ROCKWOOL to serve as Title Partner for global league’s first event in Scandinavia,
set for August 20-21, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
AARHUS, Denmark – September 12, 2020 – SailGP today announced the selection of the Danish city of Aarhus
to host of the fourth event in the global championship’s second season. ROCKWOOL will serve as Title Partner
for SailGP’s Scandinavian debut as the world’s fastest sail racing descends on the picturesque Bay of Aarhus,
August 20-21, 2021. The grand prix event will mark the first opportunity for helmsman Nicolai Sehested and the
Denmark SailGP Team presented by ROCKWOOL to race on home waters following the inauguration of the
team late last year.
ROCKWOOL Denmark SailGP will take place in Aarhus Ø, the city’s new vibrant waterfront district, with racing
on the surrounding bay. The sustainable, smart city is an experienced international event host and worldrenowned
sailing venue, having recently staged the 2018 Sailing World Championships.
SailGP – the sport’s pinnacle league – will begin Season 2 next year in San Francisco on April 17-18, before
stopping in New York (June 4-5) and Plymouth, UK (July 17-18), en route to Denmark. The European leg of the
season is planned to continue in team markets France and Spain, with further venues to be announced. At the
conclusion of the season, the champion is awarded sailing’s largest monetary prize of US$1 million.
SailGP’s roster of national teams now sits at eight with the recent addition of New Zealand to the championship,
bringing the number of Olympic gold medalist helmsmen in the league to four (Sir Ben Ainslie/Great Britain,
Peter Burling/New Zealand, Nathan Outteridge/Japan, Tom Slingsby/Australia).
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “Aarhus is a modern, youthful, green city that excels at hosting sustainable
events, and will provide an extraordinary backdrop for our first Northern European event. SailGP features the
best athletes in the sport, and with ROCKWOOL Denmark SailGP positioned in the middle of our season, many
of our stars will be returning from the Olympics looking to further amplify the national rivalries on the world’s
fastest boats. It will no doubt be some of the most exciting racing of the year.”
ROCKWOOL CEO Jens Birgersson said: “As a proud Danish company, ROCKWOOL is delighted that SailGP
will visit Denmark for the first time ever in 2021. This event gives us the opportunity to communicate about the
things we feel strongly about – sustainability, teamwork, innovation and inspiring people to lead healthier, more
active lives. The city of Aarhus is a fantastic showcase for those values.”
Sehested said: “We’re looking forward to an unforgettable home event in Season 2. The support we’ve had from
the whole of Denmark since we entered SailGP last year has been immense, and we can’t wait to fly the flag in
front of a Danish crowd.”
Aarhus Mayor Jacob Bundsgaard said: “Aarhus is excited to host a Danish SailGP event in August 2021. The
Bay of Aarhus, surrounding the event area at Aarhus Ø, will be the venue for some of the fastest sail race boats
in the world. We are looking forward to welcoming the international teams to our city and hope that both sailors
and the many visiting guests will have a fantastic experience in our city.”
Rabih Azad-Ahmad, Aarhus mayor of sport, culture and citizens, said: “It is truly thrilling for Aarhus to be
welcoming the Danish SailGP event, bringing international top athletes to our city. It brings joy and excitement
and is a great inspiration to our young, talented, local sailors and we are very much looking forward to the
event.”
Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, said: “With SailGP, we add another world-class event to the Danish
sporting calendar that creates both national and international attention. We look forward to using that attention
and SailGP’s strong sustainability agenda to assist in putting focus on sustainable solutions on land and at sea.”
In its inaugural season, SailGP events attracted more than 133,000 spectators with a global broadcast audience
exceeding 256 million and an average economic impact of US$23 million per venue.
ABOUT SAILGP
SailGP is racing redefined. Established in 2018 and headquartered in London and New York, SailGP is an
annual, global sports championship featuring bold, cutting-edge technology and awe-inspiring athleticism. The
fan-centric, inshore racing that is powered by nature takes place in some of the most iconic harbors around the
globe and culminates with a $1 million winner-takes-all match race. Rival national teams battle it out in identical
supercharged F50 catamarans, engineered for intense racing at electrifying speeds exceeding 50 knots (nearly
60 mph/100 kph). Visit SailGP.com for more information.
ABOUT ROCKWOOL GROUP
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