Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast

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The first in a two part discussion between two one time TeamGB Olympic team mates sees Shirley Robertson engaged in frank and honest discussion with Sir Ben Ainslie.

The most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Ainslie won four golds and one silver over an Olympic career that culminated in front of thousands at his home games, London 2012.

Standing atop the podium at the sailing venue in Weymouth, Ainslie accepted his fourth gold medal to draw the line under an Olympic career that had started as a nineteen year old in the 1996 Games in Atlanta, USA.  Throughout his early appearances on the world stage, Ainslie often found himself locked in battle with Brazilian sailing maestro Robert Scheidt, and as he recounts those early tussles to his then Team GB team mate Robertson, Ainslie's recall and attention to detail is impressive.  One false move, one sloppy tack, and against Scheidt, Olympic success could vanish.  In 1996 he fell foul of the wily Brazilian, and had to settle for silver, but four years later, as the gold medal went down to the final race again,  a determined and steadfast Ainslie sailed circles around his great adversary, in a display of control and aggression that split the sporting world.

"If you can sail, and get into someone and it's within the rules, and that's not an easy thing to do, that's the game, in my view.  And there was quite a lot of controversy about it at the time....from Roger Bannister, he's a hero in England obviously, the first guy to break the four minute mile...and I could understand (the criticism) but it's interesting how the sport's developed.....I think maybe it was a little bit ahead of it's time."

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Shirley Robertson continues her two part chat with offshore sailor Nick Moloney in this the second part of their discussion about the Australian offshore sailor's diverse career.

This edition kicks off with Moloney's move into solo sailing and jumps straight in with his tense and brutal account of his first Mini Transat race, and attempt that resulted in a badly broken arm and a very near death experience underneath the upturned hull of his 6.5m mini transat boat...:

"A big wave hit the side of the boat, rolled it on it's side and washed my legs from underneath me and I had my arm around the vertical shroud.  As my legs came out from underneath me my arm slid down the narrowing of the 'v' and snapped my forearm in half.  And I went in the water.  It's hard to talk about it now.  I didn't talk about it for along time."

Maloney's honest and emotional account of the incident is one of several anecdotes he shares that benefit from his easy, genuine style of story telling.  The near death accident failed to dampen his spirit, and his offshore career blossomed.  It wasn't long before he got the call from French offshore sailing legend Bruno Peyron, offering a spot on the then ground breaking catamaran 'Orange' - their objective, the Jules Verne Trophy.

Awarded for the fastest sailed lap of the planet, the Jules Verne Trophy os one of the most coveted awards in the sport.  And so it was on May 5th 2002 that Moloney, on board  'Orange', crossed the finish line, as one of thirteen crew onboard the record breaking circumnavigation.  The non-stop blast around the planet had taken 64 days 8 hours and 37 minutes, and for Moloney, sailing with French offshore legend Bruno Peyron was just one of many highlights in an incredible voyage...:

"Bruno had a lot going on....so you didn't see a lot of him, but whenever you were out of control, which was pretty often in those boats, before we knew it, before we actually knew we were out of control, he'd put his wet weather gear on, his harness on, and as soon as the situation got critical he appeared like a fairy, and just grabbed the helm, laid down command and got the situation back in control immediately, and that for me was absolutely amazing.
"I remember getting the trophy, and having said to myself 'I'm gonna put my name on that trophy', everyone's name's on the base.....and the trophy itself is this chrome canoe body suspended on a magnetic field.....and when the (black silk sheet) dropped off the base, my name was right there!  It was so emotional!"

More recently, Moloney and Robertson both held key roles as skippers in the fledgling Extreme 40s Series, the groundbreaking, fast catamaran series that paved the way for inshore, 'stadium' style racing.  Their recollections are of wild early days, racing fast boats in small spaces, with the inevitable collisions and dangers of the new sport pushing them all to their limits.

But it was offshore that Moloney's calling was strongest.  A tight business alliance with Ellen Macarthur flourished, and set Moloney on an inevitable collision course with the solo sailor's ultimate challenge, the toughest race on the planet, the Vendee Globe.  It's his honest and at times brutal accounts of his exploits alone at sea that are the highlight of this podcast, confessing how at times, he hated the noises, the movements, everything about being at sea, confronting near death experiences with the honest and matter of fact approach of a man that knows things could have ended very differently.  It's a compelling listen, but there's also a passion and transparent emotion in Moloney's story telling that is there for all to hear in an interview that offers a raw insight into the life of one of the sport's real characters.

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Shirley Robertson kicks off the second Series of her Sailing Podcast with an in depth chat with Australian offshore sailor Nick Moloney.  In another two part extravaganza, the pair spend this first episode discussing much about Moloney's diverse sailing career which has seen him race in amongst other things the America's Cup, the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Jules Verne Trophy and the Vendee Globe.

