In five seasons, SailGP has brought together the very best at flying sailing yachts.
If flying sailing yachts were represented by a country, SailGP would be the capital. The America’s Cup might cast a shadow now and then, but Russell Coutts’s Championship is clearly stealing the limelight when it comes to racing foiling yachts. With Peter Burling (NZL), Diego Botin (ESP), Tom Slingsby (AUS), and Hannah Mills (GBR), the twelve national teams have attracted some of the biggest names in sailing. Not only is this due to the generous prize money policy – over 12 million dollars awarded last year – but to the circuit’s savvy communication teams who have successfully engaged the right audience.
Like all motorsports, one-design racing focuses on human skills and talent. Every team must build the best crew to support their driver. And this is now the case. With backgrounds in Olympic boats like the 49er, or foiling dinghies like the Moth, most SailGP sailors have now logged more hours flying than actually sailing. The skippers show the composure of Formula 1 drivers, the strategists make split-second decisions, the trimmers manage the precision of flight, and the grinders produce phenomenal power while constantly in motion on an unsteady platform. Competitive sailing has become ten times faster in just a few years. Sailors are redefining a time-honoured profession through SailGP. They are building new skills and studying vast amounts of data to perfect their techniques. The Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix Geneva will be hosting the very best in the class, from 20 to 21 September. Here are the teams to watch.
