Switzerland heats up as teams finalize preparations for the qualifiers
by SSL Media 27 May 21:50 BST
2-4 & 8-11 June 2026
African and Oceanian Qualifiers © SSL Media
Only six days remain until the first races of the African and Oceanian Qualifiers begin. Teams arrived in Switzerland on Monday to test the venue, familiarize themselves with the SSL yachts, and complete their final preparations ahead of the competition.
Group C teams: Tahiti, Mozambique, Morocco, and Seychelles have been training on Lake Neuchâtel, working closely with their coaches and shore crews to adapt to the local conditions and fine-tune every detail before racing starts.
"Being the first country, and our first time competing, makes us incredibly proud. But beyond that, it is very important for us to represent the sailing ecosystem back home in Mozambique. This competition is an important mission for us, because we want to showcase the very best of our sailing abilities. We have Olympians, we have champions, and we believe we are capable of reaching the finals and securing our place in the Sailing World Cup," said Leonel Estevao, grinder of the SSL Team Mozambique.
The first two days on the water were marked by light wind conditions, but the forecast now promises stronger and more challenging breeze. This gives the teams a valuable opportunity to test their skills across a wide range of racing conditions.
"We have some new crew on board, and they are really adapting to the new yacht really well. Yesterday, we spent quite a bit of time on the water, which was very fruitful. We learned new tricks, and we also managed to improve on whatever we learned previously. The team is very enthusiastic. They are really looking forward to a qualification", said the SSL Team Seychelle capitan Allan Julie.
"The first day was a bit tricky because the new members were unfamiliar with the SSL 47 yachts, and getting to know them well, but since the second day, we're doing a lot better, and I really like that I trust in my team, and I think the Moroccan team will qualify," commented Zineb Harris, from the main trimmer of SSL Team Morocco.
The only team from Group C with prior experience racing in the SSL format is Tahiti, led by Teva Plichart, who serves as both captain and helmsman. "The Black Pearls" exited the SSL Gold Cup 2023 in the Round of 16, but they did so with their heads held high, earning many new admirers along the way.
"The first feeling is happiness because we are really happy to come back here in Switzerland. And then the other one is we need to learn more because we have a new team, three new members, so we need to practice and to learn more of each other. We'll see what's going to happen and just try to improve a little bit every day", said SSL Team Tahiti capitan, Teva Plichart.
Racing begins on June 2 and will continue for three days. At the end of the qualifiers, the top two teams from Group C will secure their place in the SSL Gold Cup Finals in Brazil. After another three days, racing groups D and E from European countries will begin the race.