Hannah Mills says Emirates GBR are ready to “give it everything” in New York as the reigning Rolex SailGP Championship winners look to reignite their 2026 Season.
The British team started the campaign in commanding fashion, winning the season-opening Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG, but have endured a more difficult run in recent events.
That included a tough weekend at the ENEL Rio Sail Grand Prix, where Emirates GBR finished 12th, before a fourth-place result in Bermuda kept them in the championship fight heading into this weekend’s Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix.
Speaking ahead of racing on the Hudson River, strategist Mills said the team remain focused on responding quickly.
“In SailGP, you can think you’re on fire and things are going really well, and then it can really bite you,” Mills said.
“For sure, that has happened to us over the last couple of events, particularly in Rio, where we really struggled. But it’s a long season, and the bounce-back is what can make or break the season.”
Mills pointed to SailGP’s open data system as a key part of Emirates GBR’s push to recover form, with teams able to study each other’s performance across manoeuvres, boat handling and communication.
“We keep pushing and keep learning from everyone,” she said. “There’s so much to learn, and the open-source data is pretty unreal. We’re excited to get out here in New York and give it everything we’ve got.”
Emirates GBR also arrive in New York with Olympic gold medalist Stu Bithell now part of the crew, having joined the team after Ian Jensen’s return to the BONDS Flying Roos.
Mills said crew chemistry remains critical on board the high-speed F50s.
“The crew line-up is key,” she said. “These boats are sailed by six people, and you need everyone on board doing their job, working well within the team and pushing each other to be better.”
She added that Bithell had brought “a lot of energy, a lot of fun” to the team.
“He’s incredibly passionate about sailing and getting better,” Mills said. “That kind of energy is amazing to be around.”
With the Hudson River expected to deliver shifting breeze, strong current and potentially very different conditions across the weekend, Mills said adaptability would be crucial.
“Saturday sounds gusty, spicy, and like there’s going to be a lot on just getting the boats around the racecourse at times,” she said. “That adaptability is going to be really key.”
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