SailGP – Top America’s Cup
It is not clear if the transfers are for Season 5, or just for the Auckland event, next weekend.
Ahead of the event, teams have posted their full crew line-ups, including reserve athletes and coaching staff.
The most notable of the announced new recruits are American Magic skipper Paul Goodison, an Olympic Gold medalist, who was forced to sit out the Semi-Final in Barcelona after falling down a hatch on the AC75, which folding the mainsail, he injured several ribs and was hospitalized and watched the Semi-Final from the team chaseboat. SailGP Australia’s helmsman Tom Slingsby took over the skippering duties on board the AC75.
Goodison takes over the role of coach for the new Brazilian SailGP team replacing the first round coach Emmett Lazich. Goodison had previously been a helmsman for Emirates GBR for two events, in June and July 2021.
Will Ryan (34), formerly a Swiss SailGP wing trimmer, is joining the Australian SailGP. A five time world 470 champion, Ryan represented Australia twice in the Sailing Olympics in the 470 class winning a Bronze and Gold medal.
The French team skipped the first event of the 2025 SailGP season in Dubai in November, but for Auckland, sailing a new F50, they will field their core America’s Cup 2024 sailing team of Quentin Delapierre, Kevin Pepponet, Matthieu Vandame. A fourth AC37 team member Jason Saunders, 2016 Kiwi Olympic Representative in the Nacra 17 class is also named, along with 2017 French AC team sailor Olivier Herledant, and Grinder Timothe Lapauw from the 2017 Youth AC team. Four time Olympian, and double Olympic bronze medalist in the Womens 470 event, Camille Lecointre completes the French lineup for Auckland.
Top skippers/helms from the 2020 & 2024 Olympics and America’s Cup who will be competing in Auckland include:
- Australia – Tom Slingsby – American Magic co-helm and 2012 Olympic Gold medalist
- Brazil – Martine Grael – 2016/2020 double Olympic Gold medalist, Andy Maloney – 2024 AC winner,
- Canada – Giles Scott – 2016/2020 double Olympic Gold medalist
- France – Quentine Delapierre – skipper and helm of the French Orient Express Racing Team at the 2024 America’s Cup
- Great Britain – Dylan Fletcher – 2020 Olympic Gold medalist and INEOS Britannia Co-helmsman
- Italy – Ruggero Tita – double Olympic Gold medalist and Youth America’s Cup champion in the AC40. Luna Rossa skipper Jimmy Spithill is listed as a reserve helm.
- New Zealand – Peter Burling, Blair Tuke – 2024 AC winners
- Spain – Diego Botin – 2024 Olympic Gold medalist – 49er class
- Switzerland – Arnaud Psarofaghis – Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s skipper is listed as a Wing Trimmer.
The full crew list for SailGP Auckland can be viewed here: sailgp.com/news/24/revealed-full-crew-lists-auckland-debut-confirmed
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz
