Against the backdrop of Manhattan, the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix delivered one of the most demanding weekends of the SailGP season, with extreme conditions, disrupted racing schedules and highly aggressive fleet racing.

For the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team, the weekend ended with a disappointing eighth-place finish, but also with clear signs of a team evolving its mindset and approach on the racecourse.

After strong moments in Bermuda earlier this month, the Swiss team arrived in New York determined to race with more intent, take more initiative off the start line and challenge the fleet more aggressively. In difficult and gusty conditions, that approach at times paid off and at times came at a cost.

We were definitely more aggressive this weekend. At moments we showed very good speed and strong positioning, but we also crossed the limit a few times and paid the price for it. That is part of the process of becoming a team that consistently fights at the front.

Sébastien SchneiterDriver, Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team

Saturday’s racing programme was heavily impacted by strong winds, limiting opportunities on the water and creating a difficult opening to the event. When racing resumed on Sunday, the fleet faced unstable and technical conditions that demanded split-second decision-making and absolute precision.

The Swiss team demonstrated improved starts, sharper positioning and a willingness to attack opportunities rather than protect positions. While the execution was not always clean, the weekend highlighted a noticeable shift in mentality and confidence within the group.

We would rather leave New York knowing we pushed too hard at times than feeling we sailed too safely. Now the challenge is finding the right balance between aggression and consistency. The potential is there.

Sébastien SchneiterDriver, Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team

SLAM joins the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team

Alongside the on-water action, the New York Sail Grand Prix also marked the beginning of a new partnership with leading Italian sailing apparel brand SLAM, who joins the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team as official clothing supplier.

The collaboration brings together two performance-driven organizations with a shared focus on innovation, technical excellence and high-performance sailing. SailGP’s demanding environment will provide SLAM with a unique platform to test and further develop products designed for elite foiling competition.

The team now turns its attention to Halifax, where the objective will be to convert the increased intensity and pace shown in New York into more consistent results across the race weekend.