Send a text

This is the second part of a two part interview with one of the most decorated sailors of the modern era, as multiple Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson finally sits down with one of sailing's contemporary greats,, multiple World Sailor of the Year, Tom Slingsby.

In the wonderfully diverse sport of competitive sailing there can be few athletes whose accolades are as wide ranging as Sydney born Australian Tom Slingsby.  At just thirty eight years of age, he boasts an unprecedented roll call of success that includes an Olympic Gold medal, an America's Cup win, two Moth World Titles, two SailGP titles, multiple Laser world championship wins, he's even won line honours in both the Sydney to Hobart and Middle Sea Races.In Part One of this podcast Robertson and Slingsby discuss the Aussie's early career, so Part 2 here picks up as Slingsby is about to play a pivotal role in one of modern sailing's most fabled of regattas - the 2013 America's Cup.

Regular podcast listeners will have heard the 2013 story from many of the key players from that San Francisco Cup, but this telling is perhaps the most revealing.  Slingsby's memories of the comeback are recalled from the perspective of the then rookie young America's Cup sailor somewhat overawedby his surroundings and the characters around him. His memories of the initial losses and the awkward meetings that followed are insightful and revealing, a must-listen to all fans of the modern Cup era...

"I was getting yelled at by Russell Coutts, and I still remember sitting there thinking 'I can't believe I'm sitting there with these legends, Grant Simmer, Jimmy (Spithill), Ben Ainslie,  Russell Coutts', I remember I was really in awe!"

What follows is a fascinating discussion on the dramatic turnaround of 2013, who made what decisions, and how the match was finally won.

From the America's Cup to Sail GP, the displacement Laser dinghy to the foiling Moth, Slingsby's talent has seen him become one of the most applauded sailors of his generation.  Getting a glimpse inside the mind of the man that's created such success makes for a truly fascinating two part podcast and is a must listen for any modern day sailing fan.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website - www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected]. 

Support the show