In Part 1 of this chat they kick things off with a discussion about Moloney's recent trip to Antarctica, and how having sailed 'down south' in the Southern Ocean on multiple occasions, it was particularly rewarding to be able to stop and spend some time respecting the fragile environment of the  southern continent.

Moloney grew up on Port Philip Bay near Melbourne, Australia, and spent much of his early life in the ocean, surfing and then sailing, but it wasn't long before his tenacity saw him spread his wings and travel further afield in the search of adventure.  Once in Sydney, meetings with Australian legends John Bertrand, Peter Gilmour and Iain Murray saw Moloney's world of opportunity open up and a career in sailing became a viable option.

Moloney's first foray into the the world of the America's Cup was with Syd Fischer in 1992, but he was soon involved with several other Cup teams, including Paul Cayard's "Il Moro di Venezia".  From there, childhood hero John Bertrand took Maloney to the Cup in the 1995 campaign oneAustralia, which saw them make the Louis Vuitton Challenger final.

Moloney's impressive career then took a turn offshore, as he got the call from Dennis Connor, this time to sail the Whitbread Round the World Race in "Toshiba".  Moloney's excitement at sailing the Whitbread is obvious, his passion for racing offshore was being honed during this iconic race, and this is clear to hear in his discussion with Robertson.

The pair wrap up the first episode with a chat about Moloney's almost impulsive record windsurf across the Bass Straits, a twenty one hour marathon in 1998 that goes well to illustrate the tenacity and drive of the man.

Robertson's chat with Moloney continues in Part 2 as the stories go offshore, and Maloney tells of his successful Jules Verne Trophy attempt with French sailing legend Bruno Peyron onboard the then groundbreaking catamaran 'Orange'.  From there, Moloney went solo, dodged death in the Mini Transat and took on the legendary Vendee Globe - his honesty and adept story telling make for a compelling listen.

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This is the second part of multiple Olympic medallist Iain Percy's chat with Shirley Robertson, and is a candid and revealing discussion between to ex Team GB team mates who have known each other for decades.

In Part 1 Iain discussed growing up ailing in the golden age of British Youth Sailing, regularly competing against the likes of Ben Ainslie, Chris Draper and close friend Andrew Simpson.

In Part 2, the pair move on to discuss the America's Cup, and Iain's move to Swedish 'Team Artemis Racing'.  It was of course during the build up to the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco that Andrew Simpson tragically lost his life in a sailing accident.  It's a tragedy that has obviously effected Iain greatly, and here the pair fondly share their memories of the generous and giving 'Bart' in an emotional discussion about their friend and what he brought to the British Sailing Team.

But Percy and Robertson also discuss the importance of the Andrew Simpson Foundation, a sailing foundation created in Bart's memory to continue the generous work and time he put in inspiring children around the world to take up sailing.

In 2017 Iain Percy was team principal at Team Artemis Racing, finalists in the Challenger Series of the 35th America's Cup in San Francisco.  Iain speaks openly about his time in the Cup, as well as revealing how today, his determination to continue the momentum of the Cup team has led him to form Artemis Technologies, a company taking the technological advancements forged in sailing and applying them further afield.

This two part podcast is an intimate discussion between two old friends and team mates, and is a revealing look at the professional life of one of British Sailing's most inspiring talents.

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This month Shirley Robertson sits down for another two part edition - this time talking to her one time Team GB team mate Iain Percy.  A double Olympic gold medallist, Percy topped the podium in Sydney 2000 at the beginning of British Sailing's golden era - Robertson and a certain Ben Ainslie also bringing home gold for GB in those Games.

Percy bagged gold again in Beijing in 2008, and then silver at home in London 2012.  And it's these years of shared Olympic history that form the foundations of Part 1 of this chat - from their formative sailing years through to sharing digs at the Games in Sydney, Robertson and Percy have much to talk about as they look back on their Olympic years.

This is a candid interview between two good friends, and Iain is open in discussing how much better the thrill of winning felt when part of a crew - his success in China of course achieved with his best friend and team mate Andrew 'Bart' Simpson.  The pair went on to win silver in London four years later, and Percy describes in detail the moments that saw their firm grasp on the gold medal suddenly slip away.

This is the first of two episodes of this month's podcast, and it concludes with a brief look at how Iain moved from Olympic sailing into the world of the America's Cup.  Part 2 is also available to download and includes an emotional discussion with Robertson about the loss of Iain's best friend Andrew Simpson, who tragically died in the build up to the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco.

