SailGP 2024/2025: Why hot-tempered Tom Slingsby’s new-look crew think he’s changed as a skipper

He’s known for his fiery temper and on-water blow-ups but Tom Slingsby’s crew think there is a reason they may be a thing of the past as the Aussies bid to retake the SailGP crown this season.

Tom Slingsby at the wheel with Kyle Langford last year. Langford will race for a rival exam this season. Picture: Supplied SailGP

He’s known for his fiery temper and on-water blow-ups but Tom Slingsby’s crew think there is a reason they may be a thing of the past as they bid to retake the SailGP crown this season.

Slingsby openly acknowledges he has a red hot temper he calls a “red mist” and regularly put to good use in the competition arena to spark up both he and crewmate when needed.

The multiple world sailor of the year, now wired for sound constantly during the SailGP racing, has never held back when cranky with rivals, himself or a costly decision on his F50.

It’s made his on-water blow-ups regular features on the highlight reels.

But as he heads into the opening round of the 2024/2025 SailGP season in Dubai with a new-look crew and new motivations, Slingsby believes he has chilled out over the past year, at least a little bit.

“According to my teammates fatherhood has mellowed me out a bit but we’ll see,’’ said Slingsby ahead of the opening racing of the new season from Saturday.

Tom Slingsby and his Australia SailGP team won the Sydney event last year. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“They reckon I’m much more enjoyable to sail with when I’m more mellow but hopefully it doesn’t affect the results. “I don’t think it will.”

The Australian, who missed racing the Dubai leg last December to be at the birth of his son Leo, also believes lessons learned from being beaten for the SailGP crown for the first time last season have made his team stronger than ever despite the loss of one of his most experienced hands in wing trimmer Kyle Langford.

Langford, who hails from Newcastle north of Sydney, is regarded as one of the best sailors on the SailGP series and has been with Slingsby for his three series wins and last year’s second place.

Slingsby said the loss has prompted increased scrutiny across the performance board in the wake of the Australians finishing second to the Diego Botin lead Spanish team’s victory in the last SailGP decider.

“I’m a big advocate that you learn a lot more from your losses than you do from your wins and it’s just that little bit of extra motivation,” he said.

“You sort of pick apart things that you did wrong and you look a little bit more in depth into things which is a good thing.

“If you are winning you don’t alway do that as much. I think it will make us stronger than ever.”

Tom Slingsby (C) celebrates victory with teammates at the end of final race of the Sail Grand Prix event on Sydney Harbour on February 25, 2024.

Langford, now racing for a rival, has been replaced by UK sailor and multiple world 49er skiff champion Chris Draper, at 46 one of the oldest sailors in the fleet and with years of experience as the wing trimmer for GB, Japan and more recently Canada.

He joins Slingsby’s regulars in flight controller Jason Waterhouse, grinders Kinley Fowler and Sam Newton and strategist Natasha Bryant.

The 12-strong Sail GP fleet has been reduced to 11 for Dubai as the new French catamaran is yet to hit the water and will not be ready to race until the Auckland leg in January.

However, two new teams will race in Dubai in Brazil and Italy with the latter being led by multiple America’s Cup winner James Spithill, recently inducted into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame.

Sydney is the third stopover of the 2024/25 tour with the racing on Sydney Harbour on February 8-9.

In a major innovation for the season, T-foils will be fitted to the foiling F50s for events in 2025 with their skinnier sections allowing sailors to fly high for longer before cavitation occurs.

early learning from testing are sailors will be able to foil earlier and consequently go faster than ever before.

The new introduction of this technology will create a more level playing field for the teams.

Interestingly, this could actually penalise the more experienced and older teams in the competition who have relied on their campaign learnings and highly experienced sailors for a winning edge.

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