She had already been spotted in the Geneva paddock on Thursday wearing US team kit, but official confirmation has only just come through: just around a week after Team Mubadala Brazil parted ways with its high-profile sailor Martine Grael, the 35-year-old from Niterói in Rio de Janeiro. The double Olympic champion in the 49erFX class will be at the helm of the US foiler this weekend.
From being ‘officially unemployed’ to a comeback in SailGP
On 11 September, the first female helmswoman in SailGP Martine Grael herself announced her departure from the Brazilian team on social media under the heading “Officially unemployed”. A week later, she now has a new job. She is stepping in as a stand-in after the US team was hit by an unusual spate of injuries: first, helmsman Taylor Canfield was injured, then the young substitute Harry Melges IV.
Just before the event was due to start on 19 September, the team found themselves without a helmswoman. Now they have a female helmswoman. The league announced this on the evening of 17 September. These personnel issues came at a bad time for the US team. The Americans had just moved up to third place in the championship series following their victory at the most recent SailGP event in Valencia. Click here for the provisional standings ahead of the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix.
Only the top three teams will compete in the grand final in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for the end of the season on 29 November. The winner stands to receive two million US dollars. Now the sailing world will be watching with bated breath to see if and how Martine Grael can help her new temporary team in Switzerland. The reactions from fans of the US team have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic.
Fans’ reactions to Grael’s comeback
One person wrote: “Fantastic news. She’ll do well with a team that supports her. A brilliant choice for Team USA!” Another fan pointed out another remarkable aspect: “So there might be two women on board.” A key member of the American team is the highly regarded grinder Anna Weis. A third fan wrote about Grael’s last-minute selection for the US team: “Bravo! Show them what you’re made of!” However, there are also cautionary voices pointing to the “challenging situation”.
Whilst Martine Graels’ Olympic 49erFX bowman, Kahena Kunze, is set to make her comeback with the Brazilian team this weekend, the helmswoman now faces a tough challenge as she competes for the US team. We’ll find out how it turns out on Available to watch live here on the ZDF stream on Saturday and Sunday from 3.30 pm. How the Germany SailGP team prepared for the Alpine summit, can be read here.
The two groups for the Swiss SailGP weekend have already been finalised. Team Germany will face both the newly formed US team, helmed by Martine Grael, and Mubadala Brazil, with Paul Goodison at the helm and Kahena Kunze as strategist. Also in Group A alongside the black, red and gold: the Danish team Rockwool Racing, Spain’s Los Gallos, the Swedish team Artemis and Team DS Automobiles France.
New head coach for the Germany SailGP Team
Group B comprises the season’s dominant force, the Bonds Flying Roos; the defending champions, Team Emirates GBR; New Zealand’s Black Foils; NorthStar Canada; Explora Journeys Swiss; and Red Bull Italy. Also just ahead of the weekend, the Germany SailGP Team has announced a new head coach: Australian Tom Burton is taking over as head coach and sporting director of the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank.
The Australian has been in post since the start of last week at the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix in Geneva. He will be joining the team for the first time this weekend. Burton won Olympic gold in the Laser class at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and was most recently coach of the Red Bull Italy SailGP team. In his new role, he will be focusing entirely on the sporting development of the German team over the coming years.
Lennart Briesenick, Director of Sports at the German racing team, said: “We are delighted to have Tom on our team as Head Coach and strategist with immediate effect. He brings a wealth of experience as a successful athlete and coach – including from SailGP – to our team. Together with him, we now aim to successfully round off the current season with a strong finish whilst simultaneously preparing for the next one.”
Shortly before the Geneva weekend, the league released this clip, which highlights Sebastian Vettel’s involvement in SailGP. The four-time Formula 1 world champion is a co-owner of the German racing team:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter