Pensacola, Florida, Becomes Home to SailGP’s First Permanent Training Base

SailGP, an international sailing competition founded in 2018, has opened its first year-round training base in Pensacola, Florida.

The American Magic High Performance Center will act as the center of SailGP’s international fleet and athlete training efforts.

“The SailGP training base is more than a facility — it is the infrastructure that enables the next phase of our growth,” said SailGP Managing Director Andrew Thompson. “As a year-round high-performance hub, the training base allows our teams to invest in athlete development and progression, ultimately driving the long-term growth of our sport.”

SailGP hosts the Rolex SailGP Championship, a premier sailing event during which 13 national teams race 50-foot catamarans often sailing faster than 60 miles per hour. Winners earn $12.8 million in prize money.

The new training facility serves as a base for SailGP to build upon momentum in competitive sailing, as the organization estimated it has garnered 215 million viewers across its first six seasons. SailGP is looking expand both the number of teams and frequency of international events through 2030.

“Having a dedicated facility like Pensacola to test, train and innovate outside of race weekends will be a game changer for SailGP athletes,” said Dylan Fletcher, Emirates GBR SailGP team driver. “The conditions in Pensacola’s bay will be fantastic, and having this centralized base with undoubtedly raise the standard of racing and depth across the entire fleet.”

Growth of Pensacola Sports

Pensacola, a coastal city along the Florida panhandle, is home to a variety of venues for hosting sports from basketball and soccer to tennis and cross country.

SailGP’s permanent base in the town adds to its offering, providing a central hub for athletes to train throughout the year.

“The opening of this training base in Pensacola is positive proof that our bay is no longer just a well-kept secret — it is the epicenter of high-performance competitive sailing on the world stage,” said Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves. “When we set out to build the American Magic High Performance Center at the Port of Pensacola, the goal was to create a permanent home for innovation, economic growth and elite athletics. Seeing SailGP teams arrive proves that our vision is being realized.”

The initial agreement between American Magic and SailGP for the training base will last for five years, through 2031.