Yacht Racing Life Podcast

Justin Chisholm
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SPORTS
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A sailing podcast for racing sailors everywhere. Exclusive interviews with the sport's top names. Presented by British sailing journalist Justin Chisholm.

  1. Chris Draper at Emirates Team New Zealand

    2H AGO

    Chris Draper at Emirates Team New Zealand

    Justin Chisholm sits down with British yachtsman Chris Draper to discuss his move to join the America’s Cup defender Emirates Team New Zealand and life inside one of the most successful teams in modern sailing. Draper, an Olympic 49er bronze medallist and veteran of multiple Cup campaigns, explains why he chose to step away from the America’s Cup after Bermuda and how a renewed passion for the event drew him back in. He talks candidly about relocating his family to Auckland, the decision-making process behind joining the Kiwi team, and why the opportunity proved impossible to turn down. The conversation offers a rare insight into the inner workings of Team New Zealand, from the depth of knowledge within the organisation to the culture of efficiency and collective purpose that underpins its success. Draper also reflects on his evolving role within the team, combining sailing, performance input and mentoring the next generation of talent. On the water, Draper shares his perspective on the latest generation of AC75 foiling monohulls, the scale of technological development since the AC72 era, and the realities of sailing these complex, high-speed boats. He also discusses the removal of cyclors, the introduction of new crew roles, and what these changes mean for the dynamics of an America’s Cup team. Looking ahead, Draper gives his view on where the next Cup will be won and lost, suggesting that tighter performance margins will place greater emphasis on execution, teamwork and racecraft. This is a interesting, behind-the-scenes look at life inside the defender, and a timely insight into how the Kiwi's latest America’s Cup campaign is evolving.

    43 min
  2. Sébastien Sainson – design director at Gitana Team

    6D AGO

    Sébastien Sainson – design director at Gitana Team

    Justin Chisholm’s guest is Sebastien Sainson – design director of the French Gitana Team, that recently launched the latest generation Maxi Edmund de Rothschild Ultim trimaran – Gitana 18. After a guided tour of this truly spectacular boat on the dock outside the Gitana team base in Lorient Justin sat down with Sebastien to find out more about the innovation that has gone into this remarkable ocean-going multihull.

    30 min
  3. James Pleasance – executive director of the World Match Racing Tour

    MAR 12

    James Pleasance – executive director of the World Match Racing Tour

    On the latest episode of the Yacht Racing Life Podcast I'm joined by James Pleasance – executive director of the World Match Racing Tour to discuss the history, evolution, and future of one of sailing's most iconic competitions. During our chat we examine: how the tour has managed to constantly adapt over its more than 20-year history; how it has somehow stayed relevant – despite the America's Cup move into high-performance foiling racing; its key role in developing new sailing talent, and plans to expand into new territories, like Saudi Arabia.  Image © Ian Roman / WMRT

    1h 5m
  4. SailGP Sydney analysis

    MAR 2

    SailGP Sydney analysis

    On the latest episode of the Yacht Racing Life Podcast Justin Chisholm is joined once again by fellow British yachting journalist Magnus Wheatley to chew over the goings on at the third event of SailGP Season 6, which took place in Sydney, Australia over the past weekend. The racing may not have been as adrenaline-fuelled as the previous two events, but despite the uncharacteristic drifting conditions that prevailed out on Sydney Harbour, Magnus and I still had plenty to talk about, including: the two starkly contrasting performances from the event winners, Taylor Canfield's US SailGP Team – who strung together their best ever – and Tom Slingsby's hometown heroes, the BONDS Flying Roos – who sparkled at times but ultimately missed out on a place in the final by some margin.the impressive performances of the other two event finallists – Dylan Fletcher's Emirates Team GBR and Diego Botín's Spanish Los Gallos plus, we debated the thorny question of whether SailGP might be losing its appeal to sailing fans and the wider sporting audience – and asked whether a racing format change could help to spice things up?Image © Felix Diemer for SailGP

