Rolex SailGP: Tom Slingsby ready to atone for previous years as Australia team’s mission starts in Perth
If the Fremantle Doctor is blowing then Tom Slingsby is smiling.
The Olympic Gold Medallist and America’s Cup winner has sailed into Perth ahead of the weekend’s first Rolex SailGP Championship event of 2026 – the Australian team CEO and driver looking forward to a new venue that he believes strips the sport back to its essentials: wind, speed and consequence.
“I’m really excited for Perth, I’ve done a lot of racing here over the years and it’s an unbelievable sailing location,” Slingsby told The Nightly.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“It ticks all the boxes for a perfect Rolex SailGP Championship race weekend – we’ll get wind, waves, a big crowd and beautiful weather. And I can’t wait for the world to see another amazing part of Australia and just how good the racing can be.”
The WA debut of the all-action sailing event sees Slingsby’s Flying Roos battle 13 teams across the weekend in close proximity to the Fremantle shoreline.
Custom-built grandstands frame the water at Bather’s Bay, with spectators to experience a minimum of three 15-minute races a day, culminating in Sunday’s final between the three highest-scoring teams.
“It’s an unbelievably level playing field as we head into the 2026 season – we’re all racing identical F50 catamarans and the open data sharing policy means we can see exactly what our competitors are doing on the water.”
Under the right conditions, the foiling catamarans can reach speeds in excess of 100km/h (53.9 knots).
“I respect traditional forms of sailing, but this format pushes every team to the limit and showcases the sport at its most spectacular,” said the 41-year-old.
“And it still amazes me how physical it is to keep control of an F50 catamaran at this speed – every decision requires precise timing and the team to move in synchronisation.”
The Australian SailGP team claimed the first three seasons of the international competition, before placing second to Spain in 2024 and Great Britain in 2025.
“Those second-place finishes really hurt,” said Slingsby.
“I know we have the talent, skill and determination to get back on the top step of the podium. And my priority is getting Australia to the final Grand Final in Abu Dhabi at the end of the 2026 season.”
This year’s increased field sees competing teams from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, the US, Brazil, Italy, Canada, France, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Sweden compete across 13 legs for a $19 million total prize purse.
Following Perth, the competition heads for Sydney with tour stops including New York, Rio, Dubai and Geneva.
“Racing in front of friends, family and home fans, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as the backdrop is something truly special,” said Slingsby.
“I’ll never forget standing on the prize-giving ceremony in season four, surrounded by Australians singing the national anthem. It’s rare to experience moments like that in the Rolex SailGP Championship, we’re usually abroad when we hear our anthem, so to have it happen at home, with the fans behind us was incredibly special and gave us a real sense of achievement. Winning in front of a home crowd is unforgettable and definitely changes how you approach racing.”
Slingsby – a Sydney to Hobart winning skipper, multiple Laser class world champion and 2010 World Sailor Of The Year – said he had nothing left to prove with his sailing.
“My greatest ambition is to make (my kids) proud and become someone they can both admire and look up to. That will be my most meaningful achievement. I’m very fortunate I can raise a family while travelling the world doing what I love.”
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