Artemis SailGP has added two Swedish reserve athletes to its growing squad, signing Hugo Christensson and Felicia Fernström ahead of the team's first full campaign in the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship. The appointments reflect a deliberate effort to build depth into the roster from the outset, drawing on a talent development pathway that runs from junior sailing all the way through to the world's fastest foiling league.
Both sailors have come through the Swedish Challenge in the Women's and Youth America's Cup and raced in the RC44 series under the Artemis banner, giving them a grounding in high-speed, high-load foiling environments that the team's management clearly values. Moving from those programmes into a global SailGP campaign is a significant step, and Artemis appears intent on making that transition a structured one.
Artemis CEO Iain Percy sees the signings as the logical next stage of a system the organisation has been building for some time.
“At Artemis, we’re committed to identifying, nurturing and developing talent – giving sailors a clear pathway from youth programmes to the pinnacle of high-performance sailing.”
Christensson and Fernström join a frontline group already confirmed for 2026 that includes driver Nathan Outteridge, strategist Julia Gross and grinder Julius Hallström. Outteridge is one of the most experienced foiling sailors in the world, Gross brings well-established tactical credentials, and Hallström represents the calibre of Swedish physical talent the F50 demands across a long international season. The two reserve signings add further options behind that core group, providing bench strength that will matter across a schedule as travel-heavy and demanding as SailGP's.
For Christensson, the move carries personal significance.
“I’ve been watching SailGP from the very beginning and it’s surreal to finally be part of it. Joining Artemis in Sweden’s entry is a huge honour and I’m excited to contribute wherever the team needs me.”
Fernström will take on a dual role, contributing to both on-water sailing and shore operations as the team prepares its F50 for the rigours of the global circuit.
“Artemis has shaped so much of my sailing journey, and SailGP provides an amazing platform to test my limits. I’m proud to grow while contributing to the team both on and off the water.”
That combination of sailing and operational involvement speaks directly to a broader ambition within the Artemis programme: to develop athletes who understand the F50 from every angle, not just from the helm or the grinders.
The complete Artemis SailGP roster for 2026 will be confirmed in the weeks ahead, with the team's competitive debut scheduled for the season opener in Perth on 17 and 18 January. It will mark the beginning of a new chapter for Sweden in elite foiling competition, one that has been years in the making.
The arrival of Christensson and Fernström points to the kind of programme Artemis is working to build: one with a clear Swedish identity, genuine squad depth, and a pathway that gives the next generation of sailors a realistic route into SailGP competition. As the countdown to January accelerates, that long-term thinking may yet prove to be one of the team's most valuable assets.
