SailGP: Five things to watch in Geneva

Eleventh hour driver reshuffles, home town pressure for the Swiss and tricky light airs set to sweep Lake Geneva. Here are five things to watch out for when the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix gets underway, September 19-20, 2026.

Paul Goodison steps into Brazil’s driver’s seat

It’s been a tumultuous week for the Brazilian team. The sudden departure of driver Martine Grael has led to a shakeup in the team’s roster. Grael’s strategist, Paul Goodison, has taken over driver duties while former team strategist Kahena Kunze has rejoined the team. This isn’t the first time Goodison has driven for the team – he temporarily took over from Grael in Halifax earlier this season. But how will Grael’s permanent departure affect the team’s performance this weekend?

Can Germany by Deutsche Bank repeat their 2025 Geneva victory?

SailGP’s 2025 stop in Geneva was historic – a debut event in Switzerland and the first ever event win for Erik Kosegarten-Heil’s German team. It was a long awaited win, which saw the team put it all together to beat home favorites Explora Journeys Swiss and repeat SailGP champions the Bonds Flying Roos. Back of the pack results have plagued the team this season – aside from a third place finish in Bermuda – but can they regain their form from last season and win again in Switzerland?

No driver at crunch time for the United States

It’s crunch time for the United States. Currently third on the season leaderboard after their triumphant win in Valencia, the team is just one point clear of Artemis in fourth. Meanwhile, there are just three events to go to the Championship deciding Grand Final, which piles pressure on the team’s performance this weekend. But the injuries of driver Taylor Canfield and his reserve Henry Melges leave the driver’s seat empty on the American boat. Who will step in to drive and how will this affect the team’s chances of making the top three?

Tricky light air conditions

SailGP weather guru Chris Bedford predicts a light wind event, favoring the light air specialists of the fleet – the United States, ROCKWOOL Racing and Mubadala Brazil. But the American team is currently driverless while Brazil will be racing with former strategist Paul Goodison in the driver’s seat following the departure of team leader Martine Grael. Could this open the door to the Danish or will the tricky light air conditions level the playing field of the whole fleet?

Can the Swiss buck the trend and win at home?
‘Home town advantage’ may be a phrase bandied about by fans and followers. But no team has won at home since the Kiwis in Auckland three seasons ago. Explora Journeys Swiss came close last season, topping fleet racing and claiming the first spot in the event Final. But they ultimately lost out, finishing third behind the Bonds Flying Roos and winners Germany by Deutsche Bank. Swiss driver Sebastien Schneiter says it would be ‘amazing’ to secure the team’s first event win at home. But he’s wary of the pressure a home event can create. “It can easily go the other way,” he says.

Bonus: Groups decided for fleet racing

Geneva’s fleet racing groups have been decided, with Grand Final contenders the U.S. and Artemis going head to head against Diego Botin’s Los Gallos, currently second overall, in Group A. Fleet racing sees the 13-strong fleet split into two groups; Group A and Group B, with teams selected via the ABBA seeding system according to the standings of the most recent event.

The U.S. face Grand Final rival Artemis in Group A

Valencia winner the United States will compete in Group A against ROCKWOOL Racing, Los Gallos, Germany by Deutsche Bank, Artemis, DS Automobiles France and Mubadala Brazil. The group may not be populated with teams traditionally considered SailGP heavyweights – the Bonds Flying Roos, Emirates GBR and the Black Foils – but with light airs forecast, last minute roster reshuffles and a closing window to make the Grand Final, this group could see some the most exciting racing drama of the weekend.

The biggest spotlight is on the Americans. The team sits third on the season leaderboard with a spot in the Grand Final looking a real possibility – the team’s ambition since its ownership overhaul two seasons ago. But with Taylor Canfield and his reserve Harry Melges ruled out due to injury, the driver’s seat is currently empty and a good racing result is crucial to keep those Grand Final hopes alive.

However, Former Mubadala Brazil driver Martine Grael has fueled speculation she could make a shock return to the SailGP grid with the U.S. team as she was spotted at the Tech Site in Geneva wearing U.S. team racing kit. The sighting has prompted speculation that Grael could step into Canfield’s driver role for the Switzerland event, although the U.S. team has yet to confirm its line-up for the weekend.

Also in their group is Erik Kosegarten-Heil’s Germany by Deutsche Bank – winners here last season, and Nathan Outteridge’s Artemis. The latter poses the greatest threat to the U.S.’s Grand Final hopes, with the Swedish outfit sitting fourth on the season leaderboard, just one point behind the Americans. When fleet racing begins, the U.S. will be looking to beat Artemis to a place in the event Final at all costs.

