Star reveal: Sebastian Vettel and Mbappé rock Sassnitz at SailGP!

Star reveal: Sebastian Vettel and Mbappé rock Sassnitz at SailGP!

In a few days, the harbor town of Sassnitz on Rügen will be the scene of an exciting and glamorous event that will delight not only sailing enthusiasts. The starting signal for the premiere of the SailGP in Germany will be given on August 16th and 17th, 2025, and it will feature an illustrious line-up. The participants include not only celebrities like Sebastian Vettel and Kylian Mbappé, but also Hollywood stars like Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman. The event is part of an international racing league that aims to establish sailing as a spectator sport, reports Ostseewelle.

Around 20,000 visitors are expected to watch the exciting competitions from the port. Spectators can expect an exciting format that will be held with state-of-the-art F50 catamarans. These boats, based on America's Cup technology, can reach speeds of over 100 km/h. A fast race, ideal for television broadcast - a race duration of 12 to 15 minutes makes it particularly exciting.

The Germany SailGP team and its challenges

The Germany SailGP Team, founded in the last two years and led by Erik Kosegarten-Heil, still faces the challenge of improving its position in the current season. They currently sit 11th but have an unpleasant list of penalty points due to training collisions. The aim is to make an exclamation mark in Sassnitz and to inspire the spectators.

The eventual involvement of Kylian Mbappé has caused additional excitement, especially since he has invested in the French team organization. The attractiveness of the format is also underlined by the participation of Olympic medalists and world champions, which gives the sport an additional glamor.

SailGP – A competition with global reach

Since its founding in 2019, SailGP has quickly developed into an internationally sought-after high-speed racing circuit. With the current season, in which twelve teams from different nations are taking part, a total of 12 million US dollars in prize money will be distributed. Participating teams must budget up to $10 million each year. What is particularly notable is that the licensing costs for team participation are now more than three times the original cost and are expected to be between $60 and $70 million for the coming season.

While the teams set new records at full speed, such as the 99.94 km/h achieved by France in Saint-Tropez, the responsibility for social and environmental commitments cannot be neglected. In the growing “Impact League,” which places emphasis on such activities, there is also a fight for points and prize money.

The event in Sassnitz is not only a showcase for speed and skill in sailing, but also a cultural highlight. ZDF will broadcast the race excerpts live, and Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig has taken over the patronage. On August 14th, Sebastian Vettel will honor the winning crews, giving the event an extra festive touch.

The demand for the state-of-the-art catamarans and the enthusiasm for the excitement of the competition make it clear that sailing is very popular these days. And so it remains to be seen how the Germany SailGP team will fare at this important regatta milestone in their own country.