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Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast continues with Part 2  of the fascinating chat with one of offshore sailing's most active campaigners,  a sailor who's career spans two decades at the highest level of the sport and includes a record equaling five Vendee Globe starts.  Alex Thomson, widely known for his Vendee campaigns sailing a series of iconic Hugo Boss IMOCA, has done much to raise awareness of offshore sailing and with his team, has been responsible for some of the most innovative developments the monohull  IMOCA Class has ever seen.Part 1 of  of Thomson's discussion with Robertson takes in Thomson's remarkable career path, time spent sailing with Sir Robin Knox Johnston and his early Vendee Globe campaigns.In this edition, Thomson talks all about the progression in design and build of the IMOCA Class, the now foiling monohull class that he and his team have been key protagonists in developing over the past twenty years of racing.  The duo also cover Thomson's remaining attempts to win the Vendee Globe, and of course discuss the series of sailing stunts that have netted Thomson millions of views on YouTube, taking in the evolution of the idea, the execution of the stunts themselves and Thomson's desire to bring new audiences to his offshore campaigns are all talked through in this revealing chat...:"Hugo Boss had done a trick shot video with Martin Kymer, the German golfer, and put it on the internet and they told us they had fifty thousand views....and I went back to the team and said 'we've got to come up with an idea, put it on the internet and get more than fifty thousand views'...so we got a couple of suits...shot it....and we put it on the internet and...a million views in a week!."This is a fascinating insight into the career of a man that has spent over two decades chasing a dream to win one of offshore sailing's biggest accolades, he's gone against convention, pushed boundaries of design, and suffered some well publicised failures, but most interestingly in this chat with Robertson, Alex Thomson also suggests that when it comes to trying to win the Vendee Globe, he's not quite done yet.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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast continues this month with one of offshore sailing's most active campaigners,  a sailor who's career spans two decades at the highest level of the sport and includes a record equaling five Vendee Globe starts.  Alex Thomson, widely known for his Vendee campaigns sailing a series of iconic Hugo Boss IMOCA, has done much to raise awareness of offshore sailing and with his team, has been responsible for some of the most innovative developments the monohull  IMOCA Class has ever seen.Obviously, much of Thomson's discussion in this two part podcast centres around his various Vendee Globe campaigns, but in this first episode there's much discussion about Thomson's early career path, time spent sailing with Sir Robin Knox Johnston and the result of his time spent with British business tycoon Sir Keith Mills...:"We met at Shoreham airport, we flew to Brest, and he bought me a boat for 1.1million Euros....That level of belief, in me, at that time, was difficult to comprehend really."Thomson is candid about his first campaign, as he is throughout the chat with Robertson, and reveals much about how, along with Sir Keith Mills, they brought Hugo Boss into what would go on to become one of the longest sponsorship partnerships in the sport.Thomson has also had an eventful career that's involved a series of very high profile sinkings and race retirements, not least when keel damage to the original Hugo Boss famously left him floundering deep in the South Atlantic.  But the drama doesn't end with keel damage.Having discussed the cause of a very public falling out with fellow British offshore sailor Mike Golding, "...the next day in the Sunday Times, Mike called me a jumped up little prick!", Thomson discusses how, with his keel dangling uselessly from the hull, the only chance of rescue was of course, with Mike Golding, who pulled off a daring rescue with catastrophic circumstances...:"I was on the boat for about three hours...the wind hit, the boat leaned over, and his mast just collapsed, Mike is standing in the cockpit with his mouth open, and I'm now feeling guilty...I said to Mike, 'I am so sorry..."In the second part of this podcast the chat about Thomson's Vendee campaigns continues, , but there's much discussion about his series of daring stunts that have netted him over 10million views on YouTube alone.  Support the show

This month's edition of Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast comes from the Spanish port of Alicante, long time home to the Ocean Race, as the fourteenth edition of this famous round the world adventure gets underway with a dramatic new look.On what is the fiftieth anniversary of what was originally called the Whitbread Round The World Race, then became famous as the Volvo Ocean Race and is now being sailed as simply The Ocean Race, Shirley Robertson presents her podcast from the start of the thirty two thousand nautical mile odyssey.  In this edition she talks to skippers and crew members from each of the five foiling IMOCA entrants, and catches up with Ocean Race Co-President, Johan Salen, to talk thorough the class changes, and the future of the Race.Now being sailed in the IMOCA class, the superfast foiling monohulls more familiar to Vendee Globe fans, much of the dockside chat was over sailing these solo-orientated speed machines with a crew, and how sailing from the almost fully covered cockpits was a huge departure for this race.The format of this new look Ocean Race is covered in Episode 1 of this two part edition - in this episode, British offshore sailor Will Harris, sailing the Race with Boris Herrmann's "Team Malizia" explains amongst other things, the challenge of sailing from the fully covered cockpit of the new designs of IMOCA...:"We're always looking at the sensors and the numbers because when you're inside these boats that's really all you've got to go off, it's how these boats are sailed now, it's not so much about what you feel in the helm, or what you feel by looking at the sails."This edition of The Ocean Race is a fascinating new era, and the discussions within the podcast certainly reflect that.  Revealing the decisions made to move the Race forward, Episode 2 continues with Robertson's talk with Co-President of the Race, Johan Salen, which makes for interesting listening,  Robertson also talks to  IMOCA regular, Route du Rhum winner Paul Meilhat, skippering 'Biotherm'.  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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

This month's edition of Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast comes from the Spanish port of Alicante, long time home to the Ocean Race, as the fourteenth edition of this famous round the world adventure gets underway with a dramatic new look.On what is the fiftieth anniversary of what was originally called the Whitbread Round The World Race, then became famous as the Volvo Ocean Race and is now being sailed as simply The Ocean Race, Shirley Robertson presents her podcast from the start of the thirty two thousand nautical mile odyssey.  In this edition she talks to skippers and crew members from each of the five foiling IMOCA entrants, and catches up with Ocean Race Co-President, Johan Salen, to talk thorough the class changes, and the future of the Race.Now being sailed in the IMOCA class, the superfast foiling monohulls more familiar to Vendee Globe fans, much of the dockside chat was over sailing these solo-orientated speed machines with a crew, and how sailing from the almost fully covered cockpits was a huge departure for this race.In Part 1 of this two part podcast, Robertson talks all things Ocean Race with three of the five IMOCA teams taking on the challenge, including Charlie Enright of '11th Hour Racing'....:"It almost requires a more natural sailor, because you are trying to do it with less feedback, if that makes sense, so it's more seat of the pants, it's more feeling, it's really unique to be sailing inside and down below."From 'Holcim PRB', French offshore skipper Kevin Escoffier is also in PArt 1..: "You have to discover new ways of feeling it, the vibration, the sounds of the foils...anybody who has sailed a dinghy will know, if they close their eyes, they will feel the boat."Part 1 also includes guest appearances from  The Ocean Race race village with one time winner of the Volvo Ocean Race,  Ian Walker, and Team SCA Volvo skipper Sam Davies.  Episode 1 then wraps up with two time Ocean Race sailor Annie Lush of 'Guyot environnment'  discussing the differences between this edition of the race and her two previous editions.This edition of The Ocean Race is a fascinating new era - in Part 2 of this podcast,  Robertson talks with Co-President of the Race, Johan Salen, two time Volvo Ocean Race sailor Annie Lush, British offshore sailor Will Harris of Team Malizia and to IMOCA regular, Route du Rhum winner Paul Meilhat, skippering 'Biotherm'. 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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

Series Four of Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast continues in fascinating fashion as the multiple Olympic Gold Medallist finally sits down with one of modern sailing's most decorated athletes, 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. It's an incredibly diverse list of titles, all stemming from one resolution made as a fifteen year old boy watching the 2000 Sydney Olympics...:"I was down there (at Bradleys Head) everyday, and just seeing the Olympic arena, I just, in that moment, watching that final where Michael Blackburn took bronze and Ben Ainslie match raced Robert Scheidt to gold, I said right then and there that I want to be a part of this arena."That moment was the catalyst to a remarkable, and still ongoing career.  But it wasn't always easy.  Slingsby's honest and candid account involves deep disappointment and harsh lessons at the 2008 Olympics, before moving on to detail the extraordinary lengths he went to, along with coach Micheal Blackburn to make sure he would prevail at the London Games of 2012.This is the first part of a  fascinating two part interview, in which Slingsby gives the listener a sometimes intimate account of life as a successful twenty first century professional sailor.From the decision not to defend his Olympic title, Robertson and Slingsby move on to his America's Cup career, and the much discussed 2013 San Francisco Cup which saw Slingsby help Team Oracle USA to the remarkable, and much documented comeback against Emirates Team New Zealand.Regular podcast listeners will have heard the story from many of the key players from that 2013 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 overawed by 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 - Part One ends as Slngsby begins in his role onboard Oracle Team USA, looking forward to the famous 2013 comeback in the Bay of San Francisco.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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

