All HANDS ON DECK WITH U.S. SAILGP TEAM’S ANNA WEIS
Fueled by a new wave of world-class investors and owners from U.S. sports, entertainment, and technology, the U.S. SailGP Team is redefining American sailing on the global stage. Co-owned by Ryan and Margaret McKillen alongside two-time world champion Mike Buckley, the team is led on the water by seven-time world champion driver Taylor Canfield.
The all-American roster brings together some of the country’s most accomplished athletes: Anna Weis, Hans Henken, Mac Agnese, Jeremy Wilmot, Peter Kinney, Andrew Campbell, and Michael Menninger.
Beyond the adrenaline of SailGP’s foiling catamarans, the league is redefining what it means to be a modern sports property. With an ambition to be the world’s most sustainable and purpose-driven sports and entertainment platform, SailGP created the Impact League—a first-of-its-kind competition where teams are scored not just on the water but on the actions they take for the planet. From reducing carbon footprint to advancing gender equity, the Impact League makes progress as essential to winning as performance, embedding purpose into the fabric of the sport.
Q: What makes SailGP special? What do you love most about the sport of sailing?
A: SailGP is the fastest, most exciting racing in the world — but what makes it different is that it’s powered by nothing but nature. As an athlete, that’s what I love most: you’re not just competing against other teams, you’re working with the wind and the water. There’s no better feeling than racing at super high speeds knowing you’re powered by the elements themselves.
Q: When people watch you compete, they’re seeing poetry in motion. But what are you feeling in those moments when you’re completely dialed in? Is it like the ocean is speaking directly to you?
A: When I’m fully locked in, it’s a mix of focus and instinct. You’re hyper-aware of every shift in the breeze and every movement of the boat, and it feels like you’re in rhythm with the ocean. It’s less about the ocean speaking to me and more about learning how to trust your feeling — that’s when you really feel connected.
Q: When you’re out on the water and you see plastic debris floating past, what goes through your mind?
A: It’s heartbreaking. The ocean is where I train, race, and spend most of my life, so seeing plastic out there is very sad. It’s a reminder that if we don’t take care of the water, it won’t take care of us. It makes me want to be part of the solution — whether that’s through partnerships like Protect Where We Play or just being more mindful every day.
Q: There’s something different about sailors and their relationship with water. What has the ocean taught you that you couldn’t learn anywhere else?
A: The ocean has taught me resilience. You can’t control it, and sometimes things don’t go your way — but you learn to adapt, adjust, and keep pushing. It’s also taught me respect. No matter how experienced you are, the ocean is always bigger than you, and that’s a lesson I carry with me everywhere.
“In SailGP the ocean is our playing field and with that comes a great deal of responsibility to take care of it. Protect Where We Play is about uniting athletes, teams, and fans to do exactly that — inspire the next generation to protect the ocean.”
– Mike Buckley, co-owner, CEO and strategist of U.S. SailGP Team
Q: Your platform reaches millions of people who might never set foot on a boat. What’s your message to the landlocked kid in Kansas who thinks ocean conservation doesn’t affect them?
A: My message is simple: the ocean touches your life every single day, whether you see it or not. It produces the air we breathe, regulates our climate and drives the food we eat. You don’t have to live near the coast to be connected to it. Protecting the ocean isn’t just about sailing or sport — it’s about protecting the future we all share, no matter where you live.
Q: How has traveling the world with the U.S. SailGP Team changed your perspective on the role we all play in ocean conservation?
A: It’s opened my eyes to how connected we all are. I’ve raced in places where the water looks untouched, and in others where the impact of pollution is impossible to ignore. What I’ve learned is that the ocean doesn’t have borders — protecting it has to be a global effort, and we all have a role to play.
Q: Tell us what it means to partner with Ocean Conservancy?
A: Partnering with Ocean Conservancy means we’re part of something bigger than sport. They bring the expertise and science, and we bring a platform to inspire people through sailing. For me, it’s exciting to think that by working together we can show how much the ocean gives us — and how important it is that we give back.
So, anchors away with the U.S. SailGP Team! By joining Anna and taking action to #ProtectWhereWePlay, you’re protecting the ocean and the future of the sports and entertainment we all love.
