September 26, 2024
Sassnitz to host Germany’s first-ever SailGP event
The most exciting racing on water, SailGP, will make its Germany debut in Sassnitz on the coastal waters of Rügen Island, August 16-17, 2025. The event will be the home debut of the Germany SailGP Team, backed by four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel and global founding partner Deutsche Bank.
The coastal town of Sassnitz on the island of Rügen will host the first-ever Germany SailGP event. The international championship, recognised as the world’s most exciting racing on water, will take place on August 16-17, 2025 in front of the stunning backdrop of the region's chalk cliffs and picturesque harbour.
It is set to be one of the most watched international sailing events to be held in the country with Sassnitz – located in the north east of Germany and overlooking the Baltic Sea – and the wider region providing optimal conditions for SailGP’s unique style of close-to-shore fleet racing.
"A home event is always something special, racing in front of your own fans is a great feeling. It will give the team a great incentive and also increase the fan base of the sport in Germany."
Sebastian Vettel
Four-time Formula 1 World Champion
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “Germany has a proud history of hosting successful international sporting events and we are excited to bring SailGP’s unique style of high-speed, adrenaline-fueled racing with grandstands erected onshore to provide German fans fantastic close up views of the action for the very first time.
The Germany SailGP Team has just completed its inaugural season in SailGP, showing encouraging signs of progress across the 13-event championship. Double Olympic medallist Erik Heil leads the team as Driver alongside fellow German crew members including Anna Barth, Jonathan Knottnerus-Meyer and Felix van den Hövel.
Alongside a stellar cast of athletes, the German team boasts a star-studded ownership team, including Thomas Riedel, CEO of communications company Riedel Communications, and four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
Looking ahead to the Germany SailGP Team’s first ever home event, Erik Heil said, "It will be a huge honor to lead the Germany team at its first ever home event. Since we launched the team, the ambition was to bring a SailGP event to Germany and we can’t wait to perform in front of our own fans alongside the best teams and athletes in the sport.”
Commenting on the adrenaline-fueled racing coming to Germany for the first time, Sebastian Vettel said: “A first ever SailGP event in Germany will be a milestone moment for the league and the Germany SailGP Team on the way to popularising the sport here. A home event is always something special, racing in front of your own fans is a great feeling. It will give the team a great incentive and also increase the fan base of the sport in Germany.”
Nicky West-Poole, Head of Group Event & Partnership Marketing and PB International & Wealth Management Marketing at Deutsche Bank, said: “The launch of a new event in our home market is an important landmark for the sport, for the Germany SailGP Team and for us at Deutsche Bank. As global founding partner, we're proud to have shared the team's journey and values since the very start. Now, we are excited for our clients in Germany to have the chance to see their home team in action for themselves.”
Racing full circle around the world, SailGP’s 2024/2025 season will be the league's most expansive to date with events spanning five continents. Kicking off in Dubai on November 23-24, 2024, the series will make stops in world-class destinations, including Rio de Janeiro, New York, Sydney and Geneva.
