Emphasis On Starting Strategy Says Michael Menninger
Michael Menninger looks ahead to the Germany Sail Grand Prix and areas for improvement…
Published 08/13/2025
Michael Menninger says the U.S. SailGP Team can make gains by focusing on its starting strategy going forward.
Recruited ahead of the New York Sail Grand Prix, Michael has taken on an analytical role during the last two events – first from the coach’s booth, and then from the chase boat in Portsmouth.
Having spent time getting up to speed with the F50 and the intricacies of SailGP, he believes strategy in the start box is an area where the U.S. SailGP Team can close the gap to the rest of the fleet.
“In Portsmouth, we had some good chats about starting strategy and execution,” Michael explained. “I think there’s some room to improve there for sure. We just need to keep talking about it as a group and figure it out.
“As long as we’re making good decisions and placing the boat in the right spots, I think we’ll be set up to start a little bit better in the future.”
Michael added: “In any type of sailboat racing, it pays to be going fast or faster than your competitors because it gives you control. It’s even more important in SailGP where you can be sailing twice as fast as the guy next to you if they’re not on the foils.
“In foiling boats especially, you get even more control when you’re foiling and sailing fast. So we just need to keep molding our own strategy and try to get up to the guys’ level.”
Much like the start box, the SailGP schedule is packed in the coming months with back-to-back events in September taking us to Saint-Tropez and Geneva in a few short weeks.
READ MORE: Menninger Relishing Campbell Reunion With U.S. SailGP Team
With two new crew members, Michael is keen to avoid setting firm targets, instead preferring to look inwardly at improving processes on the F50.
He said: “For us, we want to just be getting better every single race and making sure that we’re working well as a team and improving.
“I think for Andrew (Campbell) and I, the new guys on the boat, that is especially pertinent. But if we’re talking about the right things and having the right attitude and supporting each other in ways that help everyone around us, then I think we’ll accelerate quickly.
“That’s what I’m excited about, and I think that’s what our team’s going to really focus on.”
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