Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds announced as co-owners of Australia SailGP team

The Australian SailGP team has announced Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds as its new co-owners. The A-list actors will join driver and CEO Tom Slingsby in leading the triple champion team, which has Aussie clothing brand BONDS as its title partner – marking the first brand partnership in the team's history.

"We're incredibly excited to sail together in this new adventure. Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country as well as being an avid fan of sailing," said Jackman and Reynolds in a shared statement. "He will also be bringing his overly clingy emotional support human along for the ride. Apologies in advance to Australia. No comment on whether we’re writing this in our BONDS."

Slingsby echoed this excitement, calling the announcement "an incredible milestone" for the sport. "They bring unmatched star power, a love for storytelling, and a sharp sense of humour that fits perfectly with our team. With BONDS joining as our title partner and the launch of the BONDS Flying Roos, we’re building something distinctly Australian; a team driven by spirit, resilience, and national pride."

Founded in 2019 by Sir Russell Coutts and Larry Ellison, SailGP pits 12 national crews in identical 15.2-metre foiling catamarans capable of achieving over 100 kilometres per hour. Led by Olympic gold medallist Slingsby, Australia has owned the leaderboard with three championships in four seasons, and now aims to "super-charge fan engagement" beyond the race with this announcement.

The new BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team will debut at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix from 7-8 June. The Australian crew aims to defend their leading position on the leaderboard while striving for a "memorable victory" to celebrate their new co-owners and partners.

This is not the first high-profile announcement from the world of SailGP. Last week, it was revealed that Anne Hathaway had joined a consortium of investors for the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team, while DJ Khaled was appointed as brand ambassador (informally known as "chief hype officer") for the event earlier this year.