New T-foils expected to deliver exciting racing for SailGP
SailGP says it has taken nearly two years of rigorous testing for it to be in position to roll out its new high-speed titanium T-foils for the league’s international F50 fleet. T-Foils will be introduced as part of the high-speed configuration for the first time in racing this weekend in Auckland (18-19 January 2025). The innovation aims to deliver higher speeds and closer competition for the global racing championship.
The T-Foils (which SailGP introduced in October last year) will replace the existing L-Foils, that have been used since SailGP’s inception in 2019. Constructed from machined titanium and carbon, the new foils have thinner sections than the current L-Foils, reducing drag at high speeds. Last week the New Zealand team achieved a speed of 97.2 km/h.
A ‘baptism by fire’ was how Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team flight controller Andy Maloney described his first training session on the new foils.
“It was pretty crazy conditions for our first day out on the T-Foils,” says Maloney after gusts of up to 50 km/h. “The wind was super gusty and shifty here in Auckland – it was a real baptism by fire for all the teams out there. A really good first day, but the learning curve is definitely steep.
As all teams race to master the new technology in identical F50 catamarans, the T-Foils could level the playing field across the fleet – providing an opportunity for new teams to catch up to more experienced crews. Having moved from one of the league’s most dominant teams – the Black Foils – to one of two new national teams, Maloney said the impact would be tangible.
“It’s definitely an interesting element,” Maloney says. “Some of the teams we’ve seen at the top of the leaderboard the last few seasons won’t have any more experience on T-Foils than the new teams. So, it will be really interesting to see where everyone ends up.”
The Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team – led by double Olympic Gold medalist Martine Grael – is one of two new nations to join the league this season, alongside the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team. This weekend, they will be joined by the league’s final national team this season when France returns to race in the newly-completed boat 12.
More than 25,000 fans are expected to watch the second event of the Rolex SailGP 2025 Season Championship. Maloney believes fans will be in for an incredible show. “I’m hoping for some windy conditions. If we get that, we will see these boats going faster than they have before. It’s going to be pretty incredible,” he says.
For those interested in watching the series live, SailGP is broadcast in more than 212 territories around the world.
