SYDNEY, Australia — Tom Slingsby, skipper of Australia’s SailGP team, the ‘BONDS Flying Roos’, is finding himself increasingly in the public eye, a shift that includes unexpected appearances in underwear advertisements.
The three-time SailGP champions unveiled a new identity and two new co-owners – Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds – in June 2025, joining Driver and CEO Slingsby in leading the rebranded team. The partnership has dramatically increased the team’s visibility, attracting significant commercial interest, according to Slingsby.
“When SailGP started, I often felt like I was door-knocking trying to get partnerships on board and sponsors to come join us,” Slingsby told The Athletic. “Now, it’s almost the other way, where we have big brands coming to us and saying, ‘We want to partner with your team, how can we make that happen?’ So that’s a huge thing they’ve brought to us, just the commercial viability of our team.”
Reynolds, who co-owns Wrexham A.F.C. With Rob McElhenney, sees parallels between the Welsh soccer club’s story and the potential narrative around SailGP. “A lot of people don’t often think of us this way as actors, but we’re actually storytellers,” Reynolds explained to Slingsby. “We love telling stories of people that the public don’t grasp much about.” Reynolds highlighted the success of the “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary in building support for the club, and expressed a desire to achieve a similar effect for SailGP and the Bonds Flying Roos.
The increased exposure, though, comes with unexpected demands. Slingsby admitted discomfort with promotional photoshoots for the team’s title sponsor, Australian underwear brand Bonds. “Doing underwear photoshoots is something that I’m generally not comfortable with,” he said. “It’s only when you go away from it that you go, ‘I just can’t believe those photos are going to go around the world soon,’ and my anxiety kicks in a bit.”
Discussions are underway regarding a potential documentary series following the team. “Content series are a big part of why they [Jackman and Reynolds] wanted to seize over the team,” Slingsby confirmed. “Plans aren’t totally finalized yet but there are definitely plans happening about what that would look like.” He acknowledged a historical reluctance to open his personal life to scrutiny, but indicated a willingness to consider it if his wife is comfortable.
The growing popularity of SailGP is attracting investment from other high-profile figures. Anne Hathaway has invested in the Italian team, while Kylian Mbappé has acquired a stake in the French team. Sebastian Vettel, the Formula 1 world champion, is involved with the German team.
The league, now in its sixth season, recently faced scrutiny following a significant crash between New Zealand and France during the Auckland Grand Prix on February 14th. Initial investigations found no evidence of equipment failure, attributing the incident to a combination of speed, wind conditions, and foil ventilation. Slingsby characterized the crash as a “racing incident,” comparable to collisions in Formula 1.
“These boats do come with a level of risk,” Slingsby stated. “There’s always going to be a level of risk involved in racing high-performance sailing boats.” He added that SailGP is exploring potential safety enhancements, including software adjustments and alarm systems, while maintaining the excitement of close-quarters racing.
Slingsby and the Flying Roos are preparing for this weekend’s Grand Prix in Sydney, aiming to build on their recent win in Auckland and secure victory on home waters. Last year, Great Britain defeated Australia in Sydney.
