The Foil Podcast

The Foil
  • 4.5 (2)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

We are The Foil, a new wave of racing media. Founded and launched in 2026, we are a fresh, all-new, proudly independent digital media brand dedicated to the sport of sail racing. Our focus is centred around the major peaks of the international sport: SailGP, the America’s Cup and the Olympic Games, plus offshore classes and events, and the diverse wider world of sailing competitions that take place around the globe. Our mission is simple: to promote, talk about and report on the detail of an international sport that deserves a much higher profile beyond the dedicated sailing community who follow racing around the globe. We operate independently of series and event promoters and governing bodies as an impartial voice for the sport of sail racing. Subscribe to The Foil YouTube channel and follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and LinkedIn.

  1. 8h ago

    New format and a 20-year wait ends - iQFOiL & ILCA 6 Worlds ‘26 | The Foil Debrief

    It’s been a huge week for Olympic sailing, with new World Champions crowned in the ILCA 6 and IQFOiL fleets – and some intriguing signs ahead of LA 2028. Lewis Smith and Andy Rice join Neil to break down Charlotte Rose’s dominant ILCA 6 World Championship victory, Emma Plasschaert’s remarkable consistency and the return of Annalise Murphy in Dublin Bay. Then attention turns to Weymouth for the IQFOiL World Championships. We look at the new medal series format, Israeli dominance in the women’s fleet, a surprising result for Emma Wilson and Luuc van Opzeeland’s victory in a stacked men’s field. Plus, what do the latest results tell us about the USA’s prospects on home waters at LA 2028? And is Olympic sailing finally finding better ways to make its racing accessible and exciting to watch? Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Podcast: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. 00:00:00 Start 00:00:21 ILCA 6 World Championships 00:07:30 IQFOiL World Championships 00:09:32 New IQFOiL medal format 00:10:46 Women’s IQFOiL results 00:12:45 Men’s IQFOiL results 00:15:49 Formula Kite Europeans 00:16:58 What’s next for Olympic sailing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. 6d ago

    Does the America's Cup partnership actually break its own rules? Ep 37

    SailGP delivered another dramatic weekend in Valencia — but not in the way many expected. Spain looked untouchable on Saturday, only to miss the final completely on Sunday, while the USA produced another huge result to move right back into the championship fight. We break down Taylor Canfield’s win, Australia’s costly tactical decision in the final, why Artemis may now be vulnerable, and what it all means heading towards Geneva. Then we head offshore for the Ocean Race Atlantic, where the new generation of IMOCA boats are being pushed brutally hard across the Atlantic. Team Malizia have shown serious raw pace, but reliability issues have opened the door for the older, proven boats — with crews facing what Freddie describes as “offshore survival conditions.” And finally, the America’s Cup faces another major political and legal question after the New York Yacht Club asked the New York Attorney General to examine whether the new America’s Cup Partnership complies with the Deed of Gift. Is this simply healthy scrutiny, or the start of a much bigger fight over the future of the Cup? Plus, a look ahead to the IQFOiL World Championships and the ILCA 6 Worlds. Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Podcast: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:25 SailGP Valencia venue & vibe check 00:11:03 Saturday's start box strategy 00:25:06 Artemis Racing disruptions 00:30:14 Sunday's racing "one-and-done" 00:41:03 Valencia final analysis and USA victory 00:50:18 The Ocean Race Atlantic offshore survival 00:59:35 America's Cup and NYYC dispute 01:10:06 Upcoming iQFOiL and ILCA 6 Worlds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Sep 6

    The Foil Debrief: Valencia SailGP's biggest shock

    Welcome to The Foil Debrief, this first episode on Spain's shock elimination at the Spanish Sail Grand Prix – and it wasn't the only twist of the weekend. Andy Rice and Bene Donovan run through a light-wind Valencia that saw the fleet back on the big wing and the entire regatta compressed into a single group race before the final. Spain's stunning Saturday – two wins and a second – counted for nothing once a late move for the line left them with no room and no way back. The final had its own drama: Italy's first-ever SailGP final ended before it began after a one-second over-early start, Emirates GBR produced one of the passes of the season to slip past Artemis on the run to the bottom gate, and Australia's fight back from last to fifth kept them alive. Up front, a tactical error at the bottom gate from Tom Slingsby opened the door for USA to snatch the event win, along with light-wind specialists USA, Italy and Denmark all making the final on a weekend practically built for them. We also weigh up whether SailGP's proposed format change could have saved Spain, and why the current 90-minute window leaves no room for it. Full results here: https://thefoil.com/news/usa-take-valencia-title-as-one-bad-race-ends-los-gallos-final-hopes/ Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Listen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Sep 2

    Los Gallos’ home weekend in Valencia, and The Ocean Race Atlantic's biggest risk-takers - The Foil Podcast - Ep 36

    Episode 36 of The Foil Podcast is live, and this week there’s a lot to cover – SailGP heading to Valencia for the first time, a full breakdown of Los Gallos' stellar season, The Ocean Race Atlantic underway, a title race shake-up in the TP52 Super Series after Lanzarote, and a shock finish at the ILCA 7 World Championships. Neil Cole, Freddie Carr and Andy Rice open with Valencia – a city with serious America's Cup pedigree, host of the 2007 Cup and the 2010 Deed of Gift match – and work through why its reliable sea breeze could produce a tight, sea wall-hugging start box for SailGP this weekend. From there it's a proper deep dive into Spain's home team, Los Gallos: the downwind speed nobody else can match, the crew combinations behind Diego Botín and Florian Trittel, a team culture built on equal pay and no egos, and the story of a turnaround from crisis to championship contenders under Tony Alcázar and Hamish Willcox. There's also a look at who's chasing Artemis for that grand final spot before switching to offshore racing. The Ocean Race Atlantic fleet have just departed out of New York, with the guys weighing up the radical new-build Malizia 4 and DMG Mori against proven offshore campaigners – and what onboard steering wheels and Starlink reporting mean for the sport. The Foil's Lewis Smith then joins to unpack a dramatic Men's Laser [ILCA 7, if you must] World Championships finish in Dún Laoghaire, a new scoring format, and the build-up to the Women's Laser [ILCA 6] Worlds, including a comeback by Ireland's own Olympic silver medallist Annalise Murphy. Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. Listen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 00:00 Intro 03:11 SailGP heads to Valencia 08:43 Why Spain are so strong 28:41 The championship battle & Valencia predictions 34:16 The Ocean Race Atlantic Preview 43:16 New vs proven IMOCA designs 51:32 Who wins The Ocean Race Atlantic? 54:16 ILCA World Championships 1:07:28 TP52 Super Series championship shake-up #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP #TheOceanRace #offshoresailing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Aug 26

    Why Australia are 'the best SailGP team ever' - The Foil Podcast - Ep 35

    SailGP delivered another spectacular weekend in Sassnitz, with record-breaking speeds, a packed German crowd and a championship battle that is getting tighter with every event. This week on The Foil Podcast, Freddie Carr, Andy Rice and Neil Cole look back at a German Sail Grand Prix where the F50s reached an incredible 58 knots and France set a new benchmark for racing speed. We look at what made the boats so fast, the conditions that produced some of the most spectacular racing of the season and why Sassnitz is quickly establishing itself as one of SailGP's standout venues. On the water, Australia continued their remarkable run of form and strengthened their position at the top of the championship, while Canada produced exactly the result they needed to keep their Grand Final hopes alive. With GBR, USA, France and Canada now fighting over what could be a crucial fourth Grand Final position, the battle behind the championship leaders is becoming one of the biggest stories of the season. We also look at the struggles facing Emirates GBR, whether the Grand Final should feature three or four boats, the increasingly fine margins separating SailGP's leading teams and the latest developments from the America's Cup. 00:00 Intro & Sassnitz Reaction 06:00 SailGP's Development Teams & Transfer Market 14:00 Record-Breaking Speeds in Sassnitz 22:35 Saturday's Racing 35:22 Sunday's Racing & Brutal Conditions 42:55 Canada Keep Their Season Alive 50:15 The Sassnitz Final 54:06 Australia Dominate & The Championship Battle 56:42 Three or Four Boats in the Grand Final? 1:04:54 America's Cup & Sailing News Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Podcast: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Aug 19

    Crunch time for the chasing pack as SailGP heads to Sassnitz - The Foil Podcast - Ep 34