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This edition of the podcast is the second part of Shirley Robertson's fascinating inside look at the design and build of the boats that will ultimately race in the 36th America's Cup.

Continuing on from Part1, Robertson talks to the four design chiefs from each of the four America's Cup teams currently building the seventy five foot foiling monohulls, the AC75s.  It's recommended that Part1 is listened to first, as the the first episode includes an intro to the Class Rule, and discusses some of the more general aspects of the challenges and pitfalls of designing this class of boat.  In t his episode the designers go on to discuss some more specific design elements, including the specific make up of the foils, and the differences between the current foils being used by each team.  They discuss the sail specifications of the class rule, looking at how the D-Section mat will promote the use of an innovative double skinned main sail, and they discuss power generation, how the power is to be generated to control the giant loads of the new main sail.  Robertson quizzes the designers on the teams' use of "recon" and how 'spying' on each others' designs helps move design thinking forward.  The role of the sailing team is discussed, as the designers reveal how important the men out on the water are to the design process, before they wrap up by sharing their thoughts on what single aspect of design is most likely to in, or lose, the 36th America's Cup.

From the Defenders of the America's Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, Robertson talks to design ace Dan Bernasconi.  From the Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa, she talks to Cup design veteran Martin Fischer.  From British entry INEOS TEAM UK she talks to accomplished Cup designer Nick Holroyd, and from American Magic she talks to race boat design legendary yacht designer Marcelino Botin.

This edition of the podcast is a fascinating look inside the secretive world of America's Cup design and is a must listen for any sailing fan hoping to follow the action when the Cup gets underway.

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This edition of Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast this month takes a departure from the norm to talk to the design chiefs of each of the four America's Cup teams.
Each team hoping to win the 36th America's Cup is currently halfway through a lengthy design process, and with the clock ticking, they are all focusing on the design and build of what they hope will be the fastest racing monohull ever sailed.

In this edition of the podcast, Shirley Robertson talks to the design chiefs of each of the four teams, to discuss the challenges and pitfalls of designing the foiling monohulls that will compete in the 36th America's Cup.  The end result of each team's endeavours will be a seventy five foot long foiling monohull, powered by an innovative double skinned mainsail.  The boats will be unique, like nothing the sailing world has ever seen.  They will be capable of speeds up to three times the wind speed, and will race each other for the first time in April 2020 at the World Series event in Sardinia, Italy.

Each of the four teams have already launched their initial Cup boats, the first of two boats that each time is allowed to build, as they strive to refine the foils and systems that will eventually be used in the 36th America's Cup in Auckland, New Zealand.

From the Defenders of the America's Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, Robertson talks to design ace Dan Bernasconi.  From the Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa, she talks to Cup design veteran Martin Fischer.  From British entry INEOS TEAM UK she talks to accomplished Cup designer Nick Holroyd, and from American Magic she talks to race boat design legendary yacht designer Marcelino Botin.

Part1 of this two part podcast sees discussion look at the initial design parameters, as the designers all discuss the requirements of the Class Rule.  They discuss their thoughts on the four Mk1 AC75s currently out sailing, and whether the Mk2s built later this year will change in any way from the initial designs.  They all discuss the rise of simulation and it's importance in the design of such complicated boats.  The designers then compare the importance of hydrodynamics over aerodynamics in boats that are designed to spend much of their time flying above the water, before finishing this edition with a look at how data gathering and analysis in particular has moved on since the last design round, for the previous Cup.

This edition of the podcast features four of the brightest names in yacht design, all discussing the most pressing aspects of the design and build of what will become the fastest racing monohulls ever built.

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This is the second part of two time America’s Cup winning skipper Jimmy Spithill's chat with Shirley Robertson which saw the pair settle down for an extended two part interview ahead of the first round of the America’s Cup World Series in Sardinia.

In Part 1 Jimmy discussed growing up in the Australian sailing enclave of Pittwater, recalling the endless days spent messing about on the water.  From childhood, through Australia's Young Sailor of the Year, to his first appearance in the America's Cup at just twenty years of age, and eventually onto his first Cup win in Valencia 2010, Part 1 is a great insight into the early life of one of sailing's leading stars.

in Part 2, things get real serious, as Jimmy recounts the early days of the frighteningly quick AC72, as theCup turned to foils, wings and a massive leap in performance.  In this interview Jimmy tells us the inside story of that incredible comeback to win the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco, his insight and memories of that sensational victory both candid and illuminating. Starting with the capsizing of the brand new AC72 just days after launching, to the cut and thrust of the daily press conferences and the eventual comeback against an incredibly quick and accomplished New Zealand team. The comeback propelled the sport into the spotlight, and was the start of relentless victory celebrations across the US…:

“For the next couple of weeks you’re on all the late night shows, Jay Leno and Colbert, all the big ones going around and I’ll never forget we were on the Colbert show, and Tom Hanks was there doing a recording of something, so I’d done my piece and was having a beer and chatting to some of the guys….and it was surreal, sitting in the green room with Tom Hanks, and he’s asking questions about the racing, he’d seen it, we’re having a beer and the whole time his assistant is saying ’Tom, we’ve got to go, the plane’s waiting’ and he’s saying “No, tell them to wait”, he was genuinely interested in what had happened.”

