SailGP Championship: All you need to know about the teams competing in Season 5

New York Times

12-03-2025

As SailGP heads to Los Angeles this weekend for the fourth grand prix of the season, The Athletic takes a look at all the teams competing in Season 5 of a competition often referred to as 'Formula 1 on the water'.
Can Spain prove that winning the championship last season was no fluke? Or will three-time champion Australia come back to dominate once again? And can the all-American U.S. team bounce back from a disappointing start?
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To recap on the season so far, click here, while our all-encompassing guide to the sport can be found here.
The Australia SailGP Team, helmed by the ever-determined Tom Slingsby, has long been the gold standard in the league, winning the championship in the opening three seasons. Aggressive and precise, the Flying Roos are the team to beat, though last season's defeat to Spain in the Grand Final ended their dominant streak. Now, the question is whether Australia can reassert its authority or whether cracks are beginning to show.
Slingsby, a relentless competitor, remains at the helm, steering a world-class crew that includes Chris Draper, Jason Waterhouse, Sam Newton, Kinley Fowler, Nina Curtis, and Natasha Bryant. This season saw a significant shift in the team dynamic with the departure of Kyle Langford, their long-time wing trimmer, who was lured to the new Italian team by its CEO, Jimmy Spithill. In his place, British sailor Chris Draper has stepped in and early signs suggest he is every bit as solid as Langford.
The Flying Roos have looked strong so far this season, winning the Auckland event by holding off Spain in the final. However, there have been signs of vulnerability. Australia failed to make the podium in Dubai and, in Sydney, despite reaching the final, the Aussies were put on the back foot by a late penalty call from the umpires. It was a painful moment to see Great Britain take victory on Sydney Harbour. While Australia's starting precision (often hitting the line within two to three meters) remains a key strength, Slingsby's aura of invincibility has taken a hit.
Now in its third season, the Canada SailGP Team is undergoing a transformation. The biggest change is the steady and reliable Briton Giles Scott taking the helm, replacing the cavalier Kiwi Phil Robertson. Scott, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, previously stepped in for Ben Ainslie as helmsman for Britain before making the switch to Canada. His arrival signals a new direction for the team, with a focus on long-term development and consistency.
While he doesn't attack the race course with the same flair as Robertson, Scott is settling in well and the early results are promising. In Sydney, Canada reached the final and looked poised for victory, leading for much of the race before being overtaken on the upwind leg by Britain. While Scott was pleased with a runner-up finish ahead of Australia, he knew Canada had missed an opportunity for a big win in Sydney.
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Scott aside, the team is built around a core of homegrown Canadian talent, including flight controller Billy Gooderham, strategists Annie Haeger and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance, and grinders Tim Hornsby, Jareese Finch, and Tom Ramshaw. However, the squad's lack of depth was exposed in Auckland when an injury to Gooderham left the team unable to compete on the second day due to the absence of a backup flight controller. To truly challenge for the title, Canada will need to bolster its squad and turn promising performances into outright wins.
With Ainslie stepping back from the helm to focus on his role as CEO, the Great Britain SailGP Team is now driven by Dylan Fletcher, an Olympic gold medalist and America's Cup helmsman. It's a transition that could have unsettled the squad, but instead, Fletcher is proving to be an inspired choice. His natural feel for the F50, especially in both light and strong winds, has helped keep Britain consistently at the sharp end of the fleet.
So far this season, Britain has been the only team to get on the podium in all three events. The highlight has been Sydney, where Fletcher led the team to victory in a tense final, holding off Canada in the closing stages. He admitted the win was 'a little stressful,' but described it as a massive moment for the team.
Another key factor in Britain's success has been Fletcher's strong working relationship and clear mutual trust with strategist Hannah Mills, another Olympic champion. With a crew stacked with experience and muscle, including Olympic gold medalist Iain Jensen on wing trim, Luke Parkinson as flight controller and Neil Hunter and Nick Hutton on the grinding pedestals, the team looks well-balanced, confident and will be serious contenders for the overall title.
The France SailGP Team, one of the original six in the league, has shown moments of brilliance under the leadership of Quentin Delapierre, although inconsistency remains its Achilles heel. Known for aggressive starts and strong performances in wild, breezy conditions, Les Bleus have proven they can challenge the best when firing on all cylinders.
The biggest near-miss came in San Francisco last season, where Les Bleus were arguably the form team, outperforming both New Zealand and Australia. A costly error and crash denied France a shot at the Grand Final, marking the second consecutive season it had missed out on the ultimate showdown.
The team, managed by Bruno Dubois, maintains close ties to France's America's Cup efforts, with a data-driven approach to racing that helps maximize performance. France's analytical strengths, combined with natural speed in breezy conditions, make Les Bleus a dangerous team in the right circumstances. Les Bleus now need to start turning flashes of brilliance into sustained success.
