Tom Slingsby refuses to ease off after Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's Bonds Flying Roos seal SailGP Grand Final spot - 'That's not my style'
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By Amy Monkman
Published 20/09/2026 at 15:01 GMT+1
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Australian SailGP driver Tom Slingsby may be one of the circuit’s older competitors but he remains one of its fiercest and most successful. Sitting comfortably at the top of the leaderboard he has built a culture defined by high standards, close relationships and an uncompromising aim to win.
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Only three races remain in the SailGP Championship 2026 season. As it stands, nine of the 12 teams can still secure a place in the Grand Final.
Only Slingsby's Bonds Flying Roos have confirmed their place in the final, with all but two teams mathematically still in contention for the race, with every piece of action shown live with TNT Sports on HBO Max.
”As hard as it is to believe, I think I’ve actually softened up a lot,” Slingsby said during this weekend's action on Lake Geneva.
”I still hate losing more than anyone and I still hold myself to a really high standard.
"But I think I’m becoming a little calmer in my older age. Now I’ve got kids… it’s hard to believe, but I think that’s actually the case.”
”We don’t celebrate second” and ”getting a respectable result is not the goal” are just two things Slingsby has said in the past week.
The Bonds Flying Roos, co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, are top of the championship leaderboard with 85 points.
Despite their standing, Slingsby’s relentless drive shows no sign of easing for the remaining races.
During the competition’s press conference in Geneva this weekend the Australian seemed relaxed, joking he was ”just a fan” now his team were guaranteed their spot in the final.
”I was joking when I said we were going to back off and just spectate,” he said later to TNT Sports. ”That’s not my style. We’re going to go for the win in every race.”
Much to the frustration of rivals and reigning champions Emirates GBR, the Bonds Flying Roos have dominated the best part of the 2026 SailGP season.
Slingsby’s team have been snapping at the heels of the Brits since the season opener in Perth, Australia, which saw Dylan Fletcher’s GBR team win their first and only event of the season, with the Australians finishing a close second.
Since Perth, the Bonds Flying Roos have performed consistently, either winning or finishing in the top three in almost every race.
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”Before anyone signs for the team, I say, ‘Look, we’re not a team that celebrates second,'" Slingsby said. "There are probably 10 other teams out there who will but that’s not going to be our mantra or our culture. We compete for the win.
”I want our team to know that getting a respectable result is not the goal. The goal is to win. I hold our team to a high standard, I hold myself to a high standard and I think that shows in our results over the years.”
He credits the team’s consistency to the friendships and relationships they have built behind the scenes for more than a decade together.
”We’ve kept the same group of people together now for well over 10 years, for most of the team, and so we just know each other so well. We make very little crew changes and, in the long run, I think that’s really helped us.”
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On the water communication is often highlighted by sailors as being make or break for a team under pressure.
”I think the thing that makes a difference is the team and the personalities and the culture on board, and how people gel together," he added. "Those split seconds in communication and understanding the person and what they might be thinking before they say it. I think that that’s what makes the difference.”
As the remaining nine teams who can still qualify for the final jostle for position in Geneva this weekend, Slingsby knows who he would like to face in the final.
”Spain, because I think they’re the top team, and GBR because they beat us last. They overtook us in the final last year and I want redemption.”
The Grand Final is set for Abu Dhabi on November 28-29, with every race live with TNT Sports on HBO Max.
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