On boardSwiss SailGPTeam

Role: Driver  

Sébastien Schneiter is the driver of the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team. From Geneva, he developed his sailing career in the 49er, the high-performance Olympic skiff, sharing an important part of his journey with Arno de Planta. The pair represented Switzerland at Paris 2024, finishing eighth in the 49er after a four-year cycle built between the Olympic campaign and SailGP. 

On the F50, Schneiter has to read the racecourse, manage starts and crossings, choose trajectories and timing, while maintaining constant dialogue with the wing trimmer, flight controller and strategist. 

Role: Strategist 

Maud Jayet is the strategist of the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team. Her path began in the ILCA 6, formerly Laser Radial, the Olympic single-handed class in which she built a top-level career, finishing fourth at Paris 2024. On board the F50, her role is to read the wind, the opponents, the distances and the geometry of the racecourse. In a circuit made up of short, extremely fast races, the strategist helps the team turn the boat’s speed into effective tactical choices. 

Role: Wing Trimmer 

Arnaud Psarofaghis is the wing trimmer of the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team. His background is deeply connected to the foiling world: Moth, GC32, D35, Extreme Sailing Series and the America’s Cup. On the F50, he works on the rigid wing, one of the most decisive components of the boat. The wing trimmer has to find the right balance between power, acceleration and control, continuously adapting the drive to the conditions, the maneuver and the tactical phase of the race. 

Role: Flight Cotroller 

Bryan Mettraux is the flight controller of the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team. His background is also rooted in highly technical and fast boats: match racing, D35, GC32 and the America’s Cup. In SailGP, the flight controller manages the catamaran’s flight height on the foils. It is a role of extreme precision: keeping the F50 stable, fast and controllable, while working in close connection with the driver and wing trimmer. On a boat that can exceed 100 km/h, flight is not just spectacle, it is performance. 

Role: First Grinder 

Matt Gotrel is a grinder for the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team. His path is a distinctive one: before his professional career in SailGP, he won Olympic gold in rowing with the British men’s eight at Rio 2016 and was a two-time world champion. He was also part of the British challenge for the 36th America’s Cup, held in Auckland in 2021. 

Role: Second Grinder 

Arno de Planta is a grinder for the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team. His background is strongly linked to the 49er: together with Sébastien Schneiter, he built an Olympic campaign that culminated at Paris 2024 with an eighth-place finish in the Olympic skiff class, after winning a silver medal at the World Championship in the same class. 

On board the F50, Arno brings physical energy, rhythm and direct knowledge of the driver. This is important because in SailGP, communication between roles is one of the factors that makes the difference: every adjustment happens in a matter of seconds and every movement has to be coordinated with the rest of the crew.