Sailor Outteridge returns to SailGP, marking Sweden's entrance as the 13th nation to join the foiling competition league
Nathan Outteridge, a renowned foiling sailor and two-time Olympic medallist, is making a comeback to the global racing championship with the Swedish Artemis Racing team. The team, which is backed by Swedish billionaire and passionate sailor Torbjörn Törnqvist, is the 13th team to join the SailGP multi-stage, traveling stadium race series.
Outteridge's appointment in SailGP pits him against three other finalist helmsmen from the 38th America's Cup, including Pete Burling, his co-helm on the winning Emirates Team New Zealand AC75. The two sailors will face off against Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher, who currently manage and helm the GBR F50 respectively, and were the opponents of Outteridge and Burling in the 38th America's Cup.
Outteridge's SailGP career had some challenges, as his team, Japan SailGP Team, had their boat reallocated to other teams due to insufficient commercial backing, and was eventually dropped from the league by founders Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts. However, he is now eager to make a fresh start with Artemis Racing.
The Artemis SailGP team aims to compete at the very highest level in SailGP, pushing boundaries both on and off the water. Iain Percy, an Olympic gold medalist, will lead Artemis Racing as CEO. Percy's focus is on leveraging cutting-edge technology, a world-class lineup, and the hard-won lessons from America's Cup in the SailGP championship.
Artemis Racing has a history in cutting-edge racing, having competed in several America's Cups and most recently challenging for the Youth and Women's America's Cups as an 'invited' team. The team's co-founder, Torbjörn Törnqvist, has raced in highly competitive classes such as the RC44s and TP52s, and won the World Championships and Med Cup with Russell Coutts as tactician.
Outteridge, who won a gold medal in the 49er class at the 2012 Olympics and a silver medal in 2016, is excited about the prospect of returning to the global racing championship. His return to SailGP is expected to bring more star power to the circuit, as the Rolex SailGP Championship for 2026, the sixth season of SailGP which opens in January 2026 in Perth, Australia, approaches.
The Artemis SailGP team is ready to take on the challenge and compete at the highest level. With Outteridge's expertise and the team's commitment to innovation, they are set to make a significant impact in the world of sailing.
