The Australians hit 2026 with a refreshed crew, a returning Olympic great, and the kind of momentum that makes a team dangerous. The BONDS Flying Roos aren’t rebuilding. They’re reloading.
If there is a team built for pressure, it is the BONDS Flying Roos. They’ve spent the better part of SailGP’s history shaping the standard for pace, poise, and grit, claiming three straight titles in the early years and finishing runner-up in 2025 after a heart-stopping finale in Abu Dhabi. But 2026 arrives with a shift in the wind. A new-look crew. A returning Olympian. A rising talent from their own shore team. The Roos aren’t easing into the season. They are firing straight out of the blocks.
A new chapter as a champion comes home
The biggest ripple across the fleet comes from one name: Iain “Goobs” Jensen. The Olympic gold and silver medallist steps back into Australian colours for the first time in nine years. For many Aussie sailors, Jensen was the benchmark through the 2010s. For the SailGP world, he’s been the quiet weapon behind Emirates GBR’s rise, helping steer them to a Grand Final win last season. His move back to the Roos isn’t just a reunion. It’s a statement.
Jensen’s background reads like a masterclass in high performance. Two 49er world titles. Four America’s Cup campaigns. A reputation across the fleet as one of the sharpest wing trimmers in the game. He arrives at a moment when the Roos are hungry, proven, and looking for that extra gear.
“It means a lot to be back,” Jensen said. “I’ve learned a huge amount over the years, and I’m excited to bring that experience home.”
Slingsby calls him a best mate, a cornerstone, and the godfather of his son. The return feels personal as much as tactical, and that blend often fuels great campaigns.
Fresh firepower with technical depth
The second shift is the rise of Tom Needham, promoted from the shore team to Reserve Athlete. Needham has come through the 49er ranks with serious pedigree, collecting national titles, world-level podiums, and awards as Queensland’s top male sailor. But it’s his mind as much as his sailing that makes him stand out.
A hydraulic engineer for SailGP, Needham knows the F50 far beyond the sailor’s perspective. He has worked on performance upgrades, deck hardware, and the critical hydraulic systems that power the boat. His ongoing aerospace and mechanical engineering thesis focuses on the performance of supercavitating foils. When he steps on board, he brings an analytical edge few teams can match.
“It’s a tremendous honour,” Needham said. “I’m proud to be part of this next chapter.”
The championship core stands strong
Surrounding these new arrivals is a group that knows how to win. Tom Slingsby returns as driver and CEO, steering the culture as much as the boat. Jason Waterhouse, Sam Newton, Kinley Fowler, and Natasha Bryant complete a crew with years of shared pressure, shared success, and shared fight.
This is the backbone behind three SailGP titles. The spine that survived season after season of matchups against the Kiwis, the Brits, and the rising challengers. They’ve made a habit of showing up when the stakes spike. Now they get to do it with a sharper playbook and new weapons beside them.
Slingsby, usually blunt and bullish, sounds energised.
“There’s a real sense of momentum building. Having Goobs back is special, and bringing Tom in gives us even more firepower. We can’t wait to race in Fremantle.”
Ready for the flag-drop in Perth
The first test comes quickly. The Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix, on 17–18 January 2026, opens the new season on home waters. Fans will pack the shoreline for the debut of the all-Australian line-up. The fleet knows the Roos are dangerous in flat water, rough water, light air, heavy air. Perth, with its Fremantle Doctor, may deliver all of that inside a single day.
Australia finished second in 2025 after a three-boat showdown with Emirates GBR and New Zealand. They return not to rebuild but to reclaim. Every team will bring new ideas and tighter margins. The Roos will bring something harder to match: belief forged over years of high-pressure miles.
A season shaped by ambition and renewal
The 2026 Season SailGP BONDS Flying Roos story is already pushing outward. A returning legend. A rising engineer-athlete. A battle-hardened core. The edges have been sharpened, the mood is hungry, and the team looks more complete than it has in years.
They launch into the season with a simple brief: be bold, be fast, and take back what was once theirs.
