Hugh Jackman was back aboard the BONDS Flying Roos F50 this week, swapping his usual spot as spectator for a seat in the Grinder 1 position during a gruelling training session at American Magic's Pensacola base.
It wasn't his first taste of SailGP machinery. Jackman, who co-owns the Australian team alongside Ryan Reynolds, had already gone head-to-head with NorthStar Canada ahead of the Valencia event. This time felt different.
Rather than simply watching from the chase boat, Jackman joined the crew on the water and took his turn grinding, getting a firsthand sense of just how brutal that job is on an F50.
Jackman and Reynolds were confirmed as co-owners of the Flying Roos back in June 2025. They opened the 2026 season with a team briefing alongside the squad.
There's no New Zealand ownership link here, but Kiwi SailGP followers will know the opposition well enough. American Magic's Pensacola base has become a hub for teams building towards the new season, and an Australian outfit training there says plenty about how global the SailGP calendar has grown.
For now, the Flying Roos camp is all about fitness and boat time. Jackman's visit suggests that, ownership title aside, he wants to know exactly what his team goes through out on the water.
