The Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix marks a historic milestone as the first-ever South American hydrofoil catamaran event in the SailGP championship. Taking place on April 11–12, 2026, on the iconic waters of Guanabara Bay, the event serves as the fourth stop of the 2026 Season. Set against the backdrop of Sugarloaf Mountain, the Grand Prix is expected to draw over 8,000 spectators to witness high-speed F50 catamarans competing just meters from the shore. The event is particularly significant for the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, as two-time Olympic champion Martine Grael—the league’s first female driver—makes her competitive debut on home waters alongside her brother, Marco Grael.
Key Event Highlights
- Historic Debut: This is SailGP’s first foray into South America, bringing stadium-style racing to Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay.
- The Home Team: The Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, led by Martine Grael, will compete for the first time in front of a home crowd.
- Olympic Rivalries: The event features a reunion-turned-rivalry between former gold-medal partners Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (now racing for ROCKWOOL Denmark).
- High Stakes: Teams are competing for a record-breaking $12.8 million season prize purse, with individual event winners taking home $400,000.
- Current Standings: Entering the Rio event, Emirates Great Britain leads the championship (28 pts), followed by Australia (25 pts), with the USA and France tied for third (20 pts).
- Schedule & Broadcast: Racing begins at 3:00 PM local time (BRT) on both Saturday and Sunday. In Brazil, fans can watch live via Globo and BandSports.
- Premium Experience: The event introduces the “VELA Beach Club,” a new premium hospitality offering for fans looking for a chic waterside social scene.
TSN has solidified its role as the exclusive Canadian home for SailGP through a two-year broadcast extension covering the 2026 and 2027 seasons. This partnership ensures that Canadian fans have comprehensive access to every race of the championship, which is particularly significant this year as the league prepares for the Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax this June. For the upcoming Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix, TSN will provide live coverage of both race days, supplemented by video-on-demand replays and highlights on TSN+ and RDS for French-language viewers.
TSN Broadcast & Partnership Details
- Exclusive Rights: TSN is the sole broadcaster for SailGP in Canada for the next two seasons, providing a consistent “home” for the sport.
- Rio Event Times: * Saturday, April 11 (Day 1): Live coverage at 2:00 PM ET (consistent with the 3:00 PM BRT start in Rio).
- Sunday, April 12 (Day 2): Live coverage at 2:00 PM ET.
- Multi-Platform Access: Races are broadcast across TSN’s national television feeds, with streaming and additional content available on the TSN+ app.
- National Focus: The broadcast highlights the NorthStar SailGP Team (Canada), led by Giles Scott, as they attempt to climb from their current mid-pack standing.
- Enhanced Content: Beyond live racing, the partnership includes dedicated highlights and “in-depth storytelling” to introduce Canadian audiences to the athletes and technology behind the F50 catamarans.
- Halifax Showcase: TSN’s coverage will peak on June 20–21, when the championship heads to Halifax for Canada’s featured home event.
The 2026 SailGP season broadcast on TSN features a 13-event global tour. Following the early season swing through Oceania, the league makes its South American debut this weekend before heading into a dense North American and European summer schedule.
2026 SailGP Broadcast Schedule (TSN)
| Event | Location | Dates (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 01: Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix | Perth, Australia | Jan 17–18 |
| 02: ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland, New Zealand | Feb 14–15 |
| 03: KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix | Sydney, Australia | Feb 28 – Mar 1 |
| 04: Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Apr 11–12 |
| 05: Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix | Bermuda | May 9–10 |
| 06: Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix | New York, USA | May 30–31 |
| **07: Canada Sail Grand Prix | Halifax** | Halifax, Canada |
| 08: Emirates GBR Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth, UK | July 25–26 |
| 09: ROCKWOOL Germany Sail Grand Prix | Sassnitz, Germany | Aug 22–23 |
| 10: European Sail Grand Prix | Spain (TBC) | Sept 5–6 |
| 11: Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix | Geneva, Switzerland | Sept 19–20 |
| 12: Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix | Dubai, UAE | Nov 21–22 |
| 13: Season Grand Final | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Nov 28–29 |
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Key Event Details
- The Canadian Highlight: The Halifax event in June is considered the “showcase event” for Canadian fans and will feature expanded coverage as the NorthStar SailGP Team races on home waters.
- Rio Coverage: This weekend’s racing in Brazil is scheduled for 2:00 PM ET (3:00 PM local BRT) on both Saturday and Sunday across TSN’s national feeds.
- Consistency: Most events will air live on TSN or TSN2, with 24/7 access to highlights and full race replays available via the TSN+ digital streaming service.
- Prize Money: The broadcast frequently highlights the stakes, as teams vie for a portion of the $12.8 million total prize purse, the largest in professional sailing history.
Visit SailGP Rio page for more information.
