Interview by Pierre-Antoine Preti
Met in January at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the New Zealand organizer and sailor confided in us his vision of the big flying boats. It was an opportunity for an expert appraisal of the challenges facing SailGP and the America’s Cup. Interview with a visionary boss and a man happy to share his knowledge.
How have flying boats changed sailing?
The characteristics of the sport have remained the same. Everything simply moves much faster. In my day, it took a lot of time to spot an opponent’s tricks, to understand best practice through observation. Today, young people have access to a lot of technology (videos, data, replays, etc.). This enables them to learn hyper-fast. In five years’ time, the new generation of sailors will have changed the rules of the game and raised the level of the sport. I’d love to be 30 or 40 years younger today. Our sport is going through a fantastic evolution.
Data exchange is possible because SailGP aims to be transparent. “The organization’s Oracle Cloud delivers all data to competitors during and after each day’s racing…
Each boat produces millions of pieces of data during a day’s racing. This data is supplied to the competitors by our data center. This helps integrate new teams. It allows the public to experience and understand the race, even behind the scenes.
Have flying boats become less technical?
On the contrary, sailing has become more complex. Because of the speed of the boats, racing situations change very quickly. You have to adapt, memorizing upwind gusts in order to catch them again downwind. Managing all this information in real time is a task beyond the brain’s capacity. That’s why the onboard computer makes the job easier. It enables the tactician to make the final decision in full knowledge of the facts. The crew is not idle either. An F50 turn requires 32 actions to maintain flight. It’s all highly technical.
In SailGP, human power is no longer enough for trimming. What is your position on onboard power?
There’s a delicate balance between the human factor and the smooth running of the boat. I think it’s important to keep producing energy. Sailing has to remain athletic. With us, the grinders provide the energy to adjust the mainsheet. That’s already a lot of power. On the other hand, batteries are used to adjust the shape of the wing. Without them, the boat wouldn’t move optimally. We could even replace humans with a computer program. The F50 would probably go even faster. But we mustn’t lose the human factor, which guarantees sportiness.
The SailGP boat was born during the 2017 America’s Cup, in Bermuda. She’s changed a lot since then…
Yes, we’re constantly improving it. There are new foils, new rudders. The boat’s electronics and control systems have been modernized. For the future, our teams are now working on the “Propulsion System”. A vertical propulsion system will be installed on the foils. This will enable the boat to be launched in light airs and maintained after maneuvers.
“Our sport is undergoing a fantastic evolution”.
Is the debate about flying monohulls or multihulls still going on?
The catamaran is more agile in light airs. I also like the idea that the shape of the boat is recognizable. We can all tell a Formula 1 car from another. It would be stupid for SailGP to change, even if it’s likely that another body would be more aerodynamic. The most important thing is to produce the best possible race. One-design makes for a better show. Speed doesn’t necessarily. We offer high-level regattas with technical boats and a homogeneous fleet. The rest, whether monohull, multihull or something else… frankly, I don’t really care.
For its fourth season, SailGP has ten teams on the starting line. What’s the secret of this success?
It’s all about consistency. With each event, we make progress. This first regatta weekend in Abu Dhabi wasn’t easy to organize. But we succeeded: on Saturday, 3,500 people bought a ticket to enter a country where sailing is virtually non-existent. We’ve learned a lot and we’re gathering knowledge for the future.
So you’re learning faster than the America’s Cup, which rarely races?
When you organize an event, you become progressively better. If you only organize an event once every three years, it’s actually harder to improve and retain competitors. Especially if the teams, format, boat and venue change. This has always been a feature of sailing, not only in the America’s Cup, but also in The Ocean Race, the Admiral’s Cup and the One Ton Cup. The NBA, soccer, rugby and Formula 1 work differently. The brand outlives the individual. It’s a more commercial model. It’s the one we follow at SailGP.
Should we then burn the Deed of Gift, the America’s Cup testamentary document?
No, the America’s Cup is a special, historic event. After all, the Cup has always been what it is today. I’m not sure we need to change it.
And what is the former competitor and organizer’s view of this 37th edition?
I’ll be honest with you: I’m not very connected anymore. I loved the America’s Cup, but now I really enjoy what I do. At the end of the 2017 edition, Larry Ellison called me to ask if I wanted to sign up for the next one. I told him I’d done my time, that I wanted to do something different. So we decided to create SailGP. It was an idea we both liked.
Is Larry Ellison following events at SailGP?
He follows all events from a distance. He’s committed and passionate. We talk about the day’s races, of course, but we also talk a lot about the future of the circuit. He brings me lots of ideas. Talking to this business icon makes me feel like I’m studying at the best MBA in the world (laughs).
As a Swiss journalist, I forgot to ask you the eternal question about your relationship with Ernesto Bertarelli…
I don’t mind asking, but these are old stories from 2003. That’s over 21 years ago. Who can remember? The young SailGP volunteers weren’t even born then. It’s possible that not many people are interested anymore.
The Alinghi adventure, the magical America’s Cup victory in 2003 and then the conflict. What memories do you have of that time?
I have nothing but good memories of it, both personally and professionally. At the time, my involvement with Alinghi enabled me to internationalize my career, giving it a new, global scope. The Alinghi adventure of 2003 is a wonderful memory. I have no animosity towards anyone today.