Bermuda will kick off the third season of the international SailGP global sailing league with a regatta next May in the Great Sound, the organisers announced yesterday.

And in conjunction with the Bermuda Tourism Authority, Bermuda will also host a spring event in season four in 2023.

After launching Season 2 this April, SailGP said high-speed F50 foiling catamarans will return to the Great Sound for the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess on May 14-15 next year.

Teams from Switzerland and Canada will join Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States for next season’s regatta.

The agreement reached with the BTA means the event will be broadcast to over 175 territories as well as bringing spectators to Bermuda. This year’s event was broadcast to 60 countries and delivered more than $3 million in advertising revenue to the economy, despite spectator limitations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We’re thrilled to welcome SailGP back to the island for 2022 and 2023,” said Charles Jeffers II, the Bermuda Tourism Authority CEO.

“While an island-wide lockdown disrupted the 2021 season, limiting spectator activities and visitor arrival numbers, SailGP organisers and athletes still pulled off a spectacular competition that injected a welcome economic boost into the economy.

Jeffers added: “Meanwhile, the franchise put a high value global spotlight on our destination with coverage that reached over 89 million viewers in 60 countries and provided extended visibility throughout the season.”

Douglas Trueblood, the Bermuda Tourism Authority chief sales and marketing officer, said: “The Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess supports our organisation’s drive to entice groups and promote sports-centred visitor experiences.

“The media partnerships attached to SailGP delivered over $3 million in advertising value in 2021 and are well aligned with our 2022 international marketing objectives.”

Russell Coutts, the SailGP CEO, is excited to welcome the event back to Bermuda for the next two years. “Racing in Bermuda for both Season 3 and Season 4 promises to build on the momentum created in Season 2,” Coutts said.

“The Island’s stunning backdrop and the natural amphitheatre of the Great Sound is second to none and we look forward to having a full event village where more fans can enjoy the high-energy atmosphere that SailGP is known for.

“With an expanded season calendar, an impressive and growing collection of commercial and broadcast partnerships, purpose and impact at our heart with our focus on environmental sustainability, our Women’s Pathway Programme expanding diversity and inclusivity, and an immersive high-tech fan experience through our broadcast offer, I can’t think of a better place to begin Season 3.”

Season two of SailGP continues with the Australia Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG in Sydney on December 17 and 18. The season will conclude March 26 and 27 with the SailGP Grand Final in San Francisco.

SailGP will continue to give opportunities to female athletes as part of its Women’s Pathway Programme – racing onboard the high-speed F50s throughout the season – to accelerate inclusion within the sport and inspire change.

SailGP will also again use its community-engagement arm, SailGP Inspire, to provide young people from diverse backgrounds with access to the sport and give career opportunities within the wider marine industry.

The statement added: “As the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, SailGP will continue to push boundaries in the global event industry and its Race for the Future. From its inception in 2019, SailGP has been measuring, reducing and contributing its entire carbon footprint and has set an ambitious target of 55 percent reduction of its carbon footprint by 2025, as well as committing to being fully powered by nature by 2025 on shore and on the water.”

As a host country in Season 3, Bermuda will share SailGP’s commitment to climate action and a cleaner future through deep collaboration, the statement said.

It said: “By signing the league’s Climate Action Charter – working alongside CDP – a commitment to local impact projects will be cemented, focusing on clean energy and wider ocean conservation.

“Running concurrent to the championship trophy for the on-water racing, SailGP’s pioneering Impact League will return even stronger in Season 3. The forward thinking league, introduced in Season 2, tracks the positive actions the teams make to reduce their overall carbon footprint and help accelerate inclusivity in sailing.

“The end result of the season is two podiums, one for sport and one for the planet and the prize fund going to the team’s purpose partners, which the cities will also contribute towards for the first time.”

SailGP Season 3 Schedule for 2022-2023:

May 14-15: Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess

June 18-19: United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier

July 30-31: Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth

August 19-20: ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix | Copenhagen

September 10-11: France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez

September 24-25: Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía - Cádiz

November 11-12: Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas

2023: New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch

Further events will be announced to complete Season 3, which will conclude in April 2023 and is expected to comprise ten events.