SailGP: Brazil adds another double Gold medalist
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 29 Oct 05:31 PDT
Grael and Kunze – Gold Medalists – 49er FX – Tokyo2020 – Day 9 – August 2 – Enoshima, Japan © Richard Gladwell – Sail-World.com / Photosport
The Brazil SailGP Team has officially signed another double Olympic Gold medalist to round out its roster for Season 5.
Today, the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team revealed that it has enlisted 49erFX Gold medalist Kahena Kunze.
Kunze competed for Brazil in the 49erFX, alongside helmsman Martine Grael, who was already named as the skipper and helm of the Brazil SailGP team. Together, they secured Gold medals at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil and the 2020 Olympic regatta in Tokyo, although they did not medal at Paris 2024.
Once a strategist for the German SailGP team, Kunze will serve as a reserve sailor for Brazil. Her signing follows a trend of crew changes as privately owned teams invest heavily to ensure top performance in Season 5.
Joining skipper Martine Grael are INEOS Britannia flight controller Leigh McMillan, Emirates Team NZ flight controller Andy Maloney, former Denmark strategist Richard Mason, and grinders Marco Grael and Mateus Isaac.
With her addition, the Brazilian team now boasts an impressive total of four Olympic Gold Medals, three America’s Cup victories, and multiple World Championship wins in Olympic classes.
Commenting on the lineup, team CEO Alan Adler stated: “We have managed to unite a team comprising some of the finest athletes globally, which fills us with pride and optimism for our inaugural season.”
“We are steadfast in our aim to uphold our legacy of success in the sport, which has earned our country 19 Olympic medals to date.”
The Mubadala Brazil SailGP team will make its competitive debut at the season’s opening event in Dubai on November 23/24.
