Mac Agnese Looking Forward To Michael Menninger Reunion
U.S. SailGP Team Grinder Mac Agnese says he is excited to work with new addition Michael Menninger once more…
Published 05/22/2025
The U.S. SailGP Team has taken a ‘no stone left unturned’ approach to the lengthy break between the last event on the SailGP calendar and the next – including adding the vastly experienced Michael Menninger to the roster.
Menninger, who raced at the 37th edition of the America’s Cup with the American Magic, is also a Match Racing World Champion, Team Racing World Champion, four-time Etchells World Champion and two-time Governor's Cup winner.
He is an athlete that Grinder Mac Agnese has sailed with before and someone he is excited to have on board ahead of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix on June 7-8.
Read More: U.S. SailGP Team Adds Menninger To Roster
Speaking recently, Mac said: “I’ve had the chance to work with him a few times in the past, so I knew he’d bring a positive impact to the team. I was excited when the news came out. He’s very methodical and professional in his approach, which was obvious right from our first meeting.
“The first time we sailed together was at a World Match Tour regatta in the M32 in 2016. Then I sailed with him at the Maxi Rolex in a couple of events in 2021. Since then, we've just been around each other quite a bit in general.”
U.S. SailGP Team Grinder Mac Agnese is looking forward to being re-united with Michael Menninger
Mac believes the team is already reaping the benefits of a new member coming in with fresh eyes during an unscheduled 76-day break in sailing since the Oracle San Francisco Sail Grand Prix at the end of March.
“He’s coming from a full-time, high-performance environment, working daily with top engineers, designers and sailors. The experience he gained there is invaluable, and bringing that into our team can only be a good thing,” explained Mac.
“Even though we haven’t raced with him yet, just from meetings and conversations, it’s already been a big help.”
After a top-three finish in the opening event of Season Five in Dubai, the U.S. SailGP Team has faced its share of difficulties since. But Mac is confident the team has shown it has the ability to compete with the best.
Read More: Jeremy Wilmot - 'We Just Need To Show Confidence'
He said: “It’s definitely been a difficult start to the season. We had a solid first event, especially in conditions we’re strong in compared to the rest of the fleet. But since then, we've faced conditions that are more typical for the rest of the season, and we’ve definitely struggled against the top teams. We're working on improving in those areas, but it’s been tough, especially with limited time on the water.
“We've shown moments where we can compete at the top of the fleet,” he continued. “We need to hold on to that and focus on building consistency. We haven’t had the results yet, but there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit – clear areas where we can improve quickly.
“There are no shortcuts, though. It’s going to be a long season, with ups and downs, but we’re being realistic and chipping away at the areas we know can make a difference.”
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