Plymouth is one of the first eight cities unveiled in an enhanced calendar for Season 3 of SailGP; there will be 10 events in total, with seven taking place in 2022 and three in 2023 and every race day will be live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 8 December 2021 13:27, UK
SailGP will return to Plymouth as part of an expanded calendar for Season 3, which will start in May 2022.
The competition's third season will feature additional teams and further new venues, as the best sailors in the world compete against each other on identical F50s.
Season 3 has been expanded to include 10 events in total, with seven events taking place in 2022 and the remainder in the first quarter of 2023. The season is expected to finish in April 2023 and every race day will be shown live on Sky Sports.
The championship will kick off for a second successive year in Bermuda. From there, the 10-nation fleet will head to a new SailGP destination in North America and include a home race for Jimmy Spithill's USA team at Chicago's Navy Pier on Lake Michigan.
The fleet will arrive in Europe for the summer, with four European events planned. SailGP will return to Plymouth in late July, the iconic French destination of Saint-Tropez in September and then later visit Cadiz in Andalucia, Spain.
In addition, the competition will revisit Denmark, but this time stop in Copenhagen and 2022's racing will conclude with another new addition to the calendar in Dubai on November 11 and 12.
Season 3 will continue in 2023 and include an event in New Zealand as part of a four-season partnership with New Zealand Major Events. Through the partnership - which spans Season 3 to Season 6 - Christchurch and Auckland will share hosting duties.
The ninth event of the season and the venue for the Sail GP Grand Final will be announced at a later stage.
In Season 3, SailGP will also continue to 'Race for the Future' and maintain its focus on sustainability.
The league has set an ambitious target of 55 per cent reduction of its carbon footprint - based on science - by 2025 and SailGP is committed to being fully powered by nature by the same year, on shore and on the water.
Every host city will sign the league's Climate Action Charter and commit to local impact projects focusing on clean energy impact and wider ocean conservation.
Diversity and inclusion will also be a continued focus for Season 3. The league will continue to give opportunities to female athletes as part of its Women's Pathway Programme to accelerate inclusion within the sport and inspire change.
SailGP will also use its community-engagement arm - SailGP Inspire - to introduce young people from diverse backgrounds to the sport and give career opportunities within the wider marine industry.
Season 2's action returns live on Sky Sports on December 17 and 18 with the Australia Sail Grand Prix. The season will conclude on March 26-27, 2022 with the SailGP Grand Final in San Francisco.
