Why I’ve Loved Returning To SailGP This Season – Andrew Campbell
U.S. SailGP Team strategist Andrew Campbell shares his thoughts ahead of the season finale
Published 11/21/2025
As the 2025 Season draws to a close with the Grand Final in Abu Dhabi, I have been reflecting and I’ve really enjoyed returning to SailGP this season with the U.S. SailGP Team.
The format of the racing is an absolute riot – the type of sailing we’re doing is really fun and makes for a great spectacle for fans, whether in-person or watching at home.
But the reach the events have is the most appealing part of our sport. The impact we’re making on a lot of sailors, and on people new to the sport, is what really inspires me.
It’s an opportunity I really cherish; I’m excited about how much momentum SailGP has and how positively it’s growing our sport. I’m always fired up about that.
Historically, there are other events that catch the eye of sailors and non-sailors alike – the America’s Cup, for example – but SailGP has a unique momentum because it happens so often. The events are well publicized and happen on a regular basis. That’s what helps its reach to grow year on year.
It’s easy to mention something to a new fan and have them recognize it right away. It’s not some long-term, lofty goal they can’t wrap their heads around. They know when the next event is, and they’re excited about it having watched the last one.
I have found that part of it is really fun to chat with people about, and fun to see how wide-ranging their curiosity is – from the intricacies of the technology to the spectacle of the racing to the character of each venue.
People are excited about every aspect and that’s precisely what we want. Personally, the racing side is the reason I’m here, so I love talking about that with people.
Andrew Campbell sailed with the U.S. SailGP Team previously before rejoining during the 2025 Season
That said, I have always been - and continue to be - impressed by the technology side of SailGP. As someone who has sailed in this competition, been away and come back again, the development and improvement of the boats and the amount of learning that’s still happening, even though it’s a one-design class within a strict framework, has been incredible.
There’s still a lot to learn, and it has to be approached methodically. It also allows teams in the back of the fleet to make big gains if we handle development correctly. If you stop learning - whether you’re Australia or Spain – you’re going to let teams go by you.
You can’t rest on your laurels with the level of development every team has shown.
Speaking of which, we’ve been hard at work as a team preparing for the final event of the season in Abu Dhabi and looking to finish on a high.
It’s a different fit and a different venue, but it’s a similar part of the world at a similar time of year. I think everyone’s right to expect light-air conditions, and we’re right to feel like it’s potentially going to be short-handed. But that’s just how the preparation’s going, and we’re getting ready for that.
You have to be ready for anything in SailGP, and our team is. We have been having regular sessions together remotely and spending as much time together as we can, too. I was with Taylor in Europe after Cádiz and he has been on an absolute tear recently, winning the J70 Worlds – so huge congratulations to him. He is a brilliant sailor, a World Champion and someone we all benefit from working with closely.
Heading to the Middle East, we’re ready for a little more breeze and to get after it, but we’re going to treat these conditions exactly as they are and use them as preparation for next season.
We’re constantly developing our playbook, but we have skewed the conversations and development a little toward the conditions we’re likely to have.
Anytime we’re on the phone together as a group or in person, those are the adjustments we’re making. We’re making sure our I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed, making sure the light-air setup is exactly how it needs to be, and knowing what experiments we’re going to run.
There’s other stuff we need to try in the couple of practices we have leading in, and even during the regatta. There’s stuff we need to look at and experiment with to make sure we’re ready for any lighter events next year. We’re going to enjoy this one and it won’t be long until the 2026 Season is underway in Perth – let’s get after it!
Andrew
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