‘We’ve got money’: Aussie’s warning to as Hollywood stars set to ‘poach’ rivals

An Australian sporting team backed by two Hollywood stars has issued an ominous warning to rivals ahead of this weekend’s grand final.

Australia’s Tom Slingsby has warned SailGP rivals that his cashed up team is ready to poach their best talent as the Aussies aim to win a fourth championship this weekend.

The Aussies won the first three editions of SailGP before Spain caused a boilover in last year’s grand final to win season four of the sailing league likened to Formula One on water.

Heading into this weekend’s season five finale in Abu Dhabi, Australia sits third on the leaderboard, four points ahead of fourth-placed Spain.

The Aussies have won one event this season but have been ultra consistent to be within striking distance of a record fourth SailGP title.

Only the top three teams in the standings after the Abu Dhabi event will progress to this weekend’s winner-takes-all grand final race, with USD $2 million (A$3 million) to be awarded to the winning team.

“If we can make that final, we’re going to do our best, enjoy it and see how the cards roll,” Slingsby said.

Earlier this year, Australia rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos and unveiled Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds as co-owners, and recently announced Monday.com and Blueberry as new multi-year sponsors.

“We went over and spent a bit of time with them — they’ve been following and loving the racing,” Slingsby said of Jackman and Reynolds.

Hugh Jack and Ryan Reynolds are now co-owners of Australia's BONDS Flying Roos SailGP team.

“Hugh surprisingly knows a lot more than I was expecting. He could probably have given me a few tips after my last event in the starting.

“It’s so exciting to have them on board. They’re so supportive and they’re going to start getting more involved.

“It’s changing our sport, the audience they can reach. We’re getting so many people starting to follow our sport around the world.”

SailGP teams have a US$10 million (A$15 million) budget cap and under new league guidelines, commercial and marketing spend as well as costs associated with damage to a team’s boat will sit outside the cap.

The off-season will be frenetic with a new sanctioned transfer window opening the floodgates for more athletes switching teams, with transfers to require a fee.

Australia’s success in SailGP has seen the three-time champions targeted in recruitment raids from rivals — last season Aussie wing trimmer and Slingsby’s right-hand man Kyle Langford was poached by the Italian team.

But Slingsby said his new owners and sponsors have the Aussies cashed up and ready to go raiding rival teams.

“Historically we’ve been fed on in the off-season. People come to try and steal a lot of our team members away,” Slingsby said.

Tom Slingsby says the Aussies are ready to raid their SailGP rivals. Photo: YouTube.

“Now we’ve got more partnerships, we’ve got new ownership. No longer are we sort of fed off, but it feels like we can play the game. We’ve got money we can (use) to go and try to poach people as well.

“It’s a better position to be in than how we’ve been the last four years, that’s for sure.”

Kiwi’s injury drama after ‘crazy’ America’s Cup split

Great Brain lead the standings by three points ahead of New Zealand, who are desperate to finally break through and win a SailGP championship to have something to show for being one of the most consistent teams in the league’s history.

In some late drama, Kiwi driver Peter Burling has sustained a nasty cut on his index finger during practice in Abu Dhabi that saw his hand wrapped in a heavy bandage at the drivers’ press conference.

“It’s obviously not ideal but the medical teams have been amazing, looking forward to recovering and getting back into it,” Burling said.

Asked if he may be unable to hit the water for the grand final, Burling said: “That depends on who you talk to but I’m sure I’ll figure out how to be there.”

Victory would be extra sweet for Burling, who parted ways from his own country’s America’s Cup team earlier this year in a shock move given he has skippered the Kiwis to three successful America’s Cup campaigns in 2017, 2021 and 2024.

Burling will compete for the Italian challenger Luna Rossa at the 2027 America’s Cup.

“Definitely thought the departure was a little bit strange, how it all unfolded and how quickly it unfolded, while I was away on a family holiday, not even in New Zealand,” Burling said in the latest episode of the Racing On The Edge documentary.

“There are a lot of details as to why exactly that was. But I think the uncertainty and control Team New Zealand wanted over me was just crazy, from my point of view.

“It wasn’t put in the words that you can’t do Sail GP, or you have to do this or that. It was more just a very large period of absolute uncertainty where they had full control over my time, essentially.”

Originally published as ‘We’ve got money’: Aussie’s warning to as Hollywood stars set to ‘poach’ rivals