Valencia, 08 september 2026 – Valencia’s debut as a SailGP host city brought thousands of spectators to its waterfront and was preceded by an Invest in Valencia welcome event gathering around 200 representatives from the business and institutional ecosystem.
València has completed its first weekend as a host city for SailGP, one of the world’s leading high-speed sailing competitions, placing the city in the international spotlight both on and off the water.
Ahead of the racing weekend, Invest in Valencia hosted a welcome event on 4 September, bringing together around 200 representatives from the business and institutional ecosystem alongside members of the teams taking part in the competition.
With Los Gallos Spain SailGP Team taking centre stage, the event featured remarks from Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction at València City Council; José Vicente Morata, President of Cámara Valencia; Russell Coutts, CEO of SailGP; Antonio Alquezar, CEO of Los Gallos; and Luz Martínez Musoles, Director of Internacional Cámara Valencia.
Their contributions highlighted different strengths of València. Including its growing international profile, its connected business ecosystem and its ability to host major events with a global reach.
Turning international visibility into business connections
SailGP’s arrival in Valencia followed months of preparation and close engagement. As part of this process, the Invest in Valencia team followed the championship throughout the year and also travelled to Rio de Janeiro, one of SailGP’s previous host cities, to gain first-hand insight into how an event of this scale can connect sport, business and international visibility.
The welcome gathering in Valencia brought this momentum into the business sphere. Creating opportunities for companies, institutions and local and international stakeholders to meet and build new connections.
Initiatives of this kind are closely aligned with Invest in Valencia’s work to strengthen València’s positioning as an international business destination. Connect global companies with the local ecosystem and using major international events as platforms for new relationships and opportunities.
A successful debut with thousands of spectators
Following the business gathering, Marina Port Valencia hosted the Spain Sail Grand Prix Valencia on 5 and 6 September, with both days of racing sold out and thousands of spectators and visitors gathering along Valencia ‘s waterfront.
Thirteen teams competed aboard SailGP’s F50 catamarans, which can reach speeds of more than 100 kilometres per hour. With racing taking place close to shore, the Marina became one of the main meeting points throughout the weekend.
On the sporting side, Los Gallos delivered a strong performance on Saturday. Securing two race wins and a second-place finish to lead their group at the end of the opening day. Changing wind conditions on Sunday reshaped the competition and ultimately kept the Spanish team out of the final. The United States claimed the overall victory, ahead of Australia.
Valencia’s involvement with the championship will continue beyond this first edition. The city is part of a three-year agreement with SailGP, meaning the competition will return over the coming seasons. This long-term relationship creates further opportunities to strengthen the international profile of Valencia’s waterfront. Building connections between major global events, the business ecosystem and the city’s international positioning.
For Invest in Valencia, the first edition has also provided an opportunity to bring the international dimension of SailGP closer to companies and institutions. While generating new connections around a city with an increasingly visible presence on the global stage.
