Roos to fight in Geneva showdown and Outteridge returns to SailGP
by BONDS Flying Roos 20 Sep 07:12 AEST
Skippers and strategists ahead of the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix © Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
SailGP makes its Swiss debut on Lake Geneva this weekend in front of a sold-out crowd, with the BONDS Flying Roos locked in a high stakes battle to climb the standings and safeguard their shot at the $3 million Grand Final in Abu Dhabi.
The cancellation of the final day of racing in Saint-Tropez last weekend due to extreme weather has only sharpened the fight at the top. Just six points separate the leading four teams heading into the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix, with the BONDS Flying Roos sitting third on 67 points, behind Emirates GBR (68) and the Black Foils (70).
Reflecting on the team's fifth place finish in Saint-Tropez, Bonds Flying Roos Driver and CEO Tom Slingsby said: "We all wanted to race, especially after not having our best first day, but we're still in the hunt. If we sail the way we know we can, we'll make the final. Right now, it's about focusing on ourselves, not the other teams."
For the reigning champions, the back-to-back events are being embraced as an opportunity. "It's nice having a quick turnaround after a tough event," Slingsby added. "You don't have as much time to dwell on it."
Slingsby, who has led Australia to three SailGP crowns in four seasons, was quick to underline the high standards his team sets for itself. "Our team is in a good position if we're calling a fifth place a bad event," he said. "We know we're a top team. We made some mistakes and we paid for it. "We're going to rectify those problems and hopefully get back into the top three here."
For the first time, teams will race with a new light-air configuration designed to keep the boats foiling in lighter breeze. The next-generation T-foils are 23% larger in surface area and 30% greater in span, yet lighter thanks to an advanced hybrid titanium-carbon design, and are paired with the updated rudders introduced in Saint-Tropez. Built for the lighter winds expected on Lake Geneva, the configuration debuts as SailGP marks its first-ever freshwater venue.
Slingsby said, "We were lucky enough to be the team chosen to test the new foils on Thursday, as our boat is fitted with fibre optics and sensors that track foil load, giving us the chance to put them through their paces. I was blown away, they lowered the wind speed needed to foil, boost maneuverability, and gave the best performance I've felt in those conditions. It's exciting knowing we have these foils ready for lighter-air venues, giving us confidence for great racing."
In other major news, SailGP announced Sweden's Artemis Racing as the 13th team joining the league in 2026, backed by Torbjörn Törnqvist and led by Olympic champion Iain Percy. Making headlines is the return of Australian Nathan Outteridge as driver, the Olympic gold medalist who previously led Japan to success in Seasons 1 and 2.
The Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix kicks off tomorrow, 20 September, to a sold out crowd, with Australian fans able to catch all the action live from 11:30 pm AEST on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.