Part 2 of  double Olympic gold medallist Robertson's chat with the skipper of the America's Cup's first ever successful Challenger, Australian John Bertrand.  It was exactly thirty nine years ago that Bertrand, skippering "Australia II" in Newport, crossed the finish line ahead of Dennis Connor's Defending "Liberty", to end the New York Yacht Club's one hundred and thirty two year winning streak.  For the sport of sailing, it provoked a seismic shift in international competition, for the thirty six year old Bertrand, competing in his fourth Cup, it was totally life changing."It was Everest, it was the four minute mile.  No one had ever got through that invisible barrier, the Everest of not only sailing, but of sport.  The America's Cup started before the American Civil War, it's remarkable...it was the Everest of sport that was there and was the fascination to many many entrepreneurs, including us Australians."Robertson and Bertrand begin their chat with a discussion about destiny as Bertrand discusses how his great grandfather was an engineer in Southampton, involved in the building of two of Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock America's Cup yachts.  The easy flowing conversation takes in Bertrand's Olympic campaigning, the pair share the unenviable position of both having finished an Olympic campaign in fourth place, before chat inevitably concentrates on the America's Cup campaign of 1983.Sailing for the Australian business tycoon Alan Bond, Bertrand lifts the lid on a campaign that ultimately led to the design and build of one of the most controversial yachts to have sailed around an America's Cup race course...:"Benny (Lexcen) then showed us the wing keeled boat and I thought 'oh my god, just give us an equal boat and we'll play the game', .....anyway we went sailing the first day over at Freemantle, and it was just unbelievable, the boat could spin on it's axiss relative to a conventional boat."Whether familiar with the sporting details of the 1983 America's Cup or not, Bertrand's interview with Robertson is a fascinating and revealing insight into what it took to end the unprecedented one hundred and thirty two year winning streak, told by one of sailing's great story tellers...:"The full significance (of what we had done) really only became apparent when we got home, and still is...The country stopped...you could not buy a bottle of champagne in Australia the day after the America's Cup....In a survey recently, the most memorable events in modern Australian history, John F Kennedy's assasination, Armstrong on the moon and Australia II crossing the finishing line."This is a fascinating exchange, as Bertrand discusses all manner of stories, from the pre-race words to the team from backer Alan Bond, to his relationship, post 1983, with defeated Defender Dennis Connor.  The events of September 1983 are now sailing folk lore, but to hear them directly from the man in charge of the America's Cup's first ever successful Challenger is truly inspiring.An America's Cup Hall of Famer, one of the most decorated sailors of all time, Olympic medalist and multiple world champion, Bertrand's chat with Robertson extends well beyond the 1983 America's Cup, and is a revealing and engaging insight into the life and mind of one of Australia's greatest ever sporting icons.Support the show

