Sailfaster: The Podcast For Racing Sailors

Tom Kassberg's the owner of Malolo , one of the fastest performance cruising catamarans in the world, with victories in the ARC and class honours at the Caribbean 600.  In this episode, Tom joins Pete to unpack how he built a championship offshore racing program from the ground up—from choosing the right platform and assembling an elite crew to developing boat-specific performance data and making...

Olympic gold medallist, America’s Cup winner and SailGP superstar Tom Slingsby joins Sailfaster from San Francisco airport for a fascinating deep dive into what it takes to perform at the highest level of sailing. From surviving one of the toughest and most dramatic SailGP race days of his career to the mindset shifts that helped him overcome Olympic heartbreak and become a world champion, Tom sha...

Offshore racing has long been seen as one of sailing's toughest frontiers—physically demanding, technically complex, and historically dominated by men. But Emma Rosenbaum and Marianna Fleischman of Spite Sailing are working to change that. In this episode of SailFaster, we dive into the story behind their women-led offshore racing campaign, their journey into short-handed sailing, and their ambiti...

GPS-based starting systems are changing sailboat racing — whether sailors like it or not.  In this episode, Pete Boland talks to Todd Wilson, co-founder of Vakaros, about how RaceSense and modern GPS technology are transforming starts, protests, race management, and training. (Note this is NOT a sponsored episode!) Todd explains why even elite sailors struggle to ping a line accurately, how RaceSe...

Ambre Hasson went from learning to sail in 2020 to completing the Mini Transat just five years later. In this episode, she shares her rapid rise into offshore racing, including losing her first boat during qualification and rebuilding her campaign from scratch. She discusses resilience, managing fear, and key performance ideas like pacing, pushing to the “friction point,” and preserving the boat a...

Kristen Berry kindly invited me to take part in North U / American Sailing’s Performance Race Week in St Thomas this February; this collaborative episode is a detailed debrief of that programme.   We unpack the structure of the week, the coaching approach, the type of sailors who benefit, and the key performance insights—from start sequence execution and acceleration mechanics to decision-making a...

Olympian and performance coach Lara Dallman Weiss joins Sailfaster to unpack what actually makes boats go faster—and it’s not just technique. From her background in Olympic 470 racing to keelboat campaigns and coaching, Lara shares a holistic view of performance that blends decision-making, teamwork, communication and mindset. At the core is a simple idea: sailing is constant problem-solving, and...

in Part 2 of our discussion, Morgan “Truby” Trubovich returns to finish his deep dive on what actually wins races: process, communication, and smart feedback. He explains when results do matter, why elite teams talk like air-traffic control, and how onboard audio/video accelerates learning—often with audio proving more valuable than the camera.  So much to learn from the Kiwi legend!  

I was lucky enough to sit down with Morgan Trubovich—better known as “Truby”—one of the most quietly dominant sailors in the sport. Across a career spanning 19 world championships, America’s Cup victories, major offshore wins, and elite one-design racing, Truby has developed a philosophy that consistently produces top-tier results across any class, crew, or campaign. Over two episodes, he reveals...

This week on SailFaster , we break down one of the most misunderstood parts of the sport: junior sailing—not as childcare, not as summer camp, but as a high-performance pipeline that can transform an entire racing community. Host Pete Boland sits down with Madde Vachon and Travis Carlisle of Annapolis’ Severn Sailing Association to reveal what really happens inside a modern junior program. Spoiler...

We’re joined by professional offshore sailor and fellow Brit, Will Harris, one of the most interesting figures in modern ocean racing. From the Solitaire du Figaro to IMOCA 60s and The Ocean Race, Will shares what life really looks like at the top end of the sport. Now based in Lorient, France — the epicentre of offshore sailing — Will explains why today’s ocean racers must be true all-rounders, h...

Today we speak with renowned sailing fitness coach Harry Legum, founder of Annapolis Sailing Fitness and a pioneer of sailing-specific physical training. With decades of experience working with everyone from club racers to Olympic gold medallists and America’s Cup teams, Harry explains why effective sailing fitness goes far beyond strength, focusing instead on movement quality, balance, agility, e...

