Swiss SailGP Team faces challenging Sydney weekend with clear focus on reset and response
Strong starts, tough lessons, and a clear plan to reset before the next event.
- Seven races sailed at the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix in highly unstable wind conditions.
- Day 1 showed strong starts and clear potential, but consistency across races proved decisive.
- Driver Sébastien Schneiter described the weekend as “mentally tough,” with tactical errors heavily punished in a tightly packed fleet.
- Light winds on Sunday increased the tactical complexity, making positioning and boat handling critical, but the team could not convert good starts into top finishes.
- After a difficult start to the season, the team is calling for a structural reset ahead of Rio, with CEO Boet Brinkgreve emphasizing a need to step up.
The Switzerland SailGP Team endured a demanding weekend at the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix, racing seven fleet races across two contrasting but equally testing days on Sydney Harbour, just off Shark Island.
Competing in 8-10 knots of breeze and warm temperatures the team navigated highly unstable wind patterns during Saturday’s Twilight Racing. With 30 degree wind shifts and patchy pressure across the course, precision and anticipation were critical.
The Swiss crew delivered solid starts throughout the day and posted race results of 10-2-7-9, highlighting both the potential within the team and the fine margins that defined the event.
It was a mentally tough day on the water. The conditions were extremely shifty and patchy. There were opportunities, but they were difficult to see and even harder to execute. In a fleet this competitive, missing just a few of those moments cost you.
Sébastien SchneiterDriver, Switzerland SailGP Team
Sunday’s Golden Hour Racing brought another layer of complexity. With lighter pressure and strong tidal influence compressing the fleet, positioning and boat handling became even more critical. Switzerland opened the day with a strong start in Race 1 but was unable to convert it into a top result.
When the boats are slow and tightly grouped, it becomes incredibly tactical. You can lose steerage, the tide plays a bigger role, and small mistakes are amplified. We didn’t put the full package together this weekend.
Sébastien SchneiterDriver, Switzerland SailGP Team
While the result falls short of the team’s ambitions, the Switzerland SailGP Team remains clear-eyed and determined.
The opening events of the season have been disappointing, and the focus now shifts to a structured reset ahead of the next event in Rio.
We’ve had a difficult start of the season, and we need to find solutions quickly. The level of the fleet is exceptionally high, which pushes us to improve faster. The positive is that we now have a few weeks to review, analyze, and make the necessary changes. When the going gets tough, the tough get going!
Boet BrinkgreveCEO, Switzerland SailGP Team
