New to SailGP in Season 3, 26-year-old Maud Jayet is competing with the Switzerland SailGP Team. She began sailing at the age of six and since then has scooped a Laser Radial bronze medal at the Genoa World Cup in 2019, competed in her first Olympics Games in 2021 and is part of the Laser Radial 1st Women’s Swiss Sailing League in 2022. Alongside her SailGP commitments, Jayet is also campaigning for the 2024 Paris Olympics. We catch up with her ahead of the ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix in Copenhagen to talk sailing icons, career highlights and her best SailGP moment so far.
Q: How did you first get into sailing?
A. Neither of my parents sail but when I was six, they put me into a summer camp to keep busy and I loved it!
Q: What is your career highlight so far?
A. Qualifying and representing Switzerland in the Laser Radial at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Q: Who is your sailing icon and why?
A. Tom Slingsby! He comes from the Laser (the boat I sail) so I used to follow his career. He dominated in any boat he sailed in!
Q: Tell us about your scariest sailing moment?
A. It was back in Australia around three years ago, there was 40-45 knots of wind, and I couldn’t sail the boat back! But sailing on the F50 will probably be up there at some point!
Q: What is your favourite SailGP race location and why?
A. Sydney, because it’s great sailing and the harbour is such an iconic location.
Q: What is your top ambition for Season 3?
A. To keep improving through the season; keep improving with each race and getting one or two top three race finishes in.
Q: Best SailGP moment so far?
A. Being in Chicago and on the F50 for the first time! I moved around some of the roles, behind the wheel and as a grinder, which was probably the most fun as it is the most active!
Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a professional sailor?
A. I studied law so I would most likely be a lawyer. But in another life, maybe a doctor or I maybe would have done something else that’s active such as mountain biking or beach volleyball.
Q: What is your favourite thing about SailGP?
The racing.... because it is so intense and full of adrenaline. Being able to compete on the circuit as part of the Swiss team is really special.
