This year I found myself at home for the whole month of February, which was a mixed blessing. I swapped hanging out in airports for catching up with friends and family and focussing on my personal training. The upside was being able to relax and enjoy this time without having to worry about having to catch a flight somewhere. The downside was experiencing the excessive and seemingly continual wet weather. As we reached the end of the month, I started to see the faintest glimpse of spring arriving. The sun finally put in an appearance, bringing with it some much […]

Well, I have to say that I hope the speed of January passing is not indicative of the rest of the year! I can’t believe it is February already but I guess that happens when you are busy. I have been lucky with a varied start to the year, which kicked off in France hosting a week of Vendee Live. The show shares the sailors experiences of one of the most special races in offshore sailing and there seemed to be no end to the events on this edition. I consider it a real privilege to be able to speak […]

On occasion I find myself in the enviable position of being able to give something back to the sport I love, the ocean I am a steward for and provide inspiration to the next generation. In November, I had the opportunity to tick all three boxes. I was invited by Atlantic College West to be the keynote at their first student run two day conference of the year, OceanCon. The aim was to help educate on the importance of our ocean and the role it plays for all of us. As the next generation, it falls to these students and […]

Every four years there is a strange yet strong calling to a small sleepy fishing town in the Vendée region of France. People descend upon this town in their droves. This seaside fishing town turns into an international destination welcoming everyone with open arms, fabulous hospitality and an electric air of excitement that is palpable. It is a race many sailors dream about. When it came to the 2020 edition of the race, although the urge to travel to Les Sables D’Olonne was as strong as ever, we were in the grip of a global pandemic that prevented attendance. I […]

The greatest change for me this month has been my tenure as Chair of the World Sailing Trust coming to a close. Back in 2018 I was asked to take on the role of Chair for the newly formed World Sailing Trust. It was with a mix of apprehension and excitement that I accepted and, together with a highly skilled board of trustees, have helped shape, challenge and nurture the sport we love over the last six years.  Our goal was to future proof the sport of sailing and transition it to becoming more forward thinking and modern in its […]

Who like me was hooked on watching the Louis Vuitton Preliminary series for the America’s Cup? I wanted to see how the AC 75 race yachts were looking and if the design race had the teams close in performance. Then, the ultimate question, to see if foiling 75ft incredible machines could match race in the shifty breeze and sea state off Barcelona. It was a perfect way to see if the America’s Cup was going to be exciting and, I am delighted to say, yes it will. The Louis Vuitton Round Robin racing to find the challenger and then the […]