Jimmy goes on to discuss the disappointment of losing the Cup in Bermuda, and talks about his current role with the Italian team Luna Rosa Challenge. But he's also very open regarding his time spent sailng with french offshore legend Francois Gabart, and how much he loves the prospect of heading offshore on a foiling multihull. From his passion for surfing and foiling to his competitive spirit and drive to succeed, Spithill’s chat with Robertson is illuminating, engaging, and a thoroughly interesting listen.

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Two time America’s Cup winning skipper Jimmy Spithill joins Shirley Robertson this month, as the pair settle down for this the first of an extended two part interview ahead of the first round of the America’s Cup World Series in Sardinia.

Spithill has long been a fixture in the America’s Cup scene, having first led the Australian entry to the 2000 Cup in Auckland, as skipper of ‘Young Australia’. He’s skippered in every Cup since, winning for the first time in 2010 at the wheel of Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle Racing. That first win, helming the giant 90 foot trimaran, secured his spot as the Cup’s youngest ever winning skipper. In 2013 a successful defence of the Cup in San Francisco saw Spithill lead the unlikely comeback against a New Zealand Team that was, at 8-1 up, just one race win away from reclaiming the oldest trophy in world sport. Having then lost the defence of the next Cup in Bermuda in 2017, Spithill is now in a key role at the long established Italian team, Luna Rosa.

Spithill grew up thirty miles north of Sydney, Australia in the stunning sailing hotspot of Pittwater. He talks fondly of his childhood, taking a boat to school, where he’d whistfully wait for classes to end so he could head back out on to the water. He’s also very candid about his upbringing, and discusses with Robertson how his formative years have contributed to the character we see today out on the race course…:

“We have a running joke, between Tom Slingsby, or anyone with red hair, and that’s there’s two things you get good at growing up with red hair, and one is running, for obvious reasons. The other is fighting, because you just get sick of running!….At some point you’ve got to decide what you’re going to do, are you going to continue to take this, or is it time to stand up, and when you do it’s an incredible feeling, and it’s an important lesson in life. That at some point you have to stand up for yourself.”

This is the first of two instalments of Shirley Robertson's interview with Jimmy Spithill, and concludes with his take on how he skippered that 90 foot trimaran to victory in the 2010 America's Cup.  Be sure to download Part 2, which sees Jimmy recount the fascinating story of how Oracle Team USA overcame that 8-1 deficit to defend the oldest trophy in world sport.

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The second instalment of Shirley Robertson's chat with sailing legend, Ken Read.   The pair continue their discussions following on from an illuminating Part 1 which saw Read discuss his role as President of commercial sailing behemoth North Sails, and his America's Cup campaigns with US sailing all star Dennis Connor.

In this edition the chat gains momentum, as the stories continue to flow.  Read's easy going style make him a delight to listen to as he reveals how he was lured into a Volvo Ocean Race campaign mid race back in the 2005-2006 edition of the famous race.  From there, Read goes on to reveal how a chance meeting with the owner of Puma set the ball rolling on what would become one of the Ocean Race's most memorable of entries.  For two editions, in 2008-09 and 2011-12 Read was at the helm of the memorable red Volvo entry 'Puma' - and here reveals how both campaigns took shape, and just how close he came to winning one of sailing's most illusive trophies.

The thrill of racing the planet over with, Read then discusses what happens when a billionaire sailing fanatic decides to invest in building a boat to smash records.  The result was of course the 100ft maxi "Comanche" - the design and build of which was done very much under Read's watch.   Once finished the boat was an absolute beast, a head turner wherever she sailed - in fact Robertson was onboard on one of the first forays in big winds on Comanche, a day the pair remember well - Read's tales of charging the Bass Straits in the iconic Sydney to Hobart Race are compelling.

The pair wrap up with some thoughts on the future of the sport, chat about the televising of sailing and Read's time on the commentary team of the America's Cup.  They then conclude with an honest, heart felt discussion about what sailing has given Read, how much he has invested in it over his life time, and the inevitable personal costs it's brought.  It's a compelling listen - an honest and forthright conversation with one of the great communicators of the sport of sailing.

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