Star Sailors League

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Star Sailors League (SSL) is a Swiss-based organization that runs three main activities in inshore sailing: the SSL Global Ranking, the SSL Finals, and the SSL Gold Cup. Founded in 2013, SSL emphasizes that the athletes are the “stars,” not the boats.

What SSL does
- Global inshore sailing circuit that brings together sailors from many classes.
- From 2019, it introduced a weekly, world-wide ranking inspired by the ATP tennis ranking.
- Each season ends with the SSL Finals, where the world’s top skippers compete for prize money.
- Every two years, the SSL Gold Cup brings together the best nations to compete for the title.

Key components
- SSL Global Ranking: a single, accessible ranking that complements class-specific rankings and helps promote sailors and the sailing season. It aimed to include many thousands of athletes and serves as a public overview of inshore sailing.
- SSL Finals: annual event where the top skippers in the ranking race for the circuit title.
- SSL Gold Cup: a biennial world cup of nations, with identical boats and training provided to all teams.

How it works
- The SSL Ranking collects results from a wide range of inshore events. The best sailors qualify for the annual SSL Finals.
- The SSL Nations Ranking identifies the strongest sailing nations, updated monthly.
- The Gold Cup brings together 40 teams: the world’s top 24 sailing nations plus 16 teams from a qualifying series. All teams race the same SSL47 boats, with training provided free of charge.

COVID-19 adjustments and rules
- SSL temporarily adjusted some “Time Validity Points” rules during the pandemic (2020–2023) to keep the rankings fair.
- As of August 1, 2023, the standard time-validity rules began returning to normal.

Governance and people
- Headquarters: Administration in Yverdon, Switzerland; sport operations in Grandson, Switzerland.
- Board and key people include SSL President Xavier Rohart and other directors and notable sailors who contribute to its direction.
- SSL is operated by the Sailing Athletes Foundation and affiliated with World Sailing, the sport’s global governing body.

The Gold Cup and recognition
- The SSL Gold Cup is recognized by World Sailing as an official World Cup of Nations.
- Launched officially in 2019, the event was planned to crown the best nation in sailing. The first finals were held in late 2022 (originally scheduled for 2021) and continued with the Canary Islands finals planned for late 2023.
- The finals feature 40 teams, using uniform boats and with extensive preparation provided to all participants.

Summary
SSL is a global inshore sailing circuit that centers on athletes, not boats. It runs the world’s top inshore ranking, an annual finals event, and a biennial World Cup of Nations, all designed to showcase the sport and its best sailors on a consistent, elite stage.