The fourth Series of Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast starts in spectacular fashion as double Olympic gold medallist Robertson sits down with the skipper of the America's Cup's first ever successful Challenger, Australian John Bertrand.  It was exactly thirty nine years ago that Bertrand, skippering "Australia II" in Newport, crossed the finish line ahead of Dennis Connor's Defending "Liberty", to end the New York Yacht Club's one hundred and thirty two year winning streak.  For the sport of sailing, it provoked a seismic shift in international competition, for the thirty six year old Bertrand, competing in his fourth Cup, it was totally life changing."It was Everest, it was the four minute mile.  No one had ever got through that invisible barrier, the Everest of not only sailing, but of sport.  The America's Cup started before the American Civil War, it's remarkable...it was the Everest of sport that was there and was the fascination to many many entrepreneurs, including us Australians."Robertson and Bertrand begin their chat with a discussion about destiny as Bertrand discusses how his great grandfather was an engineer in Southampton, involved in the building of two of Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock America's Cup yachts.  The easy flowing conversation takes in Bertrand's Olympic campaigning, the pair share the unenviable position of both having finished an Olympic campaign in fourth place, before chat inevitably concentrates on the America's Cup campaign of 1983.Sailing for the Australian business tycoon Alan Bond, Bertrand lifts the lid on a campaign that ultimately led to the design and build of one of the most controversial yachts to have sailed around an America's Cup race course...:"Benny (Lexcen) then showed us the wing keeled boat and I thought 'oh my god, just give us an equal boat and we'll play the game', .....anyway we went sailing the first day over at Freemantle, and it was just unbelievable, the boat could spin on it's axiss relative to a conventional boat."Whether familiar with the sporting details of the 1983 America's Cup or not, Bertrand's interview with Robertson is a fascinating and revealing insight into what it took to end the unprecedented one hundred and thirty two year winning streak, told by one of sailing's great story tellers...:"The full significance (of what we had done) really only became apparent when we got home, and still is...The country stopped...you could not buy a bottle of champagne in Australia the day after the America's Cup....In a survey recently, the most memorable events in modern Australian history, John F Kennedy's assasination, Armstrong on the moon and Australia II crossing the finishing line."This is a fascinating exchange, as Bertrand discusses all manner of stories, from the pre-race words to the team from backer Alan Bond, to his relationship, post 1983, with defeated Defender Dennis Connor.  The events of September 1983 are now sailing folk lore, but to hear them directly from the man in charge of the America's Cup's first ever successful Challenger is truly inspiring.An America's Cup Hall of Famer, one of the most decorated sailors of all time, Olympic medalist and multiple world champion, Bertrand's chat with Robertson extends well beyond the 1983 America's Cup, and is a revealing and engaging insight into the life and mind of one of Australia's greatest ever sporting icons.Support the show

This month on the podcast it's America's Cup Hall of Famer Tom Whidden who in this second part of his chat with Shirley Robertson discusses in detail the events of the famous 'race of the century', the America's Cup race that saw the New York Yacht Club finally relinquish their one hundred and thirty two year ownership of the America's Cup.It was a landmark edition of the Cup, in which Tom Whidden, onboard with Dennis Connor and his American Team, lost the Cup to Alan Bond's Australian syndicate, Australia II - the loss was the very first time the Cup left ownership of the New York Yacht Club since the first victory in 1851 in front of British Queen, Victoria, in a now famous race around the Isle of Wight.  Yet despite the implications of the loss, as Whidden reveals, humour was somehow still on the agenda...:"We had a little dock house where the telephone was, and I walked down the dock and the phone was ringing and I pick up the phone.  Dennis is still on the boat at that point...and the voice on the other end says "It's the President, they would like to talk to Dennis" and I say "Yeah yeah yeah",  and they say "No, it's really the President, it's President Reagan"...so I get on the loudspeaker and I said "Dennis Connor, Dennis Connor, you have a phone call, it's the President and he wants to tell you you screwed up!"Whidden's lighthearted and amicable style is wonderful to listen to, as he discusses his sailing career with a transfixed Robertson.  There are Dennis Connor stories aplenty, including his much talked about "plastic boat" quote of the 1987 Challenger Series campaign, but of course there's far more to Whidden than his America's Cup campaigns.  For decades now he's been at the forefront of one of the industry's leading corporate entities as the driving force of new technologies at North Sails, where he currently sits as Executive Chairman.Whidden discusses the growth of the company, the adoption of the revolutionary new production techniques, 3DL and 3Di and the future of the company as they continue to develop sailing technologies. The pair round their discussion off back at the modern day America's Cup, and Whidden's position within the New York Yacht Club, as he discusses his thoughts on the new AC75s, and American Magic's position representing the Club as the Cup heads to Barcelona.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at 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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

This month on the podcast it's America's Cup Hall of Famer Tom Whidden who recounts one of the most important eras in competitive sailing as he sits down with double Olympic gold medallist and podcast host Shirley Robertson.After a childhood spent learning to sail on the East Coast of the United States, a teenage Tom Whidden made two bold declarations.  He would become a sail maker, and he would compete in the America's Cup.  Decades later he's still a pivotal figure at sailing industry powerhouse North Sails, and he's raced an incredible eight America's Cup campaigns, having won the illusive trophy three times.But in this fascinating chat with Robertson, it's Whidden's memories of the historic 1983 loss to Alan Bond's Australia II that are the most revealing.  Whidden partnered up with Cup legend Dennis Connor for the 1980 Freedom Syndicate campaign, and was tactician for the 1983 Defence, but it was a Defence that would finally see the end to the one hundred and thirty two year winning streak.  Unsurprisingly, Whidden's memory of each and every race is near flawless, as he talks Robertson through the historic loss....:"I'm looking back and I'm going, they're about to tack, and the bow comes up, comes up, comes up and I go 'they're actually not tacking' and they get this big humongous left shift and they go up, and slowly but surely they sail away.  They beat us by two minutes in that race.  So now it's the race of the century." The 'race of the century' was of course the deciding match of the 1983 America's Cup, a match that Whidden and his team onboard Liberty famously lost.  It was the end of an era, Alan Bond's Australia II  finally prised the Cup out of the one hundred and thirty two year grip of the New York Yacht Club in an historic edition of the Cup that still has implications int he sport today.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at 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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

With the much awaited announcement that the 37th America's Cup will be held in the Spanish city of Barcelona, Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast this month features interviews with several of the Cup's key stakeholders, as they discuss the excitement behind this landmark decision.In Part One of this two part podcast, Robertson talks to Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton, who was excited to name the Spanish city as the winning venue in a tender process that included three other significantly attractive bids, before talking to American Magic team principal Terry Hutchinson.In this, Part 2 of the two part podcast, Robertson talks to Sir Ben Ainslie, team principal from INEOS Britannia, the official Challenger of Record (COR) representing the Royal Yacht Squadron.  Ainslie is excited that the Cup will be making a rare appearance in Europe, but is excited for global sailing fans that the Cup is to be held in such an iconic destination.  Ainslie is spearheading a campaign that sees a British Challenger of Record for the first time in over fifty years, and he's confident that now the venue has been announced, his team can proceed with few distractions.  Talking about their position as COR Ainslie tells Robertson...:"Some people would say it's potentially a distraction...but so far it's been a really productive process...and of course so far the venue decision, I don't think you could ask for a better venue anywhere in the world, the protocol, I think is a really positive progressive protocol as is the development of the Class Rule, so I'd like to think we've done an OK job so far."Ainslie appears in the second part of this two part podcast, along with Robertson's fellow AC36 broadcast commentator,  Ken Read from North Sails, who shares his thoughts on the announcement, before the podcast is wrapped up by Emirates Team New Zealand's Kevin Shoebridge.  As team COO, Shoebridge discusses the impact of the announcement on the sailing team, the opportunities that this decision will bring, and the implications of a defence on waters far from home.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at 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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.comSupport the show

With the much awaited announcement that the 37th America's Cup will be held in the Spanish city of Barcelona, Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast this month features interviews with several of the Cup's key stakeholders, as they discuss the excitement behind this landmark decision.It's been just over a year since Emirates Team New Zealand successfully defended the Cup on home waters in Auckland, and following a rigorous and in depth selection process, Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton was excited to name the Spanish city as the winning venue in a tender process that included three other significantly attractive bids.Dalton kicks off the podcast with a discussion about the process itself, highlighting what it was about Barcelona's bid that saw them come out on top, before inevitably discussing the complicated decision to hold the Cup away from Auckland.  In the one hundred and seventy years of America's Cup history, a defence away from home waters is a significant rarity, in fact only once, in 2017 (Oracle Team USA defending in Bermuda) has this decision been made without geography being a determining factor (2007 and 2010 saw Swiss team Alinghi defend in Valencia due to lack of open ocean at home in Switzerland).  The decision has faced significant criticism at home in New Zealand but Dalton's chat with Robertson is very clear - without securing the financial security for the sailing team, a viable defence against such a strong group of Challengers is an impossibility...:"The team will always be the priority...in saying that though, we want an absolutely amazing event, we're the Defender, we have a responsibility to that, but the team will always be the priority, and so we can't take money out of the equation...and the original motive was to put the team in it's best financial position to be able to have a chance against amazingly strong teams coming at us, to three-peat." clarifies Dalton.Robertson discusses several aspects of the decision process with Dalton, as the pair discuss the responsibility of the Defender to continue the legacy of the world's oldest international sporting trophy.Robertson, who herself sailed the first of her four Olympic regattas for Team GB at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, talks to several other key stakeholders in the 37th America's Cup, including podcast regular Terry Hutchinson,  team principal of American Magic, the Challenger representing the original holder of the trophy, the New York Yacht Club.  Hutchinson and his American team are delighted with the venue announcement,  and he does not underestimate the significance of the Defender's decision...:"The Defenders have taken an aggressive decision...and as a competitor you can't overlook that, and so I'm excited by the opportunity, I also recognise all the teams are really really good, so we know how this game goes, we lived it to the nth degree in the last one so I'm excited by the opportunity in front of us."In the second part of this two part podcast Robertson talks to team principal of the official Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia's Sir Ben Ainslie, before discussing the implications of the announcement with North Sails President Kenny Read.  Part 2 wraps up with a chat with Emirates Team New Zealand's COO Kevin Shoebridge, who discusses the implications of the announcement on the New Zealand sailing team, and the opportunities it brings.Support the show

Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast this month features one of the most respected names in boat building, as Jason Carrington takes to the mic to discuss his phenomenal career in the sport.  Carrington has been at the forefront of high performance boat building for several decades, and in this, Part 2 of his chat with Robertson, much of the discussion relates to his work inside the boat shed as he builds some of the world's fastest racing machines.This Episode begins with the discussion around Carrington's final Volvo Ocean Race, onboard "Ericsson", one of the first Volvo 70s, again built under the watchful eye of Carrington, before the chat turns to life in the boat yard and the formation in 2017 of the now world renowned Carrington Boats.Based in Hythe, on the UK's south coast, Carrington Boats have recently been responsible for the build of some of sailing's most talked about race machines, most notably the latest iteration of Alex Thomson's "Hugo Boss" and Ben Ainslie's 2021 America's Cup AC75 "Britannia".  Carrington talks passionately about the difficulties of building foiling yachts at the very cutting edge of the sport, and does not shy away from the responsibilities that such complex projects bring.  Carrington's interview reveals a modest character, keen to remind Robertson that the men and women of the boat shed are often the unsung heroes of a successful campaign...:"There's building boats and there's building boats, but these type of boats, you've got to be very good at what you do, they're not in the spotlight, but they should be really."Robertson's two part podcast with Jason Carrington is a fascinating glimpse into the career of a man that has played a pivotal role in the progression of the sport of sailing, and reveals a passionate character driven by a very obvious and deep rooted love of the sport of competitive yacht racing.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, SpotifySupport the show

Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast this month features one of the most respected names in boat building, as Jason Carrington takes to the mic to discuss his phenomenal career in the sport.  Carrington has been at the forefront of high performance boat building for several decades, but as his chat with Robertson reveals, his achievements in the boat shed are more than matched by an impressive career offshore.In this two part edition, Part 1 sees Carrington reveal how a childhood spent on the water in Lymington (UK) led to an apprenticeship at the groundbreaking Green Marine, under the tutelage of the pioneering Bill Green himself.  It wasn't long before Carrington was impressing as a bowman, and was soon setting off on his first Whitbread attempt on the 1993/94 "Fortuna" campaign with British Whitbread stalwart Lawrie Smith.  It was the first of four Whitbred / Volvo campaigns for Carrington, his second seeing him again take on the Round the World race with Smith onboard "Silk Cut"....:"Sailing with Lawrie was wonderful, I remember my first glimpse of the Southern Ocean, I've never been with anyone that sailed so hard in the Southern Ocean...I was on the handles on deck....Lawrie was in the hatch and I looked and said 'this is crazy' and Lawrie just said "This is when you make the miles!.""Carrington's tales of sailing the 93/94 and 97/98 Whitbread are told with a very obvious enthusiasm that hides nothing of his love for the camaraderie and hardships of round the world sailing.  As the Whitbread transitioned to the Volvo Ocean Race, it's Carrington's memories of building Volvo60 "Assa Abloy" that then begin to reveal a glimpse of the attention to detail he's since become famous for...:"(Our sponsor) wanted the coach roof to be red and I caused such a fuss about 'why are we putting this paint on the boat, it's heavier, we don't need that paint' and I worked out per square metre what that was gonna weigh and I said 'No, we're not painting it red', I even phoned the sponsor...there was no compromise!"From a lap of the planet on "Assa Abloy", tales from Carrington's sailing career then take in a Jules Verne attempt with Ellen MacArthur onboard catamaran "Kingfisher 2", as this epiosde wraps up.  In Part 2 of this month's pod, Carrington then discusses his final Volvo Ocean Race another onboard "Ericsson",  before the chat turns to life inside the boat shed, and the formation in 2017 of the now world renowned Carrington Boats.Robertson's two part podcast with Jason Carrington is a fascinating glimpse into the career of a man that has played a pivotal role in the progression of the sport of sailing, and reveals a passionate character driven by a very obvious and deep rooted love of the sport of competitive yacht racing.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, SpotifySupport the show

This month Shirley Robertson talks to a man with one of the most varied careers in the sport of professional sailing, as she sits down for an extensive chat with one time Team GB team mate Paul Goodison.Having discussed Goodison's Olympic career, which peaked with a gold medal in Beijing 2008, this second part of their chat concentrates on Paul's America's Cup campaigning.Most recently Goodison has been an integral part of the New York Yacht Club's 36th America's Cup campaign as main sail trimmer on board American Magic's Patriot.  Goodison and Robertson reflect on many of the key points of the Auckland Cup, as Paul eloquently discusses the process of developing and building a seventy five foot foiling monohull the like of which has never been built before.Ultimately of course, talk turns to the catastrophic capsize midway through the Challenger Series Round Robin that severely effected the campaign...:"I remember clearly with about thirty seconds coming into the mark how dark and black the sky was and how the water was getting rougher and looking at the speedo, we were doing 42knots upwind, it was 'woah, this is pretty full on, this is going to be exciting!'"Goodison's recollections on American Magic's campaign in Auckland are fascinating, as the team desperately tried to overturn the disadvantages dealt by the nature of the capsize.Looking forward though, perhaps the most exciting of Goodison's insights concerns the next America's Cup.  He reveals to Robertson he has recently re-signed with the American outfit, and will be continuing in a key role as American Magic continue to represent the New York Yacht Club.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at 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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

This month Shirley Robertson talks to a man with one of the most varied careers in the sport of professional sailing, as she sits down for an extensive chat with one time Team GB team mate Paul Goodison.Most recently sailing as main trimmer in the 36th America's Cup with American Magic, a closer inspection of Goodison's career reveals a remarkable strength and depth that has brought success across a multitude of disciplines in a career that's spanned several decades. Growing up in the the north of England, Goodison learned to sail on a reservoir, but was quickly mixing it up with that precocious young talent pool of the time, honing his sailing skills with contemporaries Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy, Andrew Simpson and Chris Draper.  A professional career beckoned, which initially led to an early career campaigning in the super competitive Laser class.  After a fourth place in the Athens Games of 2004, Paul topped the podium in Beijing to win Olympic Gold, completing a journey that had began in earnest after a night out celebrating his friend's silver in 1996...:"When Ben returned from Atlanta having won a silver medal, we were all at the Laser Nationals...and Ben had his medal with him and I remember for the first time, it was the first Olympic medal I'd ever seen, and held, and all of a sudden you make the connection, this is no longer one of those things you see on the TV, this is a guy you've sailed against and all of a sudden it became clear it's not so far away."After the highs of Beijing, Robertson and Goodison then turn to the home Games of London 2012, and Goodison is honest and frank about the disappointment of finishing in seventh place.  Going into the Games Goodison felt well prepared, but he reveals how some poorly timed competition with his peers in the gym seriously effected his chances at his home Games - it's a honest and precautionary tale!At the same time, Goodison had fallen back in love with sailing on discovering the foiling moth - he uncovered a new energy and enthusiasm that would propel him to three consecutive world titles in one of the most competitive classes out there.  His love of the moth is clear to see as he shares his enthusiasm with Robertson about the single handed foiling dinghy.Looking forward to the second part of their two part chat, Goodison and Robertson spend the second half talking about the America's Cup, and most notably Paul's role with American Magic, the official Challengers of the New York Yacht Club.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at 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 podcast@shirleyrobertson.com. Support the show

Shirley Robertson this month talks to a man that has sailed in a remarkable six America's Cup campaigns, as she sits down to chat with New Zealand grinder Jono Macbeth.  As the pair discuss, Macbeth's career in sailing was in no way scheduled, starting after a chance encounter with the legendary Sir Peter Blake.  Team New Zealand had just won the 1995 America's Cup in San Diego when Blake invited a young Macbeth to join an exciting new venture in Auckland.  The pair first met after a random encounter at an Auckland kayak shop....:"I was down in a squat position and I was about to try and pick up this fridge all by myself and I hear this big booming voice behind me..."Do you need a hand?"  And without turning around I said "Yeah, that'd be good mate", and glanced over my shoulder and low and behold there was (Sir Peter) Blake, standing over me, arms folded."What followed is one of the most exhaustive Cup careers in the sport. Blake invited Macbeth to join the team, and since that first Team New Zealand defence of the Cup in 2000, Macbeth has been a regular feature competing for the illusive trophy, and has lived through some of the modern era's most fascinating campaigns.Macbeth stayed on at Team New Zealand as Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth left the team to sail with ultimate 2003 Cup winners Alinghi, and then again sailed in the Cup match after New Zealand won through the exhausting 2007 Louis Vuiton Challenger Series in Valencia.As the future of the Cup went through the courts, and a Deed of Gift match looked likely, Macbeth joined Russell Coutts at BMW Oracle, and began sailing the monster 90ft trimaran that would ultimately win the two team Deed of Gift battle in Valencia.  It was a fascinating period, as designers, sailing teams and shore crew all came to grips with the introduction of the wing sail. Jono's story spans almost two decades of Cup campaigning - Part 1 wraps up after that Deed of Gift victory, before Part 2 gets underway in San Francisco 2013.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast.Support the show

Part Two of Shirley Robertson's chat to a man that has sailed in a remarkable six America's Cup campaigns, as she sits down to chat with New Zealand grinder Jono Macbeth.  As the pair discuss, Macbeth's career in sailing was in no way scheduled, starting after a chance encounter with the legendary Sir Peter Blake.  Team New Zealand had just won the 1995 America's Cup in San Diego when Blake invited a young Macbeth to join an exciting new venture in Auckland...:This part of the podcast joins Macbeth  as the Cup yachts dropped to 72ft for the 2013 edition in San Francisco, by which time Macbeth was a regular fixture in the world of the Cup, and an integral part of the sailing team at Oracle, desperate to develop the foiling capabilities of the exciting new multi-hulls.  It was a development period that didn't always go to plan...:"I remember Jimmy clear as day over comms 'Watch out boys, look out for all your mates here', and I was thinking 'what is he talking about', and then "BANG", the bows go under and I was second cockpit back with Rome Kirby and Joey Newton and we just went underwater....the boat just kept on driving down!"The team ultimately of course went on to overturn a huge deficit against Team New Zealand, winning the 2013 Cup in dramatic fashion, a moment that Macbeth reveals to be the highlight of his multiple Cup winning career.From San Francisco Macbeth joined the newly formed Land Rover BAR, running the British sailing team for Sir Ben Ainslie, exiting the Cup at the Challenger Series phase in Bermuda in 2017.Now working in a sustainability role at North Sails, Jono Macbeth is one of the most experienced grinders in the game, and his behind the scenes revelations of life at the very heart of the fight for the oldest trophy in world sport is truly fascinating.This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast.Support the show

In this month's two part Podcast Shirley Robertson talks to four of sailing's most successful and influential sailing coaches.In Episode Two Robertson talks to one of Olympic Sailing's most influential coaches, and she talks to one of the business world's high end psychologists who's had a big impact on the world of offshore sailing.A double Olympic silver medallist himself, Joe Glanfield has recently coached Hannah Mills to her third Olympic medal.  A gold in Tokyo with Eilidh Macintyre in the 470 Class made her the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time - each one of her three Olympic medals has been won with Glanfield as her coach.  His thoughts on how to achieve success at an Olympic level, how to handle the stresses of sailing at such a high level are enlightening.And to finish the four interview podcast, Robertson talks to Dutch business development coach Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel - an organisational psychologist specialising in executive team development who's unique approach to motivating team communication and solid leadership saw her apply her in depth knowledge in the last two editions of the Volvo Ocean Race.  Eight time Volvo veteran Bouwe Bekking recruited van Boxtel to coach his team at Team Brunel, and her insights into the application of business theory to offshore sailing are fascinating.Both coaches operate at a very high level, both coach some of the biggest names in the sport, but their thoughts and methods are as relevant on an Olympic sailing course as they are to the amateur weekend racer.It's an inspiring listen as Robertson once again takes a deep dive into some of the most fascinating characters in the sport of sailing.Support the show

In this month's two part Podcast Shirley Robertson talks to four of sailing's most successful and influential sailing coaches.In Episode One Robertson talks to one of the most ubiquitous coaches in sailing, former Australian Olympian Andrew 'Dog' Palfrey, and she talks to French America's Cup super-coach Philippe Presti.Both men coach the sport at a very high level, both men coach some of the biggest names in the sport, but their thoughts and methods are as relevant to an America's Cup sailing team as they are to the amateur weekend racer.It's a fascinating listen as Robertson once again takes a deep dive into some of the most fascinating characters in the sport of sailing.Support the show