SailGP: ‘Tom’s Triple’ attracts top sailors; Team Germany ahead of their home race

Victories at the Olympics, in the America’s Cup and in SailGP? The Australian Tom Slingsby has already won all three of international sailing’s premier events: Olympic gold in the Laser class off Weymouth in 2012, the America’s Cup with BMW Oracle USA in 2013, and – as SailGP’s record champion – three season titles in the ‘Formula 1 of sailing’. There are very few who can set their sights on this triple feat.

The top sailors in SailGP and their chances of a ‘triple’

Another contender is the other strong Australian in SailGP: Nathan Outteridge, helmsman for the new Swedish Artemis team, which is packed with experienced sailors. Outteridge won Olympic gold in the 49er class at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2024 America’s Cup with Emirates Team New Zealand. The SailGP title is the only one still missing from his collection. His team was in the Seasonal championship ahead of Sassnitz in third place.

Speaking to YACHT on Friday, Outterridge laughed when asked about his hopes of a hat-trick and said: “I’ve never given that any thought before. But now that I’ve heard it, it sounds like a very nice goal. I’ve got two out of three. We should aim for three out of three this year.” That was nothing less than a declaration of intent from Outterridge for Sassnitz and the subsequent events leading up to the grand season finale at the end of November.

New Zealand’s Peter Burling, a sailor of the century, finds himself in a similar position. He won Olympic gold in the 49er class with Blair Tuke in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and became famous as the most successful helmsman of his generation, having secured three America’s Cup victories for New Zealand. Burling was the youngest helmsman to win Olympic gold in the skiff class. And the youngest to win the America’s Cup. In SailGP, however, Burling’s Black Foils have yet to win a championship.

Spain’s SailGP stars are now also chasing the America’s Cup

Following that horrific crash early on in the season and a four-month enforced break, it’s set to be another tough year for the Kiwis. That’s precisely why they’re hungrier than ever in SailGP, determined to prove themselves as a top team despite everything. It’s the other way round for the strong Spanish SailGP team: they won Olympic gold in the 49er in 2024 and the SailGP championship in the same year.

Botin and Trittel still need to win the America’s Cup to complete the triple. The Spanish 2024 World Sailing Champions set off in the spring on their first attempt with the French America’s Cup campaign team, La Roche-Posay Racing Team. With Les Bleus, they are aiming for sailing’s most prestigious trophy for the first time.

But before the second pre-regatta for the 38th America’s Cup, held for the first time in the upcoming Cup venue of Naples, and before the battle for the bottomless cup begins in 2027, Diego Botin and Flo Trittel still have important tasks to complete in the Rolex SailGP. First up is Sassitz this weekend (Click here for travel information).

Will Los Gallos’ winning run continue in Sassnitz?

Botin, Trittel and Los Gallos are the SailGP team of the moment. They’re on a roll again, having won the last two events in Halifax and Portsmouth win. But Flo Trittel remembers last season all too well, and said in Sassnitz: “We need to make sure we keep up our run. That’s the most important thing. Last year, we also won twice in a row. The third event after that didn’t go well.”

“It’s easy to let your guard down a bit mentally after two good events. We don’t want that!” Flo Trittel

At the end of the 2025 season, Los Gallos had failed to reach the Grand Final and, as defending champions, had to watch as Emirates Team GBR pocketed the two-million-US-dollar prize.

Including Sassnitz this weekend, there are still five events left on the calendar for the 13 teams in this sixth season of the Rolex SailGP. A total of US$12.8 million in prize money is up for grabs. The Germany SailGP Team is also keen to score points on home turf – ideally just as they did last year, when they secured a victory in the very first race and the black, red and gold colours had the roaring crowd on the Sassnitz outer pier on their feet.

“Huge event” reloaded? Team Germany are raring to go for their home match

​“It was a massive event for us last year. We’d love to experience something like that again,” said Kosegarten-Heil, rallying his team for the final push. Everyone in the German hangar in the Sassnitz pit lane formed a circle and placed their hands together in the centre. A year on from their maiden success, they want to come full circle and with a strong home match are heading into the final stretch of the sixth SailGP season, which is only the third for the Germany SailGP Team by Deutsche Bank.

The German racing team, skippered by Kosegarten-Heil, Strategist Anna Barth She and her crew need a strong result in Sassnitz if they are to achieve the ambitious target they set at the start of the season. Currently eighth in the table after eight events, they are still two places away from their target of finishing sixth at the end of the season. When asked what a possible home victory off Rügen’s Baltic coast would mean to the German team, Erik Kosegarten-Heil said: “It would mean the world to us.”

Quite a few teams had to contend with adversity during the lead-up to the SailGP weekend. Following a near-capsize during training on Wednesday, the boat belonging to the Danish team Rockwool Racing was repaired in a flash, but helmsman Nicolai Sehested will now have to compete in the event with two broken fingers. However, the man who owns his own farm near Copenhagen is a tough character.

"We’ve picked up a few bruises. A bit of tape on them and off we go!" Nicolai Sehested

Following crew changes and an inconsistent season, the Danes are tenth in the table, but they are determined to do better – and are capable of doing so. It was they who reached 103.93 km/h in Sassnitz last year, a speed that still stands as the SailGP speed record. Record-breaking conditions are expected, particularly on Sunday. NorthStar Canada, with double Olympic champion Giles Scott at the helm, are also aiming for a place in the final. Currently seventh in the table after eight events, the Canadians are one place ahead of Team Germany, who, trailing by three points, would be keen to catch up with or overtake the Canadians.

The German SailGP summit: Sassnitz or ‘Crashnitz’?

The Canadians were puzzled by vibrations in the rudders during training on Wednesday, until they realised that one of their rudder covers had not been removed. Then on Thursday, the NorthStar lower shroud snagged on the deck, requiring a very quick gybe. The Brazilians also experienced a frightening nosedive that briefly brought to mind their crash last year.

The SailGP weekend will reveal whether Sassnitz will once again live up to its nickname “Crashnitz”, which it earned during the 2025 inaugural event following a number of dramatic incidents. Click here to watch Team Germany’s teaser. The action gets underway on the league’s fastest circuit on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 2 pm on both days. ZDF will be broadcasting the races live as part of its afternoon sports programmes.

The following clip shows the most gruelling “Crashnitz” moments from last year – moments none of the athletes involved would ever want to relive: