If you were out and about in lower Manhattan this weekend—or maybe caught a surprising and colorful flash of speed as you crossed the Brooklyn Bridge—you’re likely wondering: Just what were those enormous and lightning-quick catamarans doing in New York Harbor? (If you were on Governor’s Island, you likely know already, as that’s where thousands of spectators gathered for the best views.) The quick answer: It was the return of —currently in its fourth season of ’round-the-world competition—which aims to do nothing less than reinvent and reinvigorate sailing as we know it. (The tour hasn’t raced in the city since its inaugural year in 2019.
) The first indication that this wasn’t your grandfather’s clubby, country-club take on sailing? Friday morning’s press conference for the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix. Gathering the 10 drivers for the 10 teams—each of them representing one nation—at Hudson Yards, 99 floors up, the proceedings were variously confrontational and aggressive, even veering into the territory of trash-talking: USA’s Taylor Canfield (sporting a jacket from Tommy Hilfiger, a of the American team) called Canada’s Phil Robertson “arrogant,” while Robertson taunted Canfield’s relative lack of success on the water by saying, “At some point, you’ve gotta walk the walk.” (“Everybody likes a bit of gossip,” allowed Giles Scott of the Emirates Great Britain team.
) Shortly after the press conference, sat down with SailGP�.
