Shorts: SailGP, Chris Woakes, Extreme E
SailGP, the climate-focused global boat racing league, has unveiled its final Season 4 calendar, comprising 12 events, across four continents, over 13 months.
Season 4 will start in June in Chicago and culminate once again in a spectacular Grand Final event on San Francisco Bay on 13th and 14th July, 2024.
The latest series will have an increased focus on the US with races New York and LA in addition to the Chicago opener. The league will also cross the Atlantic for the European leg of the Season 4 calendar which includes races in Saint Tropez, France, starting with the iconic riviera destination of Saint-Tropez, France, Taranto, Southern Italy and Cádiz in Spain.
Season 4 continues on the 13th and 14th January, 2024 with the Middle East Sail Grand Prix. While the location and title partner will be announced in May, the event will take place for a second time in UAE after a successful Season 3 debut.
Other locations include Sydney, UAE, Bermuda, and Canada with Singapore being dropped from the schedule.
Andy Thompson, Managing Director of SailGP, said, “The fact that we are again expanding our season from 11 to 12 events, and now have many multi-year agreements in place, shows the continued demand to host events and the strong momentum the league continues to experience.
“The impressive array of global locations and wide range of event title partners – with more to be announced soon – is great news for our passionate fans and partners alike and is further evidence of the growth and appeal our sport has on a global scale. It is amazing to see how far we have come since our inaugural Season launched in 2019 with just five events.”
England cricketer Chris Woakes has signed with GRiT Sports Management.
Woakes, who has just completed touring with England’s one-day and T20 teams in Bangladesh represents England in all formats of the game and plays for Warwickshire County Cricket Club in the domestic game.
In domestic cricket Woakes represents Warwickshire, and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues, including for Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
Woakes will now be represented by multi-sports agency GRiT Sports Management for all commercial matters.
Chris Woakes commented, “I have a great relationship with Robbie Clarke at GRiT, so signing with them ahead of a busy summer of cricket was an easy decision.
I am looking forward to training and playing for The Bears and hopefully put in some good early performances and get myself in the reckoning for the Ashes.”
Electric off-road racing championship Extreme E has announced the appointment of Peter Gallagher as its new Commercial Director.
With over 12 years in the sports industry, Gallagher has worked in a variety of business development roles at the likes of Manchester City FC, IRONMAN and, most recently, as Head of Partnership Development at Arsenal FC
Gallagher commented, “I am thrilled to be joining Extreme E in the newly created Commercial Director role with the remit to help take the series to the next level targeting new race locations and even more industry-leading partnerships. I am looking forward to working with our stellar roster of current partners, those who are yet to join the family, and the whole Extreme E team to help push the agenda for environmental sustainability, equality and innovation forward.”
The National Football League has announced the appointment of Lamonte Winston as Head of the NFL Academy in the UK.
Winston is recognised as an industry-leading coach and player development expert and has previously held roles with the Kansas City Chiefs as Executive Director of Player Development, and formerly the Oakland Raiders as Director of Player Engagement.
The NFL Academy, based at Loughborough’s world-renowned center of sporting excellence, offers talented student athletes aged 16-19 a pathway to combine their full-time education alongside a transformative life skills program and intensive training in the sport, under the guidance of a professional coaching team.
