On the Arabian Gulf, where horizon and heat blur into a single line of brilliance, SailGP found a stage worthy of its drama. For the 2025 Season Grand Final, Abu Dhabi played host to one of the most breathtaking showdowns in modern sailing, a finale shaped by speed, mastery, and the quiet authority of Rolex, whose name has long been synonymous with excellence on both sea and time.
Since its inception in 2019, SailGP has redefined high-performance racing, pitting national teams against one another on identical F50 foiling catamarans capable of surpassing 100 km/h. What separates victory from defeat is not machinery, but the ability to manoeuvre with audacity, and to maintain a level of precision that mirrors the philosophy of its title sponsor. In this championship, as in watchmaking, the smallest decision can determine the outcome of an entire season. Abu Dhabi, renowned for bringing global sporting spectacles to life, offered a setting that felt purpose-built for SailGP’s tension and beauty.
Over two days of racing, the fleet delivered one of the most competitive seasons in SailGP history. And in a Grand Final that felt more like a single breath held between thousands of spectators, it was Emirates Great Britain who rose above Australia and New Zealand to etch their name into the sport’s legend. Onshore, the atmosphere mirrored the intensity on the water. Fans gathered along the Corniche, inside the Race Village, and across VIP terraces, witnessing history take shape in real time. As the British boat crossed the finish, the roar that rose from the waterfront felt like a fitting tribute to a team that had, all season long, demonstrated exceptional command of their discipline.
For Rolex, this Grand Final was more than sponsorship. It was a meeting of two worlds bound by shared values of precision, endurance, and excellence without excess. SailGP’s foiling catamarans embody the same relentless pursuit of perfection that sits at the heart of Swiss watchmaking. In Abu Dhabi, that alignment became a spectacle in itself. As the sun set on the 2025 Season and Emirates GBR lifted the Rolex SailGP Championship trophy, Abu Dhabi cemented its place among the sport’s most emblematic stages. A city that celebrates ambition welcomed a competition that embodies it. And with the fleet preparing for a historic 2026 kickoff, one truth endures: when Rolex lends its name to a moment, it becomes part of legend.
