Career Highlights
- SailGP Champion - Season 1
- SailGP Champion - Season 2
- 2019 Moth World Championship – Winner
- 2014 World Championship Silver - RC44
SailGP
When SailGP was formed, Tom Slingsby was the obvious choice as driver and CEO of the Australian team given his decorated individual career and success in team competitions, including the 2013 America’s Cup. He has since proven his worth in SailGP, skippering the Aussies to Championship glory in both Season 1 and Season 2.
Youth
Although his father was a sailor and he had been around boats during his earliest years, Slingsby admits he wasn’t a strong junior sailor and instead focused his energy on tennis, which saw him evolve into a budding prospect. However, when the Olympics came to Sydney in 2000, he became “obsessed” with the sport when he saw the scenes taking place on the harbour and decided then and there to begin dedicating his training towards a career on the water.
Career
Slingsby is one of the most successful sailors in the world, having won an Olympic gold medal, nine world championships, the America’s Cup and setting numerous world records in addition to being crowned 2010 World Sailor of the Year.
He dominated the Laser class between 2006 and 2012, claiming six world titles during that period with his final championship coinciding with his Olympic gold medal in the event at the London Games. For his achievements in 2012, he was named the Australian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year and received the Medal of the Order of Australia.
Shortly after the 2012 Olympics, he joined ORACLE TEAM USA as a strategist, helping mount one of the greatest comebacks in the sport’s history when the team won the America’s Cup in 2013. He went on to win the 2016 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race before returning to the American team as tactician and team manager for the 35th America’s Cup.
In December 2019, he earned his first world title in the Moth class after dominating the competition and winning all but one race.
Personal
When Slingsby is not competing, he can be found training the discipline of Brazilian Jiujitsu in which he recently earned his blue belt. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as his beloved English bulldog, Nala, who regularly stars on his social media channels.