DS Automobiles SailGP Team France heads to Portsmouth this weekend for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, the eighth event of the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship. All 13 national teams will race on the Solent in front of the Southsea Common grandstands, launching the European leg of the season.
The French team currently sits sixth in the championship on 33 points, keeping them firmly in contention for a place in the Grand Final. The Portsmouth event brings two notable developments: the return of wing trimmer Leigh McMillan from injury, and a first taste of the SailGP environment for rising French talent Margaux Billy.
McMillan has been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury in the Auckland incident, requiring surgery and several months of rehabilitation. He rejoins the team in Portsmouth to reconnect with the squad, take part in training sessions, and continue his return-to-sailing programme aboard the F50.
Enzo Balanger retains the wing trimmer role for the racing itself. The reigning World Champion and newly crowned European Moth Champion stepped in for McMillan at the New York and Halifax events, continuing to build experience at the highest level of the sport. His continued selection reflects the confidence placed in the young French sailor and the strength of the athlete development pathway the K-Challenge Akademy has established.
McMillan is upbeat about the weekend ahead. "I'm really excited to be back with the team this weekend. It's been a long road since Auckland, so it's great to be back in the SailGP environment. Hopefully I'll be able to get back on the boat and see how my shoulder is progressing. If I get the opportunity to race, that would be an amazing step forward in my recovery."
SailGP returns to Portsmouth following a sold-out debut in 2025, with racing taking place just metres from thousands of spectators lining Southsea Common. The Solent is regarded as one of the world's great sailing venues, known for its powerful tidal currents, short steep chop, and highly variable wind conditions. Those factors make Portsmouth one of the most technical and tactically demanding stops on the SailGP calendar.
Alongside the racing, SailGP will host its Women's Pathway Trial, a programme designed to identify and develop female athletes towards racing roles aboard the F50. Margaux Billy, who joined the K-Challenge Akademy earlier this year, will take part in the trial, gaining first-hand experience of SailGP's sporting, technical, and high-performance environment. She will also serve as reserve strategist for Manon Audinet, ready to step into the racing crew if required.
Billy takes over that reserve strategist role from fellow Akademy athlete Amélie Riou, who is currently competing in the Sailing Grand Slam in Los Angeles with the French Olympic Sailing Team as part of her preparation and familiarisation with the future Olympic sailing venue.
The K-Challenge Akademy continues to provide its young sailors with complementary experiences across the world's most demanding circuits, drawing connections between Olympic sailing, foiling, and SailGP.
After a first half of the season shaped by enforced crew changes, McMillan's return marks another step towards stability within the French squad. The team heads to Portsmouth aiming to build on the progress made so far and close the gap on the teams ahead of them in the standings.
Racing takes place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July 2026.
