Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix
LS Events was proud to be appointed as the local operator for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix 2025, a spectacular return to UK waters for one of the world's most exciting racing leagues. Tipped as the largest spectator sailing event in the UK, the two-day race welcomed approximately 20,000 ticketed fans to Southsea Common, Portsmouth, for a unique blend of high-speed elite competition and vibrant "Après-Sail" culture.
LS Events collaborated directly with the SailGP Global team to provide a comprehensive, end-to-end solution over the two-day race weekend, and a five-day training camp across eight distinct sites, with a 44-person team. We harnessed our full suite of event experience to deliver comprehensive Project Management, Safety, On-Water Management, Technical Production, and Overlay & Venue Design.
This complex delivery was a masterclass in scale, logistics, and precision, showcasing our unparalleled ability to execute world-class sporting events.
The Challenge: Unprecedented Ambition
After a three-year hiatus, SailGP sought to make the Portsmouth race its most ambitious event to date: the largest SailGP event ever and the largest spectator sailing event in the UK. This vision demanded an agency that was unfazed by complexity and could lead on multiple, critical workstreams.
LS Events was tasked with a colossal operation that included:
Delivering a world-class experience for over 20,000 spectators across a complex, multi-site footprint.
The design and execution of the UK’s largest integrated grandstand, stage, scaffolding, and hospitality structure, requiring the seamless coordination of five different specialist companies.
Flawlessly orchestrating a vast network of stakeholders, including the Royal Navy, marine police, and the King’s Harbour Master, across land, sea, and air.
Massively scaling the delivery team from the initially proposed size to a 44-person operational force to meet the event's demands.
LS Events’ Solution: Excellence in Execution
As the local operator, LS Events harnessed its full suite of expertise to deliver beyond all expectations, creating a calm, professional, and trustworthy atmosphere from planning through project closing.
Innovation in Venue Design & Overlay Execution
Our team proved its pioneering capability by managing the execution of the UK’s largest integrated spectator structure. This intricate build required bringing together five different companies under our direct management, showcasing our logistical expertise and overlay leadership. We maximised spectator space on the waterfront, even with site constraints, ensuring as many people as possible could witness the action.
Defining Industry Standards
Beyond delivery, LS Events demonstrated leadership and a commitment to global excellence. We provided a vital piece of support to the frequently travelling SailGP team by producing a Space and Commodities Index. This index standardised every structure and service on-site, a knowledge-transfer initiative that will now help SailGP onboard other local teams globally, setting a new benchmark for operational consistency across the entire league.