    43 min
  5. ROCKWOOL Racing SailGP skipper Nicolai Sehested

    FEB 20

    ROCKWOOL Racing SailGP skipper Nicolai Sehested

    On the latest episode of the Yacht Racing Life Podcast I'm joined by Danish SailGP skipper Nicolai Sehested from the ROCKWOOL Racing Team for a catch-up on the Danish team's journey since joining SailGP back in 2020 at the start of the international circuit's second season.  The pair discuss how SailGP has evolved over that period and touch on the performance upgrades the sailors have experienced aboard their F50 foiling catamarans since those early days. Sehested explains the workings of the close relationship between the sailing team and its long-time naming sponsor, the world-leading stone wool building insulation products manufacturer – ROCKWOOL, and how the company leverages its involvement in SailGP so effectively. Sehested also explains in more detail how the team's recent acquisition by Doug DeVos' American Magic organisation came about and the positive impact it will have on the team going forward.  The pair also discuss the shocking crash that took place at the previous regatta in Auckland, New Zealand between the Kiwi and French teams that injured two crew members and has put both boats out of action for the foreseeable future. Sehested shares his opinion on whether the New Zealand team's season is effectively over and the duo discuss what might need to happen to keep the sailors safe during racing in windy conditions. The episode concludes with Sehested taking a look ahead to the upcoming SailGP event in Sydney, Australia where the teams will have to factor in the vagaries of the wind around the notorious Shark Island.

    47 min
  6. SailGP Auckland Analysis

    FEB 16

    SailGP Auckland Analysis

    Justin Chisholm and Magnus Wheatley discuss the recent SailGP regatta in Auckland, New Zealand, which was marred by a serious collision between the Kiwi and French teams. They delve into the implications of the crash, safety concerns in the league, and the need for changes in race formats. The hosts analyze team performances, including the Americans, French, Australians, Italians, and the Spanish, and discuss the impact of technical issues on racing outcomes. They also explore financial aspects of SailGP, including team valuations and potential future developments in the league, and speculate on whether the spilt-fleet format is now here to stay. Image © Simon Bruty for SailGP

    47 min
  7. Dee Caffari on The Famous Project CIC all-women circumnavigation

    FEB 5

    Dee Caffari on The Famous Project CIC all-women circumnavigation

    Guest presenter Matt Sheahan from the PlanetSail website catches up with British ocean racing yachtswoman Dee Caffari just over a week since she and the all-women crew aboard The Famous Project CIC 103-foot long trimaran completed a tortuous nonstop lap of the planet. The Famous Project crew made it around in just under 58 days and although that’s well outside the new 40 day record just set by Thomas Coville’s men aboard the French Sodebo Ultim – who now hold the coveted Jules Verne Trophy – Dee and her crewmates have become the the first all female team to race nonstop around the world. Matt sat down with Dee as soon as she arrived back in the UK to find out more about what – incredibly – is her seventh time racing around the world.

    53 min
  8. Will Oxley on Raven RORC Transatlantic Race line honours performance

    JAN 27

    Will Oxley on Raven RORC Transatlantic Race line honours performance

    In this episode of the Yacht Racing Life podcast, host Justin Chisholm speaks with navigator Will Oxley about his recent experience racing the foil-assisted superyacht Raven in a transatlantic race. They discuss the design and features of the boat, the challenges faced during the race, the crew's considerable around-the-world experience, and the significance of their achievements. Oxley shares insights into the performance metrics of the boat, the strategy employed during the race, and the future of foiling technology in yachting. The conversation also touches on recent record attempts in the sailing world and Oxley's upcoming projects.

    44 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A sailing podcast for racing sailors everywhere. Exclusive interviews with the sport's top names. Presented by British sailing journalist Justin Chisholm.

Information

  • Creator
    Justin Chisholm
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    110
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Justin Chisholm
  • Show Website
    Yacht Racing Life Podcast

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