Adrenaline is going to be pumping through Plymouth Sound as SailGP brings its incredible Great Britain Sail Grand Prix to the city for the second year in a row, on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 July.

The thrilling racing across the water will see nine international teams compete in short, intense races in the stunning surroundings of Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. Canada and Switzerland are new additions to the line-up this year, joining the existing teams from Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain and the United States

The high-tech, high-speed action features sailing’s best athletes – including Sir Ben Ainslie leading the British team – flying across the water at speeds approaching 60 miles per hour in in identical F50 catamarans.

Don’t miss out on seeing this incredible world-class event when it comes to Plymouth – here’s everything you need to know to plan your weekend.

How to watch

Three races take place each day, between approximately 2pm to 3.30pm.

Race Village

For the best experience, grab a ticket to the race village on Plymouth Hoe, open from 12 noon to 6pm each day. Tickets start at just £5 plus booking fee for adults, and free for all under 18s.

Here you’ll get a great view of the racing over Plymouth Sound with big screens and live commentary before and during the races, so you can keep up with all the action!  

There’s entertainment on stage with live music and a DJ to get the party started, plus competitions and appearances from athletes.

The Royal Yachting Association will also be on site, with VR headsets to give you a virtual taste of sailing and children’s activities.

You can also pick up SailGP merch from the official shop, and tuck into delicious food and drink. Local traders in the race village include Barbican Bao, Hedgerow Hound, Authentic Thai and Salcombe Dairy alongside Street Greek, Mac Shack and Carnival Pizza, as well as on-site café Liner Lookout.

If you want a more exclusive experience, upgrade to a premium ticket and enjoy complimentary drinks, comfy seating and luxury toilets!

Buy your tickets from the SailGP website.

Watch from the water

If you’re lucky enough to own your own boat, watch from the water with the Bring Your Own Boat programme. There are two different options available – access and premium - to ensure you get the best vantage spot on the race course perimeter on Plymouth Sound.

Alternatively hop on board with Plymouth Boat Trips’ official spectator boats for a three-hour on water experience offering some of the best views of the racing.

Watch for free

Plymouth Sound is a natural amphitheatre, which means that you’ll be able to see the action from all around. You can look out over the water for free from Hoe Road, which will be closed to traffic but open to the public throughout the day, or from other vantage points around the waterfront.

Blue Green Village

Located on the Hoe between Citadel Road and Plymouth Naval Memorial, you’ll find the Blue Green village. It’ll be packed full of fun activities and completely free for everyone to enter and explore. Make sure you pop in on your way to the waterfront!

Here families can enjoy interactive activities and games, rock pooling experiences, face painting and arts and crafts. Learn more about the National Marine Park, find out how you can help protect the environment and pick up some great sustainability tips.

Team Base tours

Want a behind the scenes look at this incredible event? This year, you can book onto an exclusive 45 minute guided tour of the team bases in Millbay! The tours offer a rare chance to see SailGP's elite athletes and the cutting-edge, wing-sailed boats up close as the teams prepare for battle on Plymouth Sound.

Tours are taking place on 26, 27 and 30 July. Tickets cost £15 for children and £21 for adults, book here.

A Royal visit

The Duchess of Cambridge, Royal Patron of the 1851 Trust, will be in Plymouth on the Sunday before the racing. She will meet with young people taking part in the Trust’s activities to promote sustainability and get a taste of the incredible speed and skill involved in SailGP. 

Her Royal Highness will join the British team aboard their F50 foiling catamaran to take part in a friendly ‘Commonwealth Race’ against their New Zealand rivals, ahead of the final day of the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix. The New Zealand Team will host environmentalist Lewis Pugh as its Guest Racer.

With Sir Ben Ainslie at the helm, The Duchess will become a member of the British crew, working with the rest of the team to race the boat at speeds of up to 50 knots (more than 55 mph) against a skilled New Zealand outfit helmed by Peter Burling.

Travel info

The three park and ride sites in Plymouth – Coypool, George Junction and Milehouse are fully open all weekend during the SailGP event, with services running every 30 minutes. (Please note, Plymouth Argyle is playing a home match on Saturday 30 July, so we would recommend avoiding Milehouse that day).

There are also lots of car parks in the city centre within walking distance of the waterfront.

Rail travel is going to be severely impacted by planned industrial action, so please consider alternative forms of transport if you were planning to come by train.

Road closures

A number of road closures will be in place on both Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 July: 

• Hoe Road (from the mound at the citadel (access only) to the junction of Pier Street: 9am to 5pm
• Madeira Road: 9am to 5pm
• Armada Way loop (Crown Plaza): 11am to 5pm 
• Citadel Road (from Lockyer Street to Hoe Approach): 11am to 5pm 
• Staddon Lane: 11am to 5pm 
• Osborne Place to the junction of the back of The Esplanade: 9am on 30 July to 5pm on 31 July 
• Windsor Place: 11am to 5pm
• Jennycliff Lane (from its junction of Staddon Lane to Lalebrick Road): 11am to 5pm 

Share your photos

Don’t forget to share your photos and videos with us! Tag @SailGP and @VisitPlymouth and use the hashtag #GreatBritainSGP.

Not sure what to expect? 

Watch the highlights of the 2021 Great Britain Sail Grand Prix to see what it's like...

Plymouth is easily accessible by train with a wide range of services running from a variety of locations within England. Although some services may require a change or two.

Travelling from London takes around 3 hours with Great Western Railway, if you're coming from the north, the trip from Manchester can take 5 hours 15 minutes. 

Alternatively, the recently renovated Night Riviera Sleeper service runs Monday – Friday and Sunday evenings. Visit gwr.com/sleeper for more details on times and how to book.

We recommend using GWR.com to search for the fastest and best route for your journey, and book in advance for the best price.