    SailGP heads back to Sassnitz, a venue that produced some of the most chaotic racing of last season — and this time the stakes are even higher. This week on The Foil Podcast, Freddie Carr, Andy Rice and Neil Cole look ahead to the Germany Sail Grand Prix and a weekend that could prove pivotal in the Season 6 championship. They revisit last year's dramatic crashes, break down one of the biggest and fastest racecourses on the calendar, and discuss why the unusual start box and split fleets could make Sassnitz particularly unpredictable. Attention also turns to the increasingly tight battle for the Grand Final. Spain and Australia are setting the pace, Artemis continue to quietly accumulate points, the USA have made a remarkable step forward, while defending champions Emirates GBR desperately need to stop their recent run of poor results. For France and Canada, Sassnitz could already be a do-or-die weekend. Plus, we discuss whether SailGP should commit to a four-boat Grand Final, the Black Foils' chances of making an impact in Germany, and the latest from the America's Cup as Emirates Team New Zealand return to high-wind AC75 testing — with some ominously confident messages coming from the defenders. Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Podcast: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. 00:00 Intro 02:10 SailGP Returns to Sassnitz 07:21 Germany SailGP Team Deep Dive 26:32 The Sassnitz Racecourse Explained 36:53 The SailGP Championship Battle 43:28 France & Canada’s Do-or-Die Weekend 47:48 Three or Four Boats in the Grand Final? 50:43 Our Sassnitz Predictions 52:29 America’s Cup: New Zealand Getting Faster? 56:02 Around the Sailing World MB01TM11L6KIMUY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Aug 12

    The six American sailors chosen to take back the Cup - The Foil Podcast - Ep 33

    The America's Cup teams are taking shape, and this week there are some fascinating new names entering the picture. Lewis Smith, Andy Rice and Neil Cole look at the newly announced United States America's Cup crew, the strong crossover with the US SailGP Team and one particularly notable omission: Taylor Canfield. Could he still join the campaign, and how much catching up does the new American challenger have to do before Naples? There’s also a major development for GBR with Jemima Lines confirmed as the fifth sailor aboard the AC75, before attention turns to LA 2028. With Olympic sailors getting their first proper taste of the waters off Los Angeles, we look at what they’re already learning about the venue, some impressive early performances and the sailors attempting to balance Olympic campaigns with SailGP and America's Cup commitments. Plus, Andy pays tribute to legendary sailing photographer Carlo Borlenghi, and we catch up on the latest from the 470 Worlds and the Round Britain and Ireland Race. This episode is brought to you by Saily, the eSIM built by the team behind NordVPN. Available across more than 200 destinations, with plans flexible enough for a weekend away or a full season chasing the SailGP circuit – no SIM swap, no roaming bill shock, no wandering foreign airports hunting for Wi-Fi. We use Saily ourselves when travelling to events, like we’ll be doing in Sassnitz next week. Download Saily from the app store and use code FOIL15 at checkout for 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com 00:00:00 Start 00:02:05 Cowes Week reflections and recovery 00:03:57 United States America's Cup crew announcement 00:15:56 Jemima Lines joins GB1 America's Cup crew 00:23:31 Remembering iconic sailing photographer Carlo Borlenghi 00:29:02 Get 15% off Saily eSim 00:30:15 LA Olympic test event insights 00:44:01 470 Worlds and Solent racing round-up Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Podcast: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. #AmericasCup #SailGP #LA2028 #Olympics #Sailing #TheFoil Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. Aug 4

    The past, present and future of sailing - The Foil Podcast Live - Ep 32

    Episode 32 of the Foil Podcast celebrates the 200th anniversary of Cowes Week, diving deep into the rich history, vibrant present, and promising future of sailing. Join Neil Cole, Andy Rice and Freddie Carr as they discuss the significance of the iconic regatta with seasoned sailor Simon 'Stir Fry', who shares insights from the 'golden days' of sailing and the potential rebirth of the Admiral's Cup. Freddie highlights the exciting developments in Grand Prix sailing and the impact of events like SailGP on the sport's evolution, while Andy chats with Olympic sailor Elliot Hanson about balancing professional sailing and Olympic aspirations. Young talent, Katy Jenkins, represents the future of sailing and discusses her journey with the Athena Pathway and her first experience at Cowes Week. Lastly, Dan Fielding tells The Foil about the wonderful work of Turn to Starboard, a UK-based sailing charity that helps military veterans. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:35 200 years of Cowes Week 04:37 Simon 'Stir Fy' and sailing's past 18:20 Elliot Hanson and the present of sailing 29:42 Katy Jenkins and the future of the sport 35:02 Dan Fielding and Turn to Starboard 41:22 Outro Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

We are The Foil, a new wave of racing media. Founded and launched in 2026, we are a fresh, all-new, proudly independent digital media brand dedicated to the sport of sail racing. Our focus is centred around the major peaks of the international sport: SailGP, the America’s Cup and the Olympic Games, plus offshore classes and events, and the diverse wider world of sailing competitions that take place around the globe. Our mission is simple: to promote, talk about and report on the detail of an international sport that deserves a much higher profile beyond the dedicated sailing community who follow racing around the globe. We operate independently of series and event promoters and governing bodies as an impartial voice for the sport of sail racing. Subscribe to The Foil YouTube channel and follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and LinkedIn.

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