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As one of the newer teams in SailGP, the German team entered the league with ambition. However, the journey has been anything but smooth. Led by Erik Heil, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist in the 49er skiff class, the Germans have embraced the challenge of high-speed racing, although progress has stalled after early signs of promise.
This season has been particularly rough. In Sydney, the campaign hit rock bottom with a disastrous weekend, marred by penalty issues and an incident in practice when Germany collided with Brazil, resulting in a 12-point penalty. The team recorded the highest number of penalties in a single event — a clear sign of its struggles racing in such a high-traffic environment. A third-place finish in the final fleet race was a morale boost after such a bruising weekend on Sydney Harbour.
The team does boast serious talent, with Stuart Bithell, an Olympic gold medalist, on wing trim. With the experienced SailGP driver Phil Robertson sitting on the sidelines, it seems a solid move to have brought in the ebullient Kiwi as team coach. Supported by team owners Thomas Riedel and Formula One great Sebastian Vettel, as well as major backing from Deutsche Bank, Germany has the resources to improve. Right now, the team remains a work in progress, struggling to find its rhythm in a fiercely competitive fleet.
The Brazil SailGP Team has already made history as the first South American team in the competition, as well as the first to have a female driver, Martine Grael. A double Olympic champion and one of Brazil's most accomplished sailors, Grael brings exceptional natural talent and a 'seat-of-the-pants' style to the wheel. But transitioning from high-performance dinghy racing to the structured, data-driven world of F50 racing has been a steep learning curve for this instinctive sailor.
As you'd expect for a new team, Brazil has struggled in the early events. The Sydney campaign was overshadowed by a practice collision with Germany, which resulted in a four-point penalty. While there have been flashes of competitiveness, including a fifth-place finish in one race, the team remains inconsistent and questions linger over whether Grael can adapt to the tactical and technical demands of SailGP.
Brazil's lineup features some experienced names from the America's Cup, including New Zealander Andy Maloney as flight controller and Briton Leigh McMillan on wing trim. But the introduction of new T-foils across the fleet appears to have negated some of the advantages veteran sailors might have been expected to bring. The biggest challenge for Brazil will be team cohesion and structured decision-making. SailGP demands rapid coordination between crew members and Brazil currently looks like a disparate group of talented individuals.
The New Zealand SailGP Team, led by the formidable duo of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, has firmly established itself as one of the sport's elite. With deep ties to the America's Cup, the Kiwis have been a consistent force, always in the mix, alongside Australia and Britain at the top of the leaderboard. However, this season has exposed some new vulnerabilities. Early signs suggest Maloney is much missed by his fellow Kiwis.
Despite winning in Dubai, the Black Foils struggled at home in Auckland, narrowly missing the final, a disappointment given the high expectations on home waters. Several factors have been suggested for the inconsistency: possible fatigue for Burling and Tuke after winning their third America's Cup last October, concerns around flight control with Leo Takahashi stepping into Maloney's vacant seat, and technical issues with the F50 that may have disrupted the usual rhythm. Some in the paddock have speculated that coaching adjustments, or even a flight control change, could be on the horizon, with the team needing to lean more on simulator work and data analysis to regain its edge.
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With all that said, New Zealand sits fourth overall and is tied on points with third-placed Spain. Other teams would happily swap their own problems with the Kiwis' job list. One or two minor adjustments could yet see the Black Foils back on song and rejoining the top tier currently occupied by Britain and Australia.
The Italy SailGP Team is the newest addition to the fleet, but with Spithill pulling the strings, the team has already commanded attention. A two-time America's Cup-winning skipper, the 45-year-old decided the time had come for him to retire from the front line as driver of the US SailGP team. Instead, Spithill has decided his future lies in team management. Drawing on his strong connections with Italian sailing through his role as skipper of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the past two editions of the America's Cup, along with his long-standing association with Red Bull, the ambitious Australian put together this new team from scratch.
He has assembled a mix of experienced SailGP talent and promising newcomers with proven backgrounds from other parts of the sport. At the helm is Ruggero Tita, a double Olympic champion in the foiling Nacra 17 catamaran class. He was also a reserve helmsman for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, so Tita is one of the new-generation sailors with hydrofoiling in his blood, though he is fast discovering that the transition to F50 racing is a steep learning curve even for a driver of his rare talent. Flight controller Andrea Tesei, also new to the league, faces similar challenges in a role that's crucial for the boat's speed and stability.
Whether Italy can adapt quickly enough remains in question, although finishing sixth in the wild and woolly conditions of Auckland was certainly encouraging for just a second event. The team does have serious firepower, including Kyle Langford, the former Australian wing trimmer and an America's Cup winner alongside Spithill in 2013. Strategist Maelle Frascari, a former Nacra world champion, adds further tactical nous. Coaching-wise, Spithill and Philippe Presti bring a wealth of knowledge, ensuring the team has elite mentorship. If Tita and Tesei can accelerate their learning curve, Italy could develop into a serious contender, but for now, Italy remains a fascinating work in progress.
Led by Nicolai Sehested, the Danish squad has steadily improved season after season, one of only two teams to do so in Season 4, alongside champions Spain. Denmark's approach — structured, data-driven, and Olympic-style in its discipline — has made the Danes a reliable mid-to-top-tier contender.
Sehested brings a wealth of experience from other parts of the sport, such as round-the-world offshore adventure sailing in the Volvo Ocean Race and the one-on-one duelling of match racing. But he lacks the background of small-boat, high-speed competition that many of his rival skippers have. The addition of three-time Olympic medalist Anne-Marie Rindom as strategist adds pedigree, while Australian Luke Payne (with America's Cup experience) and the ever-present Rasmus Køstner and Tom Johnson provide stability. Both have competed in every race for the team. Denmark's performance last season was its best yet, finishing just one point off the overall podium.
Despite the well-drilled team dynamic, Denmark still lacks the raw aggression and risk-taking edge of the front-runners. The team's starts are solid but not exceptional and its consistency can sometimes feel too conservative in a fleet where bold moves often make the difference. To get to the next level, the team will probably have to get more comfortable with risk taking.
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A year ago, the Spain SailGP Team was stuck at the back of the fleet. Today, the Spanish are SailGP champions. The meteoric rise has been one of the most remarkable stories in the league, proving that with smart decisions, strong leadership and a fearless mindset, rapid success is possible.
Led by the Diego Botin and Florián Trittel partnership, who together won Olympic gold last summer in the 49er skiff class, Spain has evolved into an elite contender, consistently making good on-the-water decisions and refining its approach to racing. Botin's instincts at the helm are sharp and under the guidance of tactician Joan Cardona, strategist Nicole van der Velden and flight controller Joel Rodríguez, the team is putting together slick, well-executed performances.
Behind the scenes, Hamish Willcox's coaching influence has been a crucial factor. Former coach to New Zealand's Burling and Tuke for a decade, Willcox helps the team work out where best to focus its efforts in a game where time on the water is always in short supply. Spain's biggest weakness? Starts. While Spain races smart once underway and has a phenomenal ability to climb through the fleet, the team wouldn't have to work so hard at this if the starts were better in the first place. With an average age of just 29, Spain remains the youngest team in SailGP, although they are gaining experience fast. Having secured a first championship in Season 4, the challenge now is to prove that last year was no fluke.
Switzerland SailGP Team enters its third season with a revamped lineup and a new mindset, but the fundamental challenge remains the same — turning flashes of speed into consistent results. Under the continued leadership of Sébastien Schneiter, the Swiss squad has made major personnel changes, bringing in Arnaud Psarofaghis as wing trimmer, Bryan Mettraux as flight controller, and strategist Maud Jayet.
The grinders are Stewart Dodson, who brings the experience of winning Season 4 with Spain, and Matt Gotrel, an Olympic rowing gold medalist from Britain. It was a necessary overhaul of the crew after struggling in previous seasons and early signs suggest the changes have added real firepower to the team. The Swiss' race-winning ability is no longer in question. In Auckland, Switzerland won a race on day one and on the opening day in Sydney stormed to victory in Race 1 and scored a third in Race 3, marking the team's best event performance. But once again, inconsistency prevented the Swiss from challenging for the podium.
A key strength is Psarofaghis' expertise in high-speed foiling, honed through last year's experience as skipper of the Swiss America's Cup team Alinghi Red Bull Racing, along with Gotrel and Dodson's raw power on the handles. However, Switzerland still feels like a nearly team, capable of winning races yet unable to string together full-event performances.
The United States SailGP Team has taken a bold, all-American approach to building its squad, choosing to develop homegrown talent rather than hiring international SailGP veterans. Though aligning with the team's long-term vision, the strategy puts it under short-term pressure. This is a crew struggling to compete at the top level, especially in foiling conditions (when the wind, or other conditions, causes the boat to lift out of the water) — a fundamental aspect of SailGP.
At the helm is Taylor Canfield, a seven-time world champion in match racing. While his boat-on-boat positioning skills shine, his lack of high-speed, foiling experience has been evident. Despite moments of brilliance, particularly in light winds and non-foiling conditions, the team often finds itself at the back of the fleet when the pace ramps up. A third-place finish in Dubai shows the Americans can be world-class in lighter conditions.
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While the team is making important strides for diversity — Anna Weis holds a rare position as a female grinder, the most physically demanding role on the F50 — its results have been hampered by technical issues and a steep learning curve. The Sydney campaign ended before it began when the F50 capsized while being towed, damaging the wing sail and forcing the U.S. out of the event.
With home events in Los Angeles and San Francisco fast approaching, the U.S. team will do everything it can to harness the support of home fans.