When you’re operating under the harsh spotlight of performing in SailGP you want absolutely everything going for you, which is why four of the 12 teams choose Zhik as their trusted partners for high performance apparel.
As the global grand prix circuit sets new benchmarks for speed, data and sustainability, so too has Zhik, developing cutting-edge gear that responds to the real-time demands of these elite athletes.
From fabric innovation to genderspecific design breakthroughs, Zhik is working closely with the world’s fastest sailors to develop products that work not just for them, but for sailors across the broad spectrum of the sport. Currently Zhik is partnering with the SailGP teams from New Zealand, Canada, USA and Brazil.
Drue Kerr, head of design and production at Zhik, is enjoying the pressure of delivering apparel for such demanding athletes. ‘When you’re designing for SailGP teams, there’s zero margin for error,’ he says. ‘Everything has to be lighter, faster, more responsive, and it has to work under extreme pressure. The feedback loop with the athletes is incredibly tight, which means we’re constantly refining our designs. That process directly affects what ends up in the hands of everyday sailors.’
The 2025 season is shaping up to be the most competitive yet, with five different winners across the six events held so far this year. With the margins between winning and losing proving to be finer than ever, the teams are scrapping for every advantage they can find. Speed across the trampoline of the F50 catamaran demands agility and balance from the sailors, who also need to operate at the optimum body temperature if they’re to deliver their best across four back-to-back shortcourse races on any given day.
Reducing the environmental impact of sailing apparel
At the same time there’s an obligation for each team to deliver on their sustainability goals in SailGP, an obligation which Zhik’s head of marketing Johnny Rodgers takes on with relish. ‘Working with SailGP, which has such a strong environmental mission, gives us the perfect platform to lead with materials that are better for the planet and also better for the athlete,’ he says.
Aside from the battle for supremacy on the water, SailGP’s Impact League is another race that the sailors take very seriously. The goals of the Impact League align perfectly with the environmentally conscious goals of Zhik, which launched the reZHIKle scheme in early 2023. This enables people to drop off any brand of used wetsuits or skiff suits to be recycled or repurposed and used again.
The inspiration for reZHIKle came about as a result of Zhik’s close association with Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and the New Zealand SailGP Team. It’s one example of how Zhik’s close collaboration with SailGP is producing mutual benefit.
Burling and Tuke, three-time Olympic medallists and three-time America’s Cup winners, founded the Live Ocean Foundation in 2019 to raise awareness of the ecological issues facing the oceans. The charity is the New Zealand SailGP Team’s “Race For the Future Partner,” with the team competing to raise money for Live Ocean’s work through the Impact League.
So it’s no surprise that Tuke is a fan of the reZHIKle scheme. ‘Zhik will take our old wetsuits – and yours – and together with an industryleading apparel recycling company, turn them into new material. Our old wetsuits will get to live another life, ultimately reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.’
Performance and sustainability are not mutually exclusive
Zhik is always looking for the next innovation, whether it’s for higher performance on the water or reduced impact on the environment. And despite some misconceptions, it is actually possible to achieve both at the same time, says Rodgers. ‘Performance and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive. The Yulex rubber in our X range of wetsuits is a game-changer, not just for us, but for the whole industry.’
Last year Zhik became the first manufacturer of sailing wetsuits to build its garments from Yulex rubber rather than traditional neoprene construction. The integrated Yulex foam is a hardy plant-based material made from naturally sourced rubber. It was designed to replace the toxic production process of neoprene, which for many decades has been the material of choice for most wetsuit production. Zhik’s X range has no need for neoprene, thereby reducing the toxic aspects of wetsuit manufacture with absolutely no compromise to their performance on the racecourse.
Getting such innovative products right before putting them in the market place is absolutely critical, which is why the R&D process with the SailGP teams is so important. With 12 events taking place throughout the year, SailGP provides the perfect laboratory for testing Zhik’s latest developments in a real-world scenario.
A number of SailGP teams were using prototypes during training and racing last year, which has resulted in a highly-developed and battletested wetsuit range that has now been made available in the market.
Product Focus
Performance Drysuit (launching 2025)
Designed for athletes pushing limits in wet, cold, and unpredictable conditions, the all-new Zhik Performance Drysuit delivers elite protection with unmatched freedom of movement. Purpose-built for dinghy sailing and cold water paddle sports, along with being tested by the New Zealand SailGP Team, this suit combines cutting-edge materials with a streamlined construction to eliminate compromise.
