Swiss SailGP Team opens 2026 season with continuity and a unified performance pathway

by Switzerland SailGP Team 15 Jan 11:06 PST 17-18 January 2026

Swiss SailGP Team © Adam Mustill Photography

The Switzerland SailGP Team enters the new season with strong momentum and a shared sense of purpose as racing gets under way in Perth. Excited to be back on the water, the team is proud to have re-signed its full roster and to continue united as it builds into the 2026 SailGP season. Keeping the same group together has been a clear strategic choice. In a sport where small margins decide outcomes, cohesion, trust and clear communication are critical.

Over the winter, the team focused on key learnings from last season. Work centred on communication, coordination and decision making under pressure. This preparation provides a strong base for further progress during the 2026 season and beyond.

Swiss SailGP Team - photo © SailGP

Swiss Sailing Team shapes F50 athletes of tomorrow, backed by a new sponsor

Alongside SailGP, the Swiss Sailing Team programme follows the same long-term approach. Sébastien Schneiter has begun his Olympic campaign together with Arno de Planta. After several weeks of preparation in Cádiz, the pair will base themselves in New Zealand in between SailGP events, training with coach Ian Barker. F50 strategist Maud Jayet will also relocate to New Zealand following an intensive training period in the Canary Islands, combining her Olympic campaign with participation in SailGP events this season.

For a small sailing nation, long-term success at the highest level requires alignment across programmes. This season marks a step forward, with the Swiss Sailing Team and the Switzerland SailGP Team now working within an integrated high-performance pathway. The structure links youth development, Olympic sailing and professional competition, creating clear progression routes and shared performance standards.

This approach is supported by partners committed to high-performance sport. Rolex supports the Swiss Sailing Team as a partner, supporting high-performance programmes and contributing to the long-term development of future Swiss sailors.

Swiss Sailing Team shapes F50 athletes of tomorrow - photo © Sailing Energy / Swiss Sailing Team

Boet Brinkgreve, CEO, Switzerland SailGP Team: "Our cooperation with the Swiss Sailing Team enables our SailGP athletes to continue training and performing at the highest Olympic level. This is fully complementary to SailGP and directly contributes to stronger performance on the racecourse. Financial support, including the new involvement of Rolex, allows us to build an even more ambitious programme while creating opportunities for young Swiss sailors who aim for the very top."

Christian Scherrer, Head of the Swiss Sailing Team adds: "We are very pleased to be able to count on Rolex as our main partner through to the end of 2028. This partnership strengthens our Olympic campaign, gives us the means to operate at the highest level, to push our athletes and staff further, and to prepare with the rigor and precision that an Olympic medal demands."

Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG - Season Opener

Strong and consistent winds are forecast across the racecourse for this weekend in Perth. The conditions are expected to reward precision, boat handling and teamwork. The Swiss SailGP Team is looking forward to returning to racing and getting back on the water for the first event of the new season.

Race Schedule: