The Top Spots to Stay Close to the Action During the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney

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There's sailing, and there's sailing. Most folks are familiar with a trip out over the water, the hum of a motor, the feel of the breeze and the billowing of a sail. It can be relaxing or a red-hot shot of adrenaline straight into the veins. The latter is sailing, not just the roll of the swell but the stinging sea spray, the groan of a sharp turn, and the deafening crack of a sail as it catches the wind. That's what Sail Grand Prix is all about.

February 2023 will see Sydney Harbour host the next leg of the world's most exciting sailing championship with the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney.

This event will bring together the best sailing athletes from nine countries to battle it out in F50 racing catamarans, twin-hull vessels that use cutting-edge engineering to move at speeds close to 100km/h. This is a global series and it's worth making the trip to see it in person while it's in town.

Here are the best ways to get up close to the action:

Bob Martin for SailGP

GENESIS ISLAND: LUXURY FRONT-ROW SEATS

Are you looking for the full SailGP spectator experience with the ultimate view and would prefer to stay on dry land? Genesis Island tickets put you in the centre of the action. Literally, the tiny island (which is actually on Shark Island just off Point Piper) is directly adjacent to the start line and finish line, smack bang in the middle of the course. It's as close as you can get without getting in the water. It's also going to be a party with luxury additions to the action and spectacle of the racing.

You can make the most of the day with a provided gourmet picnic hamper, open bars stocked with the good stuff, a DJ to keep the vibe optimised, live commentary and big-screen replays of the racing itself. These F50s are as long as a bus and, when you can win by inches, you need a big screen to break it down into tiny details. Mind you, if you're sitting that close you have a good chance you'll see it with your own eyes. A return ferry trip is included in the ticket so you'll get your own small slice of boat action.

Chris Elfes for SailGP

SPECTATOR BOATS: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Genesis Island is close but, as we noted, it's as close as you can get on dry land. There's one closer option: the official spectator boats. The critical difference is that you're on a boat inside the public exclusion zone. You'd be close enough to hear the crews talking to each other as they roar past. The spectator boat tickets offer two levels to the experience:

If you like a little bit of luxury to pair with the hefty serving of up-close action, then the on-water premium option is what you're after. This is the ultimate spectator experience, there are plenty of seats and outdoor viewing decks. And with the added benefit of canapés, a buffet and a sizeable selection of beer and wine included in your ticket, what's not to love?

If you like the sound of getting up close but don't feel the need for the other bells and whistles, you can still get an on-water ticket with access to purchasable snacks and drinks from the bar.

Phil Hillyard for SailGP

SAILGP VILLAGE: WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS

The SailGP Village is a different kind of central. The racing happens on the water but everything else happens right here. Barangaroo is the hosting location for the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney and it's the central location that all fan experiences depart from. But it's also going to be a hub for other event activities.

Wandering the village, you can seek out the beats of DJs, stay hydrated with a drink from the pop-up bar, get your hands on some SailGP merch and enjoy the special offers from local retailers. This is also the place for aspiring sailors and SailGP superfans – you can get a good look at the Australia Team F50, listen to Q&A sessions with the competing athletes and enjoy the F50 'fly by' parade.

David Callow for SailGP

TEAM BASE TOURS: PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN

If the magic of the racing isn't enough, the team base tour ticket offers an opportunity for you to peek behind the proverbial curtain. The racing is a concert, and the tour is more than just a backstage pass. You're practically in the dressing room. The 45-minute walk will take you into the pit lane garages where each team's boat crew and shore crew work on maintaining the beast that is the F50.

Your guide, a champion sailor or Olympian, will take you on tour to show what it takes to maintain cutting-edge vessels. Here's some trivia to get you started:

First developed in 2019, the F50 has become the one-design standard for all of SailGP and is exclusively built for that purpose. They're crewed by a team of five and are 15 metres long, eight metres wide, and 18-24 metres high.

Brett Costello for SailGP

SUPER FAN PASS: CHASE THE RACING AROUND THE WORLD

If you're a big fan of SailGP and looking for an excuse to travel, the answer is right in front of you. These are global events. Teams from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and the United States compete in 11 events in ten countries throughout the season. There are four still to come in 2023 and the Super Fan Pass includes access to three of them.

January 14-15 2023 is the first ever Singapore Sail Grand Prix and the year's first competition. The reigning Aussie champs are coming into it with a nine point lead, but team NZ could have what it takes to topple them. Following that is the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney from February 18-19, then the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix a month later in Christchurch, and then the grand final will take place in San Francisco in May. A Super Fan Pass gives you VIP access and exclusive perks to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand (or just the latter two) SailGPs.

The KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney will run from Saturday, February 18, to Sunday, February 19 2023. For more information on the event, the teams and the season so far, or to get tickets, head to the SailGP website.