SailGP Has Arrived in the Solent, With the Challenges That Come With It
However, when SailGP's catamarans race there Saturday and Sunday, that will be steps beyond tradition. Baby steps, not.
The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix at Portsmouth is the seventh of 12 stops for SailGP in 2025, and the Solent stands out for its challenges and its lore.
Of the Solent and its relevance to sport, Ben Ainslie, the chief executive of the British SailGP Team, offered a succinct thought: 'The Solent is to sailing what the Old Course at St. Andrews is to golf,' he said.
And add Wimbledon to tennis, and Silverstone to Formula 1.
In an interview in June, Ainslie recalled his introduction to the Solent 'as a 10-year-old at a kids' regatta, when I somehow won a ride on an ocean racer.'
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There can often be a cyclical criticism between 'people who know the game' and 'those who know how to run a successful business' when discussing those within the boardroom, but the evidence shows that having a background within football is not always a precursor to working within the industry. As a further example, Aston Villa's director of football operations, Damian Vidagany, worked as a journalist in his early career before taking a role as Valencia's chief media officer and later becoming chief executive of DV7, a media agency founded by former Spain international David Villa. Working alongside Monchi, the renowned sporting director who is now Villa's president of football operations, Vidagany is regarded as one of Unai Emery's most trusted colleagues as the club aims to re-establish itself among Europe's elite. 'My role allows Monchi to be focused on the sporting and scouting side of football, creating and developing a strong network of scouts,' Vidagany said in 2023. 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Yahoo
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