Swiss SailGP Team is gearing up to race at its first ever European event

by Switzerland SailGP Team 28 Jul 2022 21:24 BST 30-31 July 2022

Swiss SailGP Team in Chicago © Tomas Moya

Switzerland SailGP Team is gearing up to compete at the team's first European event, the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Plymouth, taking place July 30 and 31.

This will be the third event in the global championship's calendar, following opening events in Bermuda (May) and Chicago (June). Nine teams will compete on Plymouth Sound and the action will be streamed live in Switzerland on Blue Sport / Blue Zoom and YouTube at 15:00 CEST both days.

Racing under the Swiss flag alongside driver, Sébastien Schneiter from Geneva, is British Olympic gold and silver medallist, Stuart Bithell (wing trimmer), New Zealand two time Olympian, Jason Saunders (flight controller) and grinders, Richard Mason (GBR), Eliot Merceron (SUI) and Julien Rolaz (SUI). Laurane Mettraux (SUI) will complete the line-up on board as Strategist and two-time Olympian (470 class) and Youth World Champion (420), Maja Siegenthaler, will train with the team pre-event. Jérémy Bachelin supports the crew as reserve athlete.

The team is looking to build on the experience gained from their first two events, but Plymouth's Sound is set to be a challenging course and is notorious for its gusty and shifty conditions, with the added addition of tide.

Switzerland SailGP Team, Canada SailGP Team, New Zealand SailGP Team, USA SailGP Team and Australia SailGP Team practicing - T-Mobile United States Sail Grand Prix, Chicago at Navy Pier, Lake Michigan, Season 3 - photo © Jon Buckle/SailGP

Schneiter said: "It's great to be racing in Europe this summer and a little closer to home! Overall, we thought the event in Chicago was a positive event for the team and we showed some really good progress from Bermuda, which is the main thing. It's a tough fleet, the starts are aggressive and the racing super competitive. We still have a lot of work to do but slowly we are getting there."

The Swiss team will have additional support and knowledge in Plymouth, with Australian gold and silver medallist, Nathan Outteridge, joining as sailing adviser for the first European event. Until recently, Outteridge was driver and CEO of Japan SailGP Team. Throughout his career he has won 19 world championship medals and was also part of the original F50 test team, helping to develop the class.

The Swiss team is also racing for purpose, supporting its main and 'Race for the Future' partner, Stiftelsen VI, to champion equal opportunities to achieve. Alongside they are promoting an important call to action, asking competitors and fans worldwide to Back the Bid, to see the sport of sailing reinstated in the Paralympic Games in time for LA28.

To raise further awareness, on Friday, three Paralympic athletes and VI Foundation Ambassadors will sail onboard the team's cutting edge F50 race boat: Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder, Salum Kashafali, (NOR), four-time Paralympian and five-time world champion medallist, Bjørnar Erikstad (NOR) and Britain's four-time Paralympian and Triple World Champion, Hannah Stodel.

Switzerland SailGP Plymouth line up: