Crushing the SailGP
Tom Slingsby Is a hard man to get hold of. But we managed! Captain of the Australian SailGP Catamaran, competitor in America’s Cup, International man of mystery, all round bloody nice guy.
We asked him a number of questions to give us an understanding of the psyche of the man who is undoubtedly the most successful sailor in the series.
What’s the first moment in your life when you remember wanting to be a sailor? And, when did you first realise you could do it professionally?
I think it was during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when I would sit on the shore and watch the sailing every day. I was only 15 years old, so I hadn’t really thought about what I wanted to do before then. I wasn’t even sure if there was a career in a professional sailing, but by the time the competition had finished, I knew I wanted to win a gold medal. I dedicated myself to the sport from that moment and feel very lucky to now be able to travel the world doing what I love.
You have been part of many major regattas including the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona and the Rolex SailGP Championship. You come across as a level-headed, grounded and kind athlete within the sport, how do you keep this approach while leading arguably the best team in the league?From driving the Australian F50 to leading the team as Chief Executive Officer and most recently as co-owner of the BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team, I have had an incredible experience as part of the Rolex SailGP Championship. I am in a position that others aspire to reach, so if I meet people who want to follow in my footsteps, I always try to help them. Growing up, a lot of people did that for me when they didn’t have to, and I always remember their kind words.
How do you relax and get away from sailing?
The main thing I do to relax away from sailing is spending time with my family. I am very fortunate to have an amazing son and wife – we also recently welcomed our second child to the family. Anytime I’m not on the water, I want to be with them and spend as much time as I can with Leo. Watching him grow up has been unbelievable and the last two years have been the best of my life. I am very fortunate I can raise a family while travelling the world doing what I love.
I have also started playing a lot of golf, which has been fun. I recently played with Sir Russell Coutts. I wouldn’t say the standard is particularly high, but it’s always very closely contested.
You alluded to the fact that when you were growing up professional sailing wasn’t a viable career option for individuals involved with the sport. What did people around you say when you made that choice?
Throughout your life you will come across people that doubt you, whether they tell you directly or you hear it from others. The first time I remember people doubting me was when I was at school. My teachers would tell me I shouldn’t miss school for sailing as they thought it was just hobby. I think all aspiring athletes face the same challenges – I’m sure even Roger Federer and Tiger Woods were told to concentrate on their education instead of sport at some point.
The amount of people that make it in professional sport is so small. Every child will play sport and many will dedicate themselves to it, but only 1% will make it. For me it wasn’t about that, it was about doing something I loved and ignoring the noise around me. After deciding to join the Rolex SailGP Championship in 2018, people told me they couldn’t believe I had chosen the league over the America’s Cup, which is funny as athletes are now leaving the America’s Cup to join the Rolex SailGP Championship. Every top sailor in the world wants to be part of the league and that’s only after five seasons!
What was your first success on the top level of professional racing when you realised that you were really good at this?
I will never forget a moment with my dad, who taught me how to sail. He explained how wind hits the water, using a whiteboard to show how a gust spreads and shifts. A year later, while sailing together, I started predicting wind shifts in real time, saying: “This gust will move right by 10 degrees and that one will go left by 30 degrees”. My dad was amazed and said: “You can see that? Most people can’t”. This was the first time I realized I had a unique skill, a natural ability to see wind patterns that others couldn’t. It set me apart and gave me the confidence to sail competitively.
Through experience and learning, I started achieving milestones, club championships, national titles and eventually, world championships. Each step reinforced the realization that I had the skills to succeed. It became clear to me that there was nothing stopping me from going as high as I wanted in this sport. By taking it one step at a time, I discovered the strength and ability to achieve even my biggest goals.