EXPLAINED: What is short-handed racing and how do SailGP teams react?

How do teams change their line-ups based on wind conditions?

Published 07/7/2026

If you’re tuning into the broadcast of any SailGP event, you will almost certainly have heard the phrases ‘Five up’ or ‘Four up’ at some stage – but what do they mean? Here’s everything you need to know.

What does the regular crew look like?

Ordinarily, SailGP teams will have a crew of six athletes on their F50. From back to front, this consists of a strategist, a driver, a wing trimmer, a flight controller and two grinders.

Each member of the crew works in tandem with those around them to ensure a stable and consistent flight for the F50 and removing one member changes everything.

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So why do athletes get removed?

Each F50 is built to be as lightweight as possible which is integral to getting up out of the water and foiling to move as quickly as possible. The magic speed is 28kph and the lighter the boat the better.

When wind conditions are light and teams aren’t going to get up to 28kph easily, teams remove athletes from their crew, reducing to ‘Five up’ or ‘Four up’.

How is the decision made?

The U.S. SailGP Team racing at the 2026 Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax

The SailGP Race Committee will monitor conditions ahead of race day to decide how the boats will be built.

While the foil package, wing and jib size are determined in advance owing to the lengthy build time required to get a 13-strong fleet in the water, crew configuration is finalized closer to racing so it aligns with the expected wind and weather conditions.

What can the teams do?

Until recently, SailGP teams would often sacrifice the strategist when reducing crew weight. While the role is less physically involved in operating the F50 than the other onboard positions, the strategist plays a critical role in race execution, assessing the course, competitors and conditions while providing the driver with tactical insights and a second set of eyes.

For most of the fleet, this role is filled by a female athlete and when five up, there must be a female athlete aboard the F50. This led to teams moving their strategist into either of the grinding positions and removing a specialist grinder.

U.S. SailGP Team grinder and jib trimmer Anna Weis has also competed at the Olympic Games

For the U.S. SailGP Team, Anna Weis is the full-time grinder and jib trimmer – a huge advantage in light-air conditions as she already boasts the power and expertise in a role where other teams would have stand-ins.

So, what changed?

Ahead of the 2026 Canada Sail Grand Prix, it was announced that teams would always have to have two athletes tethered behind the wheel. In other words, the strategist and driver.

This has led to a re-think across the fleet. The wing trimmer and flight controller roles are integral to flying the boat and maintaining a stable platform through maneuvers. Although the driver has the ability to control the wing and foils from their wheel, it is a lot of additional responsibility.

Therefore in a five-up situation, teams have been going with a single grinder. In four-up scenarios, both grinders come off and the flight controller has been seen leaning forward into cockpit three to crank the handle.

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