A completely re-engineered pattern drastically reduces the number of seams, minimising water ingress and maximising long-term durability. This innovative design pairs with a market-leading three-layer microporous fabric (20K waterproof/5K breathable) to keep you dry, comfortable, and agile through the most demanding sessions on the water.
Key Features:
- Advanced 3-Layer Fabric: 20K waterproof/5K breathable microporous membrane delivers full storm protection with all-day comfort
- Reduced Seam Construction: Innovative patterning uses minimal and strategically displaced seams to eliminate common leak points and extend suit life
- Secure Entry System: YKKAquaguard waterproof zipper delivers best-in-class sealing performance
- Superior Comfort: High-stretch Yamamoto neoprene neck and wrist seals provide a soft, adaptive fit
- Reinforced Durability: Cordura seat and knee panels withstand abrasion during intense activity
- Athletic Fit & Adjustability: Internal elastic shoulder straps and waist gathering provide a customised, locked-in feel
- Dry Footing: Highly durable integrated fabric sock design prevents cold water entry
- Racing-Ready Features: Built-in zipper placket, adjustable cuffs, and thigh utility pocket for on-water essentials
Surge Performance Race Shoes – launched 2025
- The hybrid rubber sole is a key feature which allows a high level of grip across various textures and surfaces that sailors come across.
- These shoes are very lightweight, sneaker-like and have water/moisture management as a priority. So any water that gets in is easily ejected, which helps make sure that your feet are able to stay dry and comfortable.
- More information about Surge shoes can be found on the Zhik website.
And so the developments continue. The New Zealand team were looking for a lightweight wetsuit for maximum flexibility without compromise to warmth, and that has led to a new product which is due for launch in 2026. ‘The challenge from the New Zealand team was clear,’ says Kerr. They needed something ultra-light that wouldn’t compromise thermal performance. We’ve been engineering that from the fibre up, and the result is something genuinely exciting, due to launch next year.’
Shaped for female athletes
Meanwhile a product that has already hit the market, also born out of close collaboration with the SailGP crews, is Zhik’s two-piece female wetsuit, part of the company’s ongoing commitment to create products that are much more gender specific.
Every SailGP team has a female athlete on the crew. While most teams have female strategists calling the shots at the back of the boat, the US team has Anna Weis in one of the grinder roles, using her immense strength and fitness to generate the power for trimming the wingsail. At the back of the Brazilian boat is double Olympic Champion in the 49erFX skiff, Martine Grael, the first female driver on the global tour.
At June’s event in New York, Grael drove the Brazilians to their first ever race victory, making a piece of SailGP history. That victory in race four was no flash in the pan either. The Brazilian team only narrowly missed out on making it into the top three, who qualify for the winnertakes- all shoot-out for the overall prize in New York. It’s only a matter of time before Team Brazil does make it to a final, and eventually wins an event outright.
Women are making their mark in the highest echelons of the sport, and it’s important they get the apparel to help them perform on a level footing with the men.
Kerr says: ‘Creating the two-piece female wetsuit wasn’t just a product milestone, it was about listening to the needs of elite female athletes and responding with real innovation. Fit, functionality and performance had to be spot on. That commitment now carries through everything we make.’ Rodgers continues the theme: ‘SailGP teams choose Zhik because they know we’re not just a sponsor, we’re a design partner. These athletes are pushing the limits of what’s possible on water, and we’re there with them, crafting kit that keeps pace with that evolution.’
Well-tested products feed down to all levels of sailors
The never-ending R&D process with the SailGP athletes creates a path of well-tested products which feed down into every level of the sport, to keen sailors competing at national and international level all the way to club sailors and weekend recreational racers who might never venture beyond their home waters.
‘Our philosophy is simple,’ says Rodgers. ‘If it can perform at 50 knots, it can perform for anyone. The innovations we co-develop with SailGP teams – thermoregulation, articulation, lightweight composites, gender-specific tailoring – all of these things flow straight into our consumer lines. Whether you’re racing at the top level in an F50 or sailing your local regatta, you’re getting the best of everything we’ve learned.’
