SAILGP: Fans flock to Fremantle’s Bather’s Beach for action-packed festival of sailing

Fans and sailors alike have declared Fremantle’s inaugural SAILGP event a roaring success.

Event organisers promised a show, and that’s precisely what a packed Bather’s Beach in Fremantle was given as the fastest sport on water blew through town.

In fact, West Australian fans were so impressed that one said it rivalled his experience at 2024’s world-famous America’s Cup in Barcelona.

Australia’s Flying Roos were pipped for glory by arch-rivals Great Britain on the water, after launching a stunning Sunday fightback in another day of hair-raising action.

But few fans left the inaugural Fremantle Grand Prix without a smile as the festival of sailing went off without a hitch.

Plenty of AFL stars were in attendance, including recently reinstated Fremantle Dockers skipper Alex Pearce, the big defender’s long locks flowing in a breeze that hit upwards of 35km/h throughout the day.

Dockers forward Patrick Voss and Bailey Banfield were also around the grandstands while former West Coast Eagles champion Nic Naitanui formed a trio of giants alongside Luke Jackson and Dockers recruit Mason Cox.

Darby Lancaster from the Western Force was also in attendance.

Many fans packed onto the beach as the camera helicopters chopped up the air above them, some of the youngest fans even frolicking in the shallows between events.

The action on the water was a little less idyllic as the race crews, including the Flying Roos, hit speeds of more than 90km/h.

Long-time sailing fan Martin Pratt said he was thrilled with the quality of racing as well as the event itself, saying he hoped it would return again in 2027.

“It’s good to see so many people attending, and we hope to get it here again next year,” he told The West Australian.

“We were lucky enough to catch the America’s Cup in Spain, and that was quite offshore. You couldn’t see the boats unless you had binoculars.

“So this should attract a lot more attention from the spectators. The event itself, from a spectator’s view, is a little smaller, but that’s not to say it’s worse.

“What we’ve experienced so far has been great and probably better. You can feel the tension on the boats from the shore.”

His partner, Mally Rall, said the Fremantle Grand Prix would put Australia back on the sailing map.

“The sailing’s really exciting,” she said.

“It’s also important because it’s putting Australia back onto the international sailing map, which is really exciting.”

The Virtual Reality tent was packed while the simulators were getting plenty of use, with fans given the chance to experience the Fremantle course without braving the salty spray.

Fans packed onto rock walls, and passersby got so involved they pulled down marketing covers on the temporary fencing to watch the action.

Team Sweden driver, renowned Australian sailor Nathan Outteridge, declared Fremantle an “epic venue”.

“It’s a pretty epic venue,” he said post-race.

“The racing for sure is tight, there’s a good breeze and decent waves out there, so something that I think most of the sailors haven’t experienced on an F50 before.

“Normally, we’re in flat water venues, and so Andy Maloney was saying to me that it was intense today, and it definitely felt intense.

“I think it’s a great venue and pretty cool to kick off the season in such epic conditions.”