Fresh from a win in Saint-Tropez last weekend, Emirates GBR is ready for jeopardy on Lake Geneva as SailGP prepares for the second event of the back-to-back European double-header, the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix. Taking place this Saturday and Sunday, the first ever Swiss SailGP event will see Lake Geneva transformed into an electric, action-packed Race Stadium, with fans getting closer to the F50s than ever before.
It’s set to be a challenging course for the 12 SailGP Teams, but Emirates GBR Strategist Hannah Mills said the Brits backed themselves and were looking forward to the freshwater venue.
“It’s a mountainous lake venue so the wind can be all over the place, but we are ready for that, we love a bit of jeopardy on the course and we back ourselves that we can pick some good shifts,” she said.
The Emirates GBR SailGP Team came away victorious in Saint-Tropez last weekend after the crew topped the leaderboard following the four races on Day 1. Day 2 on Saturday was then cancelled due to significant thunderstorms and lightning forecast, meaning the Brits were crowned winners. The win earned Emirates GBR 10 season points, and shifted them from third to second on the season leaderboard.
Mills said: “Saint-Tropez was awesome, we had an amazing Friday in epic conditions and raced really well to get on the top of the leaderboard on Day 1. When racing didn’t go ahead on Saturday we won the event which was pretty epic for us for the season points. Geneva is looking like potentially very different conditions with light wind but we’re excited to get into it, we feel we are in a good place.”
The Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix will be one of the biggest outdoor sporting events the city has hosted in the last decade – and the biggest on the lake. While the event is huge for the city, it’s also a big deal for the 12 SailGP teams competing, as the league edges ever closer to the $2m Abu Dhabi Grand Final in November. The Geneva event is the tenth of the 2025 Season, with just one more stop in Cadiz before the fleet heads to the UAE for the finale.
The season leaderboard is currently tighter than it’s ever been before, with just three points between the top three teams. Following the ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix in Saint-Tropez, New Zealand’s Black Foils lead the Championship with 70 points, Emirates GBR is second on 68 points and Australia’s BONDS Flying Roos remain hot on their heels with 67 points.
While the rivalry is heating up as we approach the 2025 Season Grand Final, today the SailGP fleet learned there will be even more competition on the course next season, as it was announced Artemis Racing, Sweden’s internationally acclaimed sailing team, will join the Rolex SailGP Championship’s 2026 Season. Artemis SailGP Team becomes the league’s 13th international team, finalising the 2026 Season line-up after a competitive global bid process. Former SailGP Driver, Olympic gold medallist and America’s Cup winner Nathan Outteridge was announced as Driver for the team and its full crew will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix kicks off this Saturday on Lake Geneva, and UK viewers can watch the F50s in action live on TNT Sports from 14:30 BST.