SailGP weather guru Chris Bedford’s prediction of a light wind event is good news for the Americans – the team is a light air specialist, with both event wins this season (Sydney and Valencia) secured in light airs. Unfortunately their group is packed with rival light air specialists – Los Gallos and ROCKWOOL Racing have stellar light wind records, so it will be on the Americans to gel with their new driver quickly to ensure a good result.

Emirates GBR under pressure to beat Australia and New Zealand in Group B

Season leaders the Bonds Flying Roos top Group B, sitting alongside tough competition – the British, the Kiwis and the Canadians – as well as home favorites Explora Journeys Swiss and Phil Robertson’s Red Bull Italy. The pressure here is on Dylan Fletcher’s Emirates GBR – last season’s champions. The season started well for Fletcher’s group, but form has fallen off a cliff and the team now sits fifth on the season leaderboard, five points behind the U.S. in third. The British must push past some of the toughest competitors of the fleet to keep their Grand Final hopes alive. The top two teams from each group will proceed into the winner-takes-all Final, going head to head for the event title.

• Schedule: Race times both days are 15:30 – 17:00 CEST

SailGP information – Geneva Details – How to Watch

Season 6 Results (after 10 of 13 events)
1. Australia, Tom Slingsby (AUS), 2-1-5-1-1-1-4-7-1-2, 85 points
2. Spain, Diego Botin (ESP), 12-3-3-2-2-12-1-1-3-5, 68
3. United States, Taylor Canfield (USA), 5-7-1-4-7-6-6-6-11-1, 56
4. Sweden, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), 4-5-9-3-11-5-2-2-5-9, 55
5. Great Britain, Dylan Fletcher (GBR), 1-2-2-12-4-2-11-11-9-6, 51
6. Canada, Giles Scott (CAN/GBR), 6-10-11-10-6-3-8-3-2-10, 41
7. France, Quentin Delapierre (FRA), 3-4*-13-8-9-4-10-8-6-12, 41
8. Germany, Erik Heil (GER), 9-6-8-6-3-11-7-10-7-8, 35
9. Denmark, Nicolai Sehested (DEN), 8-9-6-5-7-12-9-10-4, 32
10. Switzerland, Sébastien Schneiter (SUI), 11-12-10-11-5-8-3-4-8-7, 32
11. Italy, Phil Robertson (NZL), 7-13-4-7-8-9-9-12-12-3, 30
12. New Zealand, Peter Burling (NZL), 13-8-12-13-13-13-5-5-4-11, 21
13. Brazil, Martine Grael/Paul Goodison (BRA/GBR), 10-11-7-9-12-10-13-13-13-13, 8
* Received compensation points for Sydney due to boat damage in Event 2.

Season 6 – 2026 Schedule:
• Jan 17-18 – Perth, Australia
• Feb 14-15 – Auckland, New Zealand
• Feb 28-March 1 – Sydney, Australia
• Apr 11-12 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• May 9-10 – Hamilton, Bermuda
• May 30-31 – New York, USA
• June 20-21 – Halifax, Canada
• July 25-26- Portsmouth, GBR
• August 22-23 – Sassnitz, Germany
• Sept 5-6 – Valencia, Spain
• Sept 19-20 – Geneva, Switzerland
• Nov 21-22 – Dubai, UAE
• Nov 28-29 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
Note: The 11th event was moved to Geneva from Saint-Tropez, France.

Season 6 format:
• Thirteen teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event is two days.
• The league has shifted to a split fleet format for qualifying, using season standings to balance the two groups.
• The top two from each fleet advance to a 4-boat final race for the event title.
• The season ends with the Grand Final event which includes the Championship Final Race for the top three teams in the season standing.
• All league teams are privately owned, with New Zealand as the last to be acquired on June 19, 2026.

Season 6 prize money:
A total of USD $12.8 million is up for grabs in 2026. The winner of each of the 13 events takes home $400,000, with $260,000 for second and $140,000 for third. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins $400,000, while the team that wins the Championship Final Race wins USD $2 million.

F50 Configuration:
All teams use same configuration based on weather forecast. There are four wingsail sizes (18m, 24m, 27.5m, and 29m), six jib sizes, two T-foil daggerboards (high-speed and low-speed), and one set of rudders with high-speed and low-speed settings.

Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing among national teams in some of the iconic harbors around the globe.

Source: SailGP