Tom Slingsby’s Australia SailGP Team Prepares for 2025 with New Talent
by Australia SailGP Team 14 Nov 02:26 PST
23-24 November 2024
The SailGP fleet competes on Race Day 1 of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix held in New York, USA © Bob Martin for SailGP
Tom Slingsby with the skyline behind him aboard the Australia SailGP Team F50 Catamaran ahead of Race Day 2 of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates © Felix Diemer for SailGP
Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time SailGP Champion Tom Slingsby has officially announced his Australia team lineup for the 2025 season, highlighting the first significant crew change since Season 2.
Christopher Draper, previously the Wing Trimmer for the Canada SailGP Team, is set to join the Australian team, filling the position held by Kyle Langford.
After being a vital part of the Australian team’s achievements since the inception of SailGP, Langford has decided to pursue new opportunities, which will be disclosed in the coming weeks. Slingsby reflected on the transition, stating, “Kyle has been invaluable to our team from the start and has also been a great friend. We appreciate his contributions to our success and wish him all the best in his new endeavors.”
Chris Draper, 46, from Dorset, UK, brings over 28 years of elite sailing experience to the team, having served as Wing Trimmer for several other SailGP teams, including Great Britain (Season 1), former Japan (Season 2), and Canada (Seasons 3 and 4). His experience includes multiple European and World 49er championship titles, an Olympic bronze in the 49er class, a win in America’s Cup World Series, and being an AC Louis Vuitton finalist.
Slingsby expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We’re excited to have Chris on board; his extensive experience and insights with these boats mark an exciting new chapter for our team. This change provides us a valuable opportunity to gain a fresh perspective, and Chris’s skills, especially in light winds, will be crucial in enhancing our performance this season.”
Slingsby has maintained the rest of his successful squad for the 2025 season, which includes Jason Waterhouse, 34, from Sydney (flight controller); Sam Newton, 38, from Sydney (grinder); Kinley Fowler, 36, from Perth, Western Australia (grinder); Edward Powys, 36, from Sydney (reserve grinder); Natasha Byrant, 23, from Sydney (strategist); and Nina Curtis, 36, from Sydney (reserve strategist).
Ben Durham, 47, from Perth, Western Australia, will continue to serve as the head coach for the Australia team, playing a vital role in shaping the performance strategies and overall development for the upcoming season.
SailGP’s latest transfer window has been particularly controversial, seeing significant shifts among several teams, including Great Britain SailGP Team Driver Giles Scott moving to Canada and the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team signing Flight Controller Andy Maloney from Black Foils. Nonetheless, Slingsby is pleased with the majority of his team remaining intact.
“When our team achieves success in SailGP, it’s only natural for other teams to seek our sailors,” Slingsby said. “This reflects what we’ve built together, and I’m thrilled that we’ve managed to keep most of our squad, many of whom have been alongside me since SailGP began.”
The expanded SailGP 2025 season will include at least 13 events over a 12-month period across five continents. It will commence with the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix, presented by P&O Marinas, on November 23-24 (2024). This opening event will also see the debut of two new teams, Italy and Brazil, bringing the total to 12 competing nations.
Eleven teams will compete in Dubai, while France has opted to skip the season opener as they await the arrival of their newest F50 catamaran, which is currently undergoing accelerated development. France will enter the fleet in Auckland after receiving compensatory points for the Dubai event.
Regarding the upcoming season, Slingsby remarked, “We are hungrier than ever as we approach this season. Losing the Grand Final in San Francisco has ignited our passion, and we aim to demonstrate to ourselves and the world that we remain the best in this league. With more teams and boats, the competition will be fierce, but we embrace the challenge.”
SailGP has also introduced a new scoring system for the upcoming season, awarding points only to teams finishing 1-10 in qualifying fleet races and overall event standings. The 2025 season also promises increased prize money for SailGP athletes, with the league signaling its intention to significantly boost the total purse available throughout the season, which was US $7 million in Season 4, the highest in the sport.
