The Rolex SailGP Championship
A water sport for both leisure and competition, sailing is a popular activity worldwide. It’s a sport that requires top performance of both mind and body as sailors work with the elements and their boats to achieve their best. Competitive sailors must be alert to changing physical circumstances and strategize accordingly. Differing weather conditions, wind speeds and directions, tides and other factors are all taken into account to achieve maximum speed.
Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf crafted his watches not only to keep accurate time but to do so in extreme physical conditions. He made the world’s first waterproof watch, the Oyster, in 1926, and to this day Rolex remains the top producer of waterproof timepieces. The Rolex Oyster Yacht-Master, launched in 1992, is specifically designed for skippers and navigators.
“SailGP champions a world Powered by Wind, Powered by Sun and Powered by Water, because we believe sport has the power to change the world” said SailGP Chief Purpose Officer Fiona Morgan. “At SailGP we love a challenge, and we see every obstacle as an opportunity to innovate and collaborate, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.” These values align with those of Mr. Wilsdorf, whose unending quest for excellence pushed the boundaries of watchmaking.
Chicago, CD Peacock’s hometown since 1837, had the honor of hosting the first race of SailGP’s Season Four, and was also a race host for Season Three. Our location on the shores of Lake Michigan provides an ideal setting for the competition. Please read on to discover more about the SailGP championship.
Rolex is Title Partner and Official Timepiece of the Rolex SailGP Championship, a regatta circuit contested by some of the fastest sailing craft in the world. It is raced on seas worldwide, on F50 foiling catamarans that seem to take flight across the water.
Innovation at the service of performance
Crews comprising some of the best sailors. Identical catamarans, with foils and a rigid wingsail, capable of reaching 50 knots, or nearly 100 km/h. Spectacular races that last 15 minutes at most. A season organized on the seas of five continents. Launched in 2019, the SailGP circuit has redefined the world of competitive sailing, utilizing innovative, continuously optimized catamarans. These flying yachts bear the colors of the countries they represent and embody the present and future of the sport.
The SailGP Championship has also generated the Impact League, the Women’s Pathway program and SailGP Inspire, initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and diversity in the yachting world.
Tom Slingsby – Rolex Testimonee
A master of many classes
Tom Slingsby is arguably Australia’s most successful and sought-after sailor. A 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist, he is a three-time Rolex World Sailor of the Year and three-time winner of SailGP as chief executive officer and helm of Team Australia.
His talents extend to being at the helm of line-honors winning crews in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
Tom Slingsby wears a Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium.
Sir Ben Ainslie – Rolex Testimonee
The gold standard in regatta racing
With four gold medals and one silver, Sir Ben Ainslie achieved the outstanding feat of claiming a medal in the five consecutive Olympic Games in which he competed.
The British sailor races for the Royal Yacht Squadron, with which Rolex has partnered since the 1980s, and is chief executive officer of the Great Britain team competing in the SailGP Championship.
Ainslie is an America’s Cup winner, having served as tactician for Oracle Team USA in its 2013 defeat of Emirates Team New Zealand.
Sir Ben Ainslie wears a Yacht-Master 42.
Hannah Mills – Rolex Testimonee
Committed to inclusion
With two gold medals and one silver, Hannah Mills is among the most successful women sailors in Olympic Games history. Winner of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year award in 2016 and 2021, she holds the position of tactician in the Great Britain SailGP crew.
Off the water, Mills is a committed campaigner for her sport. A SailGP ambassador for sustainable development and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) sustainability ambassador, she is also a co-founder of Athletes of the World, campaigning for positive impact around climate change.
Mills is highly committed to the inclusion of women in sailing. In 2022, with fellow Rolex Testimonee Sir Ben Ainslie, she launched Athena Pathway to fast-track the development of youth and female sailors in high-performance competition and bring diversity to the sport.
Hannah Mills wears a Yacht-Master 37.
Martine Grael – Rolex Testimonee
Making history
Brazilian sailor Martine Grael is making history as the first female helm in SailGP with the newly established Brazil team in 2025 Season.
Born into a family of sailors and inspired by her father – renowned yachtsman Torben Grael – she began sailing as a youngster on Guanabara Bay where diverse wind patterns honed her adaptability, skill and competitive spirit. Aged just 22, she was named the 2014 Rolex World Sailor of the Year. Two years later in Rio, she won the first of two Olympic gold medals in the 49er FX class, repeating the feat in Tokyo in 2021.
Grael also showed her versatility and endurance when competing offshore in the grueling 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race, further cementing her reputation as one of the world’s most complete sailors.
Rolex and Yachting
A partnership going the distance
Yacht clubs, renowned sailors, iconic offshore races and some of the most celebrated regattas. For almost 70 years, Rolex has forged strong relationships with the world of yachting. A prominent yacht racing partner, the brand shares the common pursuit of excellence and a passion for premium performance with custodians of the sport’s enduring spirit.
Visit CD Peacock to Discover the World of Rolex
At CD Peacock, we have been doing our best for our customers since our founding in 1837. As Chicago’s leading jeweler, we have been a proud Official Rolex Jeweler for over two decades. We look forward to welcoming you to our new Mansion at Oakbrook Center and our Woodfield Mall location to discover the Yacht-Master and the World of Rolex. Both of our stores carry the full range of Rolex timepieces and are staffed by Rolex-trained sales associates. As an Official Rolex Jeweler, we are the only retailers allowed to sell Rolex watches. With the necessary skills and technical know-how, we can help you make the choice of a lifetime.
Our Rolex sales associates can help guide you to the Rolex that’s perfect for you, whether you have a specific timepiece in mind or would like to explore the full Rolex collection. Our sales associates are delighted to share their passion for Rolex watches, both with longstanding collectors and those discovering the brand for the first time.
Rolex watches are designed and built to last and are often passed down as heirlooms from generation to generation. While Rolex watches are crafted to stand the test of time, occasional service is recommended to keep the watch at its top performance. An important part of being an Official Rolex Jeweler is offering a full range of services for Rolex timepieces. Our certified Rolex watchmakers are on-site to perform a range of services from a strap change or bracelet adjustment to a more thorough mechanical overhaul.
