Perth will stage the opening event of SailGP Season 6 in January, marking the first time the championship has raced in Western Australia. The fleet heads to Fremantle's Bathers Beach and out onto the Indian Ocean, where conditions offer little in the way of subtlety. The Freo Doctor rolls in reliably around midday and builds quickly, typically settling in the high teens before pushing beyond 20 knots.
The final event of 2025 in Abu Dhabi left neither of the top two finalists satisfied with their own execution. Australia showed genuine pace across the weekend yet struggled to maintain control once the margins tightened. New Zealand remained competitive throughout the final but could not lift themselves beyond Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, who sailed with greater consistency and discipline when the race broke open.
The closing rounds of last season also shifted the balance within the fleet. With the leading teams focused on managing risk and protecting their paths to the final, space opened up for others. Several crews closed out results under genuine pressure and carried that confidence through the final rounds. Those gains will not be easily surrendered.
Season 6 also brings a fresh entry to the start line. Artemis SailGP Team arrives with an experienced group and none of the baggage that comes with a previous campaign. How quickly their cohesion develops will be a key question, but nothing about their profile suggests a cautious approach to racing.
Perth offers little time to settle. The breeze builds early, the sea state follows, and errors are costly. Every team arrives carrying unresolved form from Abu Dhabi, and Fremantle's conditions will demand answers once racing begins.