Chris Alexander is one of the most consistently dominant one-design sailors in the U.S., with major wins across the VX One and Melges 15 fleets. But his success isn’t built on talent alone — it’s rooted in deep understanding, curiosity, and an ability to stay ahead of the learning curve. In this episode of Sail Faster , Chris breaks down how feel, rig tune, and mindset intersect to create real spe...

My guest today is my good friend Angelo Guarino — aeronautical engineer, US Sailing Regional Judge, J/105 sailor, and one of the most analytical, hard-working racers in Annapolis. Angelo didn’t grow up sailing. He started racing in his 30s, got hooked instantly, and has spent the years since  climbing steadily up a fiercely competitive one-design fleet. In this episode we talk about: How he identi...

in this quick episode, racing sailor and engineering student Odey Hariri joins Pete to share the story behind SailTalks , the new digital whiteboard that’s transforming how sailors learn, coach, collaborate, and even present protests. Inspired by the classic magnetic model-boat boards, SailTalks brings all the same clarity — but with animations, saved lessons, collaborative editing, and the abilit...

In this episode, I’m joined by multi-time champion John Loe, a standout Star and J/70 racer, for a candid look at how top sailors choose events, prepare for them, and keep getting faster. John explains how he targets the right regattas, builds focused training blocks, and uses intensive skill work—like expert-led downwind training—to unlock real gains. He shares how to develop a crew that trims wi...

TP52 World Champion navigator Sara Stone returns to SailFaster to unpack the art and science of high-performance racing. From navigating Quantum Racing / American Magic  TP52 to leading teams through intense offshore and inshore campaigns, Sara shares how precision, calm, and communication drive results. She talks mental performance, leadership, and how to make smart decisions under pressure—on an...

Today we're talking to Brian Swingly, a mental performance and executive coach who specializes in helping sailors and high-performing teams enhance their focus, resilience, and decision-making skills. Brian shares insights from his own sailing journey, the importance of mindset in competitive sailing, and how effective communication can improve team dynamics. He discusses common mental barriers li...

Pete sits down with Kelly Holthus, a junior at Tulane University, All-American sailor, and veteran of five Transpac races aboard BadPak , skippered by his father Tom Holthus. Kelly shares what it’s like growing up in a California sailing family, the lessons he’s taken from college racing, and how he helped organize a youth-driven crew for the 2023 Transpac. From flying spinnakers just 31 hours int...

Bert and Marilyn Busser, the husband-and-wife team behind the J/42 Allegiant , share what it takes to compete in some of the toughest offshore races on the East Coast—from Annapolis to Newport to Marblehead to Halifax. In this conversation, they open up about the highs and lows of racing, the endurance and mindset needed for multi-day passages, and how they prepare their boat and crew year-round f...

What does it take to win The Ocean Race and then step up to lead U.S. Sailing? In this episode, we talk with offshore legend Charlie Enright — skipper of 11th Hour Racing Team, the first American crew ever to win the race. Charlie shares how his obsession with sailing carried him from dinghies on Narragansett Bay to the gales of the Southern Ocean. He reflects on lessons of endurance, trust, and b...

In this episode of Sailfaster , we’re joined by Sweta Shervegar — one of India’s most accomplished sailors and a silver medalist at the 2018 Asian Games in the 49erFX. Sweta shares her journey from starting out with the Sea Cadets to competing on the international stage, and how she balances her life as both a professional sailor and a medical doctor. At the heart of our conversation is the role o...

In this episode of Sailfaster , we delve into the fast-paced and surprisingly sophisticated world of radio-controlled yacht racing. Our guests, Len Bose and Dan Shier , give us a guided tour of the sport and the dedicated community keeping this unique branch of the sport alive and well. We discuss how these miniature craft deliver all the tactical intrigue of their full-sized cousins, the precisio...

In this episode of SailFaster , Pete Boland talks with Vakaros Events Director Doug Wake about how RaceSense is transforming race starts with GPS precision and automatic OCS calls—no pinging needed. Top sailors Steve Hunt and Morgan Trubovich share how the system boosts confidence, reduces risk, and helps teams train smarter by removing guesswork. Already used in elite fleets like the TP52s , Star...

We’re back from an extended break with a fresh run of Sailfaster episodes—and we’re kicking things off with something a little different