The racing groups for Dubai are out, and the draw has handed Grand Final contenders Emirates GBR and the United States a shared group, and a shared headache.
SailGP's 13-boat fleet has been split into Group A and Group B, with teams slotted in via the ABBAA seeding system based on where they currently sit in the standings.
For Emirates GBR and the United States, there's a lot riding on this one. Both need to top Group A and reach Dubai's four-boat Final to bank the maximum points on offer, keeping their Grand Final hopes alive.
Standing in their way is Nathan Outteridge's Artemis, who sit in the wider battle for that final Grand Final berth. Artemis, though, have been drawn into Group B, not Group A, so the direct head to head will have to wait.
It's tight at the top of that qualification race. Just six points separate Artemis in third, the United States in fourth and Emirates GBR in fifth.
Group A is no easy passage either way. Diego Botin's Los Gallos, already through to the Grand Final, will also be chasing top spot in the group, with NorthStar, the Black Foils (winners in Dubai last season), Explora Journeys Swiss and Germany by Deutsche Bank for company.
Over in Group B, BONDS Flying Roos lead the way as both season leaders and confirmed Grand Final qualifiers, a daunting presence for Artemis to deal with. Outteridge's team will also have to get past ROCKWOOL Racing, DS Automobiles Team France, Red Bull Italy and Mubadala Brazil.
Brazil and Italy are already out of Grand Final contention this season. There's nothing left to play for on that front, but Dubai still matters to them as a springboard into their 2027 campaigns.
Spoilers, perhaps.
The top two from each group go through to the winner-takes-all Final, where the event title will be decided on the water.
The Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by DP World runs 21 to 22 November. A week later, the 2026 Champion will be crowned at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix Season Grand Final, held 28 to 29 November.
