of the Athlete Team of advisors for the Avenue Sports Fund.

“When Lindsey competed in the Olympics, our entire country tuned in; and when she won the gold medal, we all celebrated,” said Ryan McKillen. “Her success in bringing alpine skiing into mainstream sports is what SailGP has set out to accomplish for sailing. Over her career, she’s been a savvy business operator off the mountain as well. We’re fortunate to have her join the U.S SailGP Team and have her mind and experience in our boardroom.”

The new US crew has competed in four events, with four more in the 13-event Season 4. For the Bermuda crew list, click here.

SailGP information – Bermuda details– YouTube – How to watch

Season 4 Standings (after nine of 13 events; results and total points)
1. New Zealand (Peter Burling), 1-7-8-DNC/6-4-1-1-3-1; 68 points
2. Australia (Tom Slingsby), 2-3-2-2-3-2-7-1-10; 59
3. Spain (Diego Botin), 5-1-3-6-6-10-2-5-4; 55
4. France (Quintin Delapierre), 6-8-6-4-7-4-4-4-2; 54
5. Denmark (Nicolai Sehested), 4-2-4-7-2-6-9-2-9; 50
6. United States (Jimmy Spithill/Taylor Canfield), 9-5-5-3-1-8-3-9-8; 48
7. Canada (Phil Robertson), 3-4-10-5-5-3-6-10-3; 46
8. Great Britain (Ben Ainslie/Giles Scott), 7-6-1-1-8-5-8-7-7; 45
9. Germany (Erik Heil), 10-10-7-8-9-10-9-5-6-5; 27
10. Switzerland (Sebastien Schneiter/Nathan Outteridge), 8-9-9-9-7-10-8-6; 22

For scoring adjustments, click here.

Season 4 – 2023
June 16-17 – United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier
July 22-23 – United States Sail Grand Prix | Los Angeles
September 9-10 – France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez
September 23-24 – Italy Sail Grand Prix | Taranto
October 14-15 – Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía- Cádiz
December 9-10 – Dubai Sail Grand Prix | Dubai*

Season 4 – 2024
January 13-14 – Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix | Abu Dhabi
February 24-25 – Australia Sail Grand Prix | Sydney
March 23-24 – New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland
March 23-24 – New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch
May 4-5 – Bermuda Sail Grand Prix
June 1-2 – Canada Sail Grand Prix | Halifax
June 22-23 – United States Sail Grand Prix | New York
July 13-14 – SailGP Season 4 Grand Final | San Francisco
* Added October 3, 2023

Format for Season 4:
• Teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event runs across two days.
• Up to seven qualifying fleet races of approximately 15 minutes may be scheduled for each regatta.
• The top three teams from qualifying advance to a final race to be crowned event champion and earn the largest share of the $300,000.00 USD event prize money purse (increases to $400k for Abu Dhabi with the winning team now earning $200k at each event).
• The season ends with the Grand Final, which includes the Championship Final Race for the top three teams in the season standing with the winner claiming the $2 million USD prize.
• The top team on points ahead of the three-boat Championship Final will be awarded $350,000.00.

For competition documents, click here.

Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing among national teams in some of the iconic harbors around the globe.