Switzerland SailGP Team at the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix
by Switzerland SailGP Team 25 Feb 13:41 UTC
24-25 February 2024
KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix - Sydney © Felix Diemer for SailGP
Sydney Harbour delivered for the fleet and fans this weekend, with two days of action packed and exciting racing at the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix.
Race day one saw epic foiling racing action in gusty conditions that tested the teams. Switzerland SailGP Team maximised the racecourse, showed improvement and sailed a consistent first day, placing 7,7,6 on the scoreboard.
Today, race day two, brought some of the best conditions the fleet has raced in so far this season. The more classic Sydney thermal conditions were perfect for the F50 fleet and suited the Swiss.
In race one, the team were confident in their positioning on the start line and retained their great speed around the course. A battle with Germany and New Zealand later in the race knocked them off the top spot, to finish in third.
Race two was looking promising for a repeat but missing an extra boundary around Shark Island saw them pick up a costly penalty the team couldn't come back from.
Driver Sebastien Schneiter said: "It's pretty hectic sailing in Sydney Harbour, there's a lot of traffic out there! It's quite flat but then there's a lot of chop from all the motor boats around the course. The backdrop is amazing though, the conditions are awesome, and I think it's one of the best sailing venues in the world.
"We had one of our best races of the Season out there today! It was a lot of fun battling it out in front - against the Kiwis and Germans - for the win and we only just missed out towards the end. Race two was shaping up pretty well too, we were in a good position to have another great start, but the boundary penalty hurt and from there we couldn't catch up. Everybody is sailing these boats so well and starting from behind is tough.
"We are definitely improving though, the more we spend time on the boat together, we feel more comfortable. For sure everyone is moving forward, the spirit in the team is really good."
CEO Tanguy Cariou said: "It was event eight of 13 here in Sydney and it's been a good weekend for Switzerland SailGP Team. We had some nice windy conditions and were really happy to have some fast-foiling racing again.
"It's also been a good test and milestone for Sebastien, Nicolas (flight controller) and Will (wing trimmer). It was the first time the team have sailed together in these types of conditions and the crew showed some good progress in the starts and manoeuvres throughout the race. There are still things to work on to be able to fight with the first half of the fleet, but we will push forward in Christchurch next month."
The tour Down Under continues; the SailGP fleet returns to Christchurch for the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Whakaraupo, Lyttelton Harbour on 23-24 March 2024.
KPMG AUSTRALIA SAIL GRAND PRIX | SYDNEY:
1 // Australia 10 points
2 // ROCKWOOL Denmark 9 points
3 // New Zealand 8 points
4 // France 7 points
5 // Spain 6 points
6 // Germany 5 points
7 // Emirates Great Britain 4 points
8 // Switzerland 3 points
9 // USA 2 points
10 // Canada 1 point
Switzerland SailGP Team crew line up:
Sébastien Schneiter - Driver
Will Ryan - Wing trimmer
Nicolas Rolaz - Flight controller
Laurane Mettraux - Strategist
Guy Endean - Grinder (G1)
Eliot Merceron - Grinder (G1)
Jérémy Bachelin - Grinder (G2)