Armstrong Foils work with Brazil team and SailGP Inspire to lift local sailors onto foils
by Laura Hampton 13 Apr 18:22 PDT
Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team and Nas Mares host the Driving Change - Foiling Clinic Rio ahead of the ENEL Rio Sail Grand Prix - April 08, 2026 © Alexandre Loureiro/SailGP
As SailGP continues its global journey, showcasing elite racing to captivated audiences, its Inspire program continues to contribute to a powerful mission: Inspiring the Next Generation of athletes and fans.
At the Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix, last weekend, alongside the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, the program brought that mission directly to local grassroots.
The Driving Change Foiling Clinic began at the start of the race week, offering local young women the opportunity to experience foiling firsthand. Now in its second edition, the program is already building momentum, reflecting a growing appetite for the sport in Rio. By breaking down barriers to entry and providing lessons and equipment, the initiative is helping to redefine who gets to participate in foiling.
As SailGP continues to redefine sailing and usher in a new era of foiling, programs like Inspire, in partnership with Mubadala, play a vital role. These wingfoiling clinics provide meaningful, hands-on opportunities for young people in select host cities around the world, ensuring the impact of SailGP extends beyond the racecourse.
What makes the Rio initiative particularly powerful is its direct connection to elite performance.
Martine Grael of Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, the league’s first female driver, is a passionate wingfoiler and has been actively involved, coaching participants and offering a tangible link between grassroots entry points and the pinnacle of the sport. From first flights on a wingfoil to the prospect of driving an F50, the fundamental principles of flight remain the same.
Several participants have come through Projeto Grael, a local social initiative founded by Olympic champions Torben Grael and Lars Grael, parents of Mubdala Brazil’s Martine and Marco Grael. Established in 1998 on the sands of Charitas Beach, the project is built on the belief that sailing can provide pathways to education, social inclusion, and professional development for young people from vulnerable backgrounds. Its presence within the clinic adds a deeper layer – connecting opportunity with long-term impact.
At the heart of this ecosystem is Armstrong Foils, the official supplier to the SailGP Inspire program and provider of the F50 foil tips. By bridging cutting-edge racing technology with accessible grassroots equipment, Armstrong is demonstrating how the same innovations that power SailGP’s high-speed catamarans can also empower the next generation through wingfoiling.
Wingfoiling is just one part of SailGP’s broader commitment to opening the sport to the next generation.
With the support of Global Partner Mubadala, the Inspire program continues to deliver global engagement initiatives. Last weekend in Rio, the winner of the Inspire Next Gen STEM Challenge, and over 150 young people from local social projects gained behind-the-scenes access to the SailGP Technical base. There, they saw the F50 catamaran up close, met the team behind its performance, and gained insight into the data and technology driving one of the most advanced competitions in world sport.