Kyle Langford Shocks SailGP Team Australia with Departure

Kyle Langford Shocks SailGP Team Australia with Departure

Australia’s dominant SailGP team has been hit by a surprise departure just before the start of its fifth season in Dubai. Wing trimmer Kyle Langford, a key member of the team’s three championship wins, has announced he’s leaving to join a rival squad, though his new team has not been revealed.

Langford will be replaced by British sailor Chris Draper, an Olympic bronze medalist and experienced SailGP competitor. Reflecting on his departure, Langford shared on Instagram that it was a difficult decision, expressing gratitude for his time with Team Australia but citing the desire for a new challenge. Fellow Aussie sailor Lisa Darmanin called it the “end of an era.”