SailGP: Top Kiwi match racer to join Red Bull Italy
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 18 Nov 05:52 PST
Maelle Frascari, strategist of Red Bull Italy SailGP Team, crosses the boat during a practice session ahead of the DP World Spain Sail Grand Prix held in Cadiz © Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
Jana Germani and Phil Robertson to join Red Bull Italy – November 19, 2025 © Red Bull Italy
The Italian SailGP team Red Bull Italy has announced two new signings effective immediately.
Former world Match Racing champion and SailGP skipper/coach Phil Robertson (NZL) will join the team in a yet to be confirmed capacity.
Top 49erFX skipper Jana Germani (ITA) was also announced in the same social media announcement. She skippered the Italian entry to fifth place in the 2024 Olympics in Marseille.
Both announcements give some depth to the Italian squad – to permit replacement of crew for performance reasons and to cover for injury and other absence. The SailGP commentators talked up Robertson’s signing as a prelude to replacement of current Italian skipper, Roggero Tita. However the 31yr old double Olympic Gold Medalist is also part of the Luna Rossa America’s Cup team, and like all sailors trying to sail in both the League and the Cup, he will have time conflicts – particularly when AC75 training begins in 2026, and the SailGP League runs a full calendar of 13 events, with at least one regatta every month – each of which ties competitors up for a week.
Robertson has sailed with several SailGP teams, mostly taking them through start-up and their first season, however he also has a reputation as a Mr Fixit in the event. Currently the Italian team are in 10th place in the 12 team League. Known as an aggressive helmsman, Robertson also was involved in a coaching capacity with the former Swiss America’s Cup Challenger Alinghi Red Bull Racing, in a coaching capacity
In their first season the Italian team have a squad of just seven sailors plus CEO Jimmy Spithill listed as a reserve helmsman. The two additions bring the Italian sailing squad to nine.
Jana Germani is only the second female sailor in the squad joining strategist Maelle Frascari.
