Anna: Everyone’s Proud Of How Far We’ve Come – But We’re Nowhere Near Where We Want To Be
U.S. SailGP Team grinder Anna Weis reflects on finishing P7 at the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix
Published 05/15/2026
We’ve talked as a team, and a few people have said this, but if the days had been switched around, I think we would have come away from Bermuda with a more positive feeling. Not that we’re not positive now, but it would have felt different because Saturday was tougher and then we bounced back with an amazing day on Sunday.
Hungry For More
To still be in a position to finish P4 or make the Final going into the last race is a really positive place to be in. We’re all really hungry to get back to work on those small details. We’re trying to reach the top and fighting for that, rather than just trying to get out of last place, it’s a very different feeling.
Everybody is very proud of how far we’ve come, but we’re also nowhere near where we want to be. It’s really fun to have that feeling where we’re pushing and in a position to make a final. That’s a really good position to be in. If we keep chipping away and keep progressing, there are always going to be ups and downs, and Sunday just wasn’t our day.
We’re trying to work really hard to see what we can learn from the Aussies and the Spanish teams. They were standouts this weekend. We want to see what we can take from that into New York.
The way they sail the boat is so slick, and there are so many details we’re trying to put together within our own team and the way we sail the boat as the U.S. SailGP Team.
Instead of trying to copy other teams, it’s more about developing our own style. That’s not to say we’re not learning from the other teams and taking elements from them into how we sail the boat. We’re trying to figure out, by watching our racing back in certain situations, what we can do better in those moments to make the boat go faster.
A lot of the maneuvers and things like that, we’re looking at the Aussies and the Spanish, but it’s not just comparing one tack to another. We’re really getting into the nitty-gritty details of boat speed, angle, entry, and all the things that make a maneuver a little bit better.
It’s awesome that we’re in a league where we have access to all this data because it allows the learning to continue. There really aren’t many secrets. You don’t fully know what everybody is doing all the time, but you can analyze as much as possible and try to take as much as you can from it.
Startbox Strengths
When Michael and Rookie (Andrew Campbell) came in, we realized one of our struggles was getting off the line well because we knew that when we were sailing the boat in clear lanes and by ourselves, we could sail the boat well and fast.
We wanted to put ourselves in a position to do that. The team has worked really hard on the way we come off the line with speed and our positioning. It’s been a really positive change, and being able to execute that has been great.
It just goes to show that if you’re starting well, it sets you up for good racing. You could see on Sunday that we did not start well, and that hurt us. We were sailing in tough lanes all around the racecourse in bad air and could never really find our groove. It made things really difficult.
The Spanish, Germans, and Aussies were able to get out in front and start the boat well. They were sailing fast around the racecourse with no boats bothering them, and they just kept extending and getting good results.
Overall, though, the improvement in starting has been a really positive change for the team, and it’s been really cool to see.
Empire State Of Mind
Looking ahead, I’m so excited for the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix at the end of the month (May 30-31). I’ve been waiting for this event because there’s so much going on. My whole family is coming, my friends are going to be there, and it feels like a second home for me.
I know this will sound super-touristy but I love going up to the Upper East Side. There’s actually really good food up there, and I just love walking around because it’s beautiful. I also love running through Central Park.
I love New York City so much. The city gives me so much energy. It’s going to be so much fun and I can’t wait.
See you in New York,
Anna
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