Tom Slingsby's Australia SailGP Team gears up for 2025 with fresh talent
by Australia SailGP Team 14 Nov 2024 02:26 PST
23-24 November 2024
The sailGP Fleet in action on Race Day 1 of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix in New York, USA © Bob Martin for SailGP
Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time SailGP Champion Tom Slingsby has announced his Australia team lineup for the 2025 Season, marking the team's first major crew change since Season 2.
Christopher Draper, former Wing Trimmer for the Canada SailGP Team, will join the Australian team, stepping into the role previously held by Kyle Langford.
After being a key contributor to the Australian team's success since SailGP's inception, Langford made the difficult decision to explore new opportunities, which are set to be revealed in the coming weeks. Reflecting on the change, Slingsby said, "Kyle has been an invaluable part of our team from the very beginning and also a great mate of mine personally. We are grateful for his contributions in our success and wish him all the best in his next adventure."
Chris Draper, 46, from Dorset, United Kingdom, joins the team with over 28 years of elite sailing experience and a notable background as Wing Trimmer with several other SailGP teams; including Great Britain (Season 1), former Japan (Season 2) & Canada (Season 3, 4). Draper's background includes multiple European & World 49er championship titles, an Olympic bronze medalist in the 49er class, America's cup World Series winner and AC Louis Vuitton finalist.
Tom Slingsby shared his excitement, stating, "We're thrilled to welcome Chris, whose years of experience and insights sailing these boats mark an exciting new chapter for our team. This change presents a valuable opportunity to bring a fresh perspective, and Chris's skills, especially in light wind conditions, will be instrumental in helping us take our performance to another level this season."
Slingsby has retained the remainder of his winning squad for the 2025 season which includes Jason Waterhouse, 34, of Sydney (flight controller) Sam Newton, 38, of Sydney (grinder) and Kinley Fowler, 36, of Perth, Western Australia, (grinder), Edward Powys, 36, of Sydney (reserve grinder), Natasha Byrant, 23, of Sydney (strategist) and Nina Curtis, 36, of Sydney (reserve strategist).
Ben Durham, 47 of Perth, Western Australia, will continue as the head coach of the Australia Team, playing a crucial role in shaping the team's performance strategy and development in the upcoming season.
SailGP's latest transfer window has been its most controversial yet, with major shifts across several teams, including Great Britain SailGP Team Driver Giles Scott's move to Canada and the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team's signing of Black Foils start, Flight Controller Andy Maloney. However, Tom Slingsby is pleased to have retained most of his team.
"When you have been successful in SailGP like our team, it's natural other teams try and recruit our sailors to their team" Slingsby commented. "It's a testament to what we've built together, and I'm stoked we managed to keep most of our squad intact, many of whom have been with me since the start of SailGP."
SailGP's expanded 2025 Season will feature a minimum of 13 events across a 12-month period, spanning five continents. The season kicks off with the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix, presented by P&O Marinas, on November 23-24 (2024). The opening event of the 2025 Season will also mark the debut of two new teams, Italy and Brazil, bringing the fleet to 12 competing nations in total.
Elven teams will race in Dubai, with France selecting to miss the season opener while it awaits the fleet's newest F50 catamaran, currently under accelerated development. France will join the fleet in Auckland after being awarded compensatory points for the Dubai event.
Speaking on the upcoming season Slingsby said, "We are more hungry than we ever have been going into this season. Losing the Grand Final in San Francisco has ignited a fire in our bellies and we want to prove to ourselves and the world that we're still the best in this league. With more boats and teams, the competition will be tougher than ever, but we welcome the challenge."
SailGP has also confirmed a new scoring system for the upcoming season, which will only award points to teams who finish 1-10 in qualifying fleet races and overall event results. The 2025 Season also promises more prize money for SailGP athletes, with the league signalling intentions to significantly increase the overall purse up for grabs across the season, which totaled US $7million in Season 4 - the largest in the sport.