Please select your home edition
Edition
GJW Direct 2024 Dinghy

Emirates GBR SailGP Team strikes sailing's first ever transfer fee deal for Driver Giles Scott

by Emirates GBR SailGP Team 3 Oct 08:31 BST 2 October 2024
Giles Scott, driver of Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, waves to the spectators as Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team cross the finish line to win the race on Race Day 2 of the ROCKWOOL Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax, Canada © Felix Diemer for SailGP

Emirates GBR Driver Giles Scott will join the Canada SailGP Team for the 2024/2025 Season, after the British team's CEO, Ben Ainslie, negotiated sailing's first ever transfer fee deal. Scott has signed a multi-year contract with the Canadian team and will make his debut at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix on 23-24 November.

The double Olympic gold medalist, who holds a Canadian passport and also won the Canadian Sail Grand Prix in June, will take over the Driver role from Phil Robertson. The move comes after Scott ended the 2023/2024 Season with three podium finishes in as many events with Emirates GBR.

Scott was handed the Driver role on-board the Emirates GBR F50 by Ainslie halfway through Season 4 in January 2024, joining a crew of sailing's top talent.

Alongside Scott was two-time Olympic champion Hannah Mills as Strategist, double Olympic medalist Iain Jensen as Wing Trimmer, Volvo Ocean Race winner Luke Parkinson as Flight Controller, Olympic rowing champion Matt Gotrel and America's Cup athletes Neil Hunter and Nick Hutton as Grinders as well as Athena Pathway's Hannah Diamond as Reserve Sailor.

With the support of a stellar line-up, Scott was able to develop quickly in the Driver role and banked the team's third win of the season at the Canadian Sail Grand Prix in Halifax, following on from the team's wins in Saint-Tropez and Taranto with Ben Ainslie as Driver.

Scott and Ainslie have a long history, competing with and against one another for the sport's greatest prizes. Ainslie taking the Finn class Olympic Gold medal in 2004, 2008 and 2012 with Scott taking the Gold in 2016 and 2021.

Ainslie said: "This is a great opportunity for Giles and therefore we support his move to the Canada SailGP Team. Giles did an excellent job as Driver of the Emirates GBR F50 and we are sure he will go on to achieve great things with the Canadian team. This is the first ever transfer fee deal in sailing, and it shows the level of the team's performance last season as well as the strength of the commercialisation of the League."

SailGP has confirmed the acquisition of the Canada SailGP Team by biotech entrepreneur, Dr. Greg Bailey. Ainslie said: "SailGP is one of the world's fastest growing sports leagues and to continue the upwards trajectory, continuity in our key markets is crucial. It's fantastic that Greg has come in to secure Team Canada's future in SailGP with a new management team and we look forward to welcoming Greg and the team to the League at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix."

Scott said: "It's been amazing sailing with a great bunch on-board Emirates GBR in Season 4, they're a great squad. It's some positive but sad news to say I'm leaving the British team to head to another country that's incredibly close to my heart. I'm making the move to the Canada SailGP Team. I'm really excited to make this step and I'm looking forward to some close racing against my good friends in the British team."

Emirates GBR will announce its crew line-up for the 2024/2025 Season in the coming weeks, with the team looking forward to kicking off the new season at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix on 23 and 24 November, as well as a return to home waters with the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix on 19 and 20 July 2025.

Related Articles

Emirates GBR runners-up in Dubai
On Driver Dylan Fletcher's debut event In his first event as Driver of the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, Dylan Fletcher has steered the team to a second place finish. The British crew battled New Zealand and the United States in the winner-takes-all podium final. Posted on 24 Nov
Dylan Fletcher drives Emirates GBR to third place
On Race Day 1 in Dubai Dylan Fletcher has driven the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team to third place on Race Day 1 in Dubai. It was Fletcher's first time racing in the Driver role for Ben Ainslie's British team, with the crew securing a result of 5-8-2. Posted on 23 Nov
Dylan Fletcher race ready for his return to SailGP
At the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas this weekend Dylan Fletcher is race ready for his return to SailGP, after taking on the Driver role for Ben Ainslie's Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix Team. Posted on 22 Nov
London teenager joins GBR SailGP Team
Kai Hockley selected by Sir Ben Ainslie as a development sailor A London teenager, Kai Hockley, from Tottenham, selected by Sir Ben Ainslie as a development sailor for his British sailing teams has joined the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team on-board their race boat for the first time. Posted on 21 Nov
Dylan Fletcher named Emirates GBR's new Driver
As Portsmouth revealed as location for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in 2025 The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team has named its new Driver as the Olympic gold medallist, America's Cup Helm and Moth World Champion Dylan Fletcher. Posted on 14 Nov
London teen joins Sir Ben Ainslie's sailing teams
Kai Hockley, 18, has been selected to join the development programme A London teenager has been selected by Sir Ben Ainslie to join the development programme for his British sailing teams. Posted on 31 Jul
Giles Scott signs off SailGP Season 4
With third podium finish and the Impact League trophy SailGP's Season 4 calendar has come to a dramatic conclusion at the Grand Final in San Francisco, with underdogs Spain securing the win in the three-boat final against Australia and New Zealand to take the $2m prize. Posted on 15 Jul
Giles Scott's crew in second place
After day one of the San Francisco Sail Grand Prix Giles Scott and the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team are second on the leaderboard of the San Francisco Sail Grand Prix after day one of racing in extremely testing conditions. Posted on 14 Jul
Emirates GBR Team crowned Impact League champions
Tracking the positive actions SailGP teams take to reduce their overall footprint A world first, the Impact League tracks the positive actions SailGP teams take to reduce their overall footprint and accelerate inclusivity in sailing. Posted on 13 Jul
Giles Scott secures second podium result
After finishing third at New York SailGP Giles Scott has secured his second podium result in as many events after placing third at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix. While Scott was hoping for a win on his birthday in New York, his Emirates GBR SailGP Team finished third in the US capital. Posted on 24 Jun