There is now a Swiss national sailing team. Thanks to funding from Saudi Arabia

A good 40 years have passed since French-speaking Pierre Fehlmann, along with a Swiss sailing crew, participated five times in what was then the Whitbread Round the World Race, the forerunner of today's Ocean Race. Fehlmann was a pioneer and, as the first Swiss, shaped the offshore sailing scene for 20 years.

After that, it was mainly solo sailors like Dominique Wavre, Bernard Stamm , Alan Roura and Justine Mettraux who represented the Swiss flag on the world's oceans - they were mostly alone, but accompanied by a great media response.

The idea of ​​an independent Swiss national offshore team came up again and again, but usually fizzled out in the concept phase – not least due to a lack of funding. That changed in the fall of 2024: Shortly before the start of the tenth Vendée Globe, Alan Roura, Simon Koster, and Elodie Mettraux presented a concept paper that opened up concrete prospects for the first time. The three were convinced that the time was right to form a national crew for the Ocean Race. "There is dynamism in all areas, and there is a wealth of talent just waiting to express themselves on different types of boats," Roura said at the time. For Koster, it was clear: "The Ocean Race's decision to focus on the Imoca class in the future plays into our idea."

The plans have now become reality. The selection of sailors was completed at the beginning of this week: from around fifty applicants, the initiators shortlisted fourteen talented sailors – six of whom will be part of the team that, under Roura's leadership, will participate in the Ocean Race Europe under the Swiss flag. The 32-year-old from Geneva, who has previously sailed solo, is taking on the role of skipper in a team of three sailors – although this is a change, it is not an overwhelming challenge. "I have also led teams on land, and I was not alone on transfer trips," says Roura. He is looking forward to the task. And especially to passing on knowledge and experience – even between legs.

Initially, Roura, Koster, and Mettraux had hoped to finance the project with Swiss sponsors. But despite interest, substantial commitments failed to materialize. The team is now made possible by funds from Saudi Arabia – through Amaala, a mega-tourism project currently under construction on the country's northwest coast. Amaala is part of a gigantic development plan designed to lead the kingdom into a post-fossil fuel future – economically diversified, internationally visible, and technologically advanced. The project includes 1,200 luxury residences, nearly 4,000 hotel rooms, wellness facilities, a marina, and a golf course. The first guests are expected to arrive this year. According to the company, the project will focus on sustainability.

Red Sea Global (RSG), the state-owned developer behind Amaala, has already invested over $6 billion. RSG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. This fund is directly controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and serves as the main driver of Vision 2030 – the reform program with which Saudi Arabia aims to overcome its dependence on oil and position itself as a global business and innovation hub.

An important component of this vision is global image cultivation through prestige projects. These include football, golf, boxing, equestrian sports, Formula 1—and, for several years now, sailing, where the focus is primarily on promoting young talent. Saudi Arabia is repeatedly accused of using so-called sportswashing to distract from serious human rights violations .

Roura is aware of this criticism, but emphasizes: "I signed a contract with a company, not with a state." Amaala's sustainability strategy won him over. It is an innovative project that is also committed to ocean conservation—an aspect that is entirely compatible with the values ​​of sailing. Nevertheless, the question remains as to how credible such a coalition is—especially in light of political freedom, human rights violations, and the rights of women and minorities in Saudi Arabia .

Roura's career as an offshore sailor is now at a turning point. Almost ten years ago , the then 23-year-old sailor embarked on his first Vendée Globe as the youngest competitor with the smallest budget (around 400,000 Swiss francs) as an adventurer. He had previously spent fifteen years sailing the world's oceans with his parents and two siblings, growing up on sailing yachts.

Although he couldn't compete with the best sailors and had certain shortcomings compared to his competitors, his open and humorous nature made him a crowd favorite, which enabled him to participate in the world's most demanding sailing regatta two more times. He has completed three circumnavigations in racing mode – something very few sailors have achieved. This chapter is likely closed for him, as Roura hints. He sees his future as a skipper in crew races.

The main sponsor has remained loyal to Roura; his boat now competes under the name "Team Amaala" and bears the colors of the yacht club of the same name. The sailor's new blue team jersey features Arabic lettering—a contrast to Roura's first sponsor at the 2016 Vendée Globe, a biscuit factory in western Switzerland.

The sporting ambitions for the Ocean Race Europe, which starts in Kiel in August, remain modest given the short preparation time. "Team building is paramount," says Roura. But the goal is clear: participation in the 2027 Ocean Race, the final leg of which will be Amaala, Saudi Arabia, which is almost symbolic. Flying the colors of the local yacht club, the Swiss sailors will even be something of a home team.