- Switzerland SailGP Team is in California for the first ever Oracle Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix
- Racing takes place this weekend (22-23 July)
- Driver Sébastien Schneiter fresh from podium finish at Paris 2024 Test Event
Switzerland SailGP Team continues its tour of the USA with the first ever Oracle Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix this weekend. It’s the second consecutive American event of the season, following the Rolex Chicago SailGP last month. The Swiss will be one of 10 international teams going head-to-head on the brand-new compact racecourse set within the Port of Los Angeles. Los Angeles looks set to deliver perfect racing conditions. The tight racecourse and afternoon sea breeze will make it action packed for the fleet.
Racing takes place across two days, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July, 4pm - 5.30pm local time (PDT) / 1am – 2.30am CEST. All the teams will line up together for the first time today, for a series of official practice races. Blue Sport will stream the action live online (bluesport.ch) and broadcast the racing delayed from Sunday evening 8pm (CEST).
LA is the second instalment of Season 4. Chicago last month was the first event of the new season, the first time the 10 strong team raced together and the first event with a new Swiss line-up onboard.
In between the two events, driver Sébastien Schneiter was in Marseille competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Test event, where he won a bronze medal for Switzerland. Schneiter said: “It’s been a really good few weeks, with the race win in Chicago and the podium in Marseille! Now I’m really looking forward to racing in LA this weekend. It is a small racecourse – like we had in Dubai - and we should have a good sea breeze each day. So, it could get quite spicy out there!
“LA is only the second event of the season and the second time racing with our new crew line-up. It’s a long season with 12 events [across the year] but we have high expectations for our team for this year.”
The Swiss team will once again be supported by two of the sport’s most talented sailors. Glenn Ashby will be on the ground and Nathan Outteridge inputting remotely. The crew line up onboard Eiger remains the same; Will Ryan (AUS) will race at his second SailGP event in the wing trimmer role, Jason Saunders (NZL) in flight controller, Laurane Mettraux (SUI) remains as strategist and the grinder roles will be shared between Jeremy Bachelin (SUI), Julien Rolaz (SUI) and Guy Endean (NZL).
CEO Tanguy Cariou, sets the scene: “We are looking forward to continuing our tour of the USA. Los Angeles is a new venue for the team and league, so that’s exciting for everyone. We’ve been building a lot of momentum on the racecourse over our last few events and ended Chicago on a high. The pressure is never not on, we want to deliver here.”
The Oracle Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix takes place on Saturday 22 - Sunday 23 July. Racing takes place from 4 - 5.30pm local time (PDT) 1am - 2:30am CEST. Peter Burling’s New Zealand team currently sits top of the Season 4 leader board. Head to SailGP.com/watch for details of how to see the action around the world.
Switzerland SailGP Team Los Angeles line up:
Driver: Sébastien Schneiter
Wing Trimmer: Will Ryan
Flight Controller: Jason Saunders
Grinder: Jérémy Bachelin
Grinder: Julien Rolaz
Grinder: Guy Endean
Strategist: Laurane Mettraux
Sailing advisor (on site): Glenn Ashby
Sailing advisor (remote): Nathan Outteridge
Coach: Jacopo Plazzi
