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From the SailGP grandstands, the sea no longer appears to be simply an open horizon. It becomes a racetrack, an arena, a stage crossed by sudden bursts of acceleration.
The F50s approach almost silently, lifted above the water on their foils. Then a tack, a close crossing or a heavy touchdown causes the entire crowd to react at exactly the same moment.
In Portsmouth, that sensation was even more intense. Twenty thousand spectators filled the race stadium during the weekend as the catamarans flew across the Solent only a short distance from the shoreline.
On the racecourse, the wind exceeded 20 knots. On land, music and entertainment transformed the waterfront into a major sporting and musical event, completed by performances from Jess Glynne and Craig David.
Against this spectacular backdrop, the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team reached the final of a Grand Prix for the second consecutive event.
After securing a podium at the previous event in Halifax, the crew led by Sébastien Schneiter confirmed its continued progress, winning a fleet race and demonstrating that it can now compete consistently near the front of the championship.
Placed in Group B alongside Great Britain, Sweden, the United States, Germany and France, the Swiss team began the weekend with a solid performance.
Across Saturday’s three races, the crew recorded a third, a second and a fourth place. It was a consistent series of results, achieved in strong wind conditions, which allowed the Swiss F50 to finish the day third in its group. The team therefore entered Super Sunday still firmly in contention for a place in the final.
'We are all focused on Super Sunday and determined to reach the final again,' Schneiter said at the end of the opening day.
From the grandstand, every start seemed to compress time. The F50s approached the line at extraordinary speed, trying to cross it at precisely the right moment without giving their opponents any room.
A delay of only a few seconds could leave a boat covered by its rivals and forced to chase inside a short, tightly defined course designed to bring the racing as close as possible to the spectators.
On Sunday, the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team produced its best race when it mattered most.
In the final fleet race, the crew took the lead and retained it all the way to the finish line. It was a convincing victory, achieved under pressure, which secured Switzerland’s place in the final for the second consecutive event.
The result confirmed the quality of the work carried out by the team in its starts, onboard communication and management of high speed manoeuvres.
Following the first podium of the season in Canada, the victory in Portsmouth represented another important step in the team’s development.
Reaching two consecutive finals in the Rolex SailGP Championship requires a team to maintain a consistently high level in very different conditions, adapting quickly to the wind, the format of the event and the individual characteristics of each racecourse.
The Swiss F50 made a strong start in the decisive race, immediately joining the battle for victory.
As the race progressed, however, the team was unable to maintain its early position and finished fourth behind Spain, which claimed its second consecutive Grand Prix victory, Artemis and NorthStar.
The disappointment of the final result does not diminish the value of the weekend. Portsmouth delivered another fleet race victory, another appearance in the decisive contest and further confirmation that the team can now compete consistently in the most important positions.
'When you reach the final, you want to win it,' as strategist Maud Jayet explained.
That sense of dissatisfaction illustrates how much the crew’s expectations have changed. Reaching the final is no longer simply an achievement to celebrate. It is becoming the starting point from which the team aims to challenge for victory.
Since returning to competition in Bermuda, SLAM has accompanied the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team in one of the most demanding environments in contemporary sailing.
On an F50 capable of exceeding 100 kilometres per hour, every movement must be coordinated. Every item of equipment must support the body during accelerations, rapid crossings of the boat and manoeuvres completed within seconds.
This is the environment for which the Foil Aeroset worn by the crew was developed, a technical solution designed to combine protection, freedom of movement and aerodynamic efficiency.
The team’s sporting progress follows the same principle. No single element can suddenly transform a season. Progress comes through communication, preparation, analysis, trust and countless details that gradually begin to work together.
Portsmouth confirmed that the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team can now challenge for the final on a consistent basis.
What remains is the image of a windswept Solent, F50s racing in front of the shoreline and thousands of spectators following every crossing with their entire bodies.
Because SailGP, when experienced from the grandstands, is more than a sailing race. It is speed transformed into sound, tension flowing through the crowd and flight above the water that, for a few seconds, feels almost close enough to touch.
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