An international sailing event that made waves on the Halifax Harbour last weekend was a huge success for the city according to Frank Denis, Executive Director of Sail Nova Scotia.
In an interview with Acadia News, Denis says SailGP was so well received people travelled here from across Nova Scotia, Canada and the United States.
“It was overwhelming. It was absolutely wonderful,” explains Denis.
“It really generated so much interest in the city and the province. I’ve been seeing even until this weekend people still talking about it.”
June 20 and 21 tens of thousands flocked to Halifax’s waterfront to watch the competition that had 13, 50-foot catamarans racing across the harbour, reaching speeds up to 100km/h.
Denis says although it is still too soon for exact numbers, it was one of the best days ever for a SailGP event.
“In 2024 they sold about 2,000 tickets across a number of different areas,” explains Denis. “This year, they were over 5,000 per day. So, 10,000 in total.”
He says they expect to far exceed attendance numbers that tallied to about 50,000 in 2024.
“I think it’s going to be higher than that this year,” says Denis. “People knew about the event. They knew it was something they shouldn’t miss.”
Many, he adds, made an effort to stay in town and check it out.
“Just looking at some of the pictures that have been posted. Some balconies in 2024 were empty. Now, many of them were full overlooking the racecourse.”
‘Eighth wonder of the world”
New this year, was paid seating on recently constructed bleachers that are eight stories high.
Mayor Andy Fillmore referred to them as the “eighth wonder of the world.”
Denis says it was challenging to find a space for them, but they managed.
“Anybody who was in the grandstand said it was the best place to watch the racing,” explains Denis.
Why Halifax for an event like this?
This is the second time Halifax has hosted SailGP. The first was in 2024.
Denis says that it works so well here because the event takes place in the middle of downtown, instead of a few miles away like some other host cities.
“Here, the athletes are living in downtown hotels, the waterfront, you can see it from anywhere and everywhere.”
In addition to that, he says the culture here really makes a difference unlike like New York for example, where he says the event can get lost in “everything that’s going on.”
“Here, it was certainly the focus of attention, right across the province from Yarmouth to Cape Breton,” adds Denis. “People got excited about it.”
And crowds cheered loud.
“[The athletes] could literally hear the grandstand cheering every time the cross the finish line,” says Denis. “The Australians also said they could hear and feel the grandstands. You know, 4,000…5,000 people cheering them on.”
Momentum
The next SailGP in Halifax is just over 10 months away on May 15 and 16, 2027.
Denis says they are already hearing that hotels are seeing a significant jump in occupancy for that weekend.
“It’s a premier event,” explains Denis.
SailGP also really enjoys coming here, according to Denis, and the vibe and energy on the waterfront.
“That’s what SailGP is trying to get. What Sail Nova Scotia and every other government and stakeholder is trying to achieve.”
