Andy Maloney has set his goals in SailGP.
And, signing on with newcomers Artemis Sweden for their maiden voyage in the league in season six, the Kiwi flight controller can see a pathway to achieving them.
“This was a great opportunity for me to be back with a team where I feel like we can win events from the get-go,” Maloney told the Herald.
“SailGP is a league that I really want to try to win in my sailing career and this was an opportunity to join a great group of sailors that I know really well and try to do that.”
After the announcement the veteran flight controller would be suiting up for the newcomers, it gave the crew a familiar look.
Maloney admitted a lot of people predicted Artemis would look to bring him on board when Team New Zealand America’s Cup skipper Nathan Outteridge was named as driver. However, few would have also expected fellow Team NZ sailor Chris Draper to be signed as wing trimmer, giving the trio a lot more time on the water together.
“Us as a sailing team, we know the more time we sail together and try to compete under pressure and that sort of communication, the more we do of that in those high-pressure moments, the better we’re going to be come racing in either league,” Maloney said.
“So, they do work well hand-in-hand in that sense, similar to how we’d do it at the Black Foils with Team New Zealand running alongside. But, no, I don’t think Team New Zealand and Artemis communicate too much. As a sailing team, we do see the gain there and I’m sure the people who run the teams also like that.”
The Swedish outfit also brought Kiwi Brad Farrand in as a grinder and jib trimmer. Farrand, who lives in Sweden with his partner and two children, counts as a Swedish national under SailGP’s nationality rules.
With Swedish sailors Julia Gross (strategist) and Julius Hallström (grinder) also signed, Artemis come into the new campaign with a team full of athletes who have competed on an F50 foiling catamaran for at least one season.
It’s a big change from Maloney’s last move, joining Brazil after three seasons with New Zealand’s Black Foils, where he was one of two in the group with meaningful experience on the F50, alongside wing trimmer Leigh McMillan.
Reflecting on the season, Maloney said he enjoyed the experience but admitted he struggled with rarely being in contention for wins.
“I had a really fun season with the Brazilians where I grew a lot as a person. I know and I really hope that I did help them kickstart their journey in SailGP,” he said.
“But through that season, I guess a little bit of my competitiveness was reignited. It’s not something I took for granted at the Black Foils, but I do want to be going to these events fighting for the podium each time and when Nathan was pulling together the talented group of sailors that he has on the Artemis team, a massive part of me joining the team was that ability to compete again at the front of the fleet and to be fighting for the win.”
Sweden
Nathan Outteridge – driver (free agent)
Chris Draper – wing trimmer (Australia)
Andy Maloney – flight controller (Brazil)
Brad Farrand – grinder/jib trimmer (Italy)
Julia Gross – strategist (Italy)
Julius Hallstrom – grinder (Denmark)
Australia
Iain Jensen – wing trimmer (Great Britain)
Great Britain
Stuart Bithell – wing trimmer (Germany)
Brazil
Rasmus Kostner – flight controller (Denmark)
Italy
Phil Robertson – driver (free agent)
Jana Germani – strategist (free agent)
Germany
Kevin Peponnet – wing trimmer (France)
Canada
Alex Sinclair – grinder (Italy)
France
Bruno Mourniac – grinder (free agent)
Leigh McMillan – wing trimmer (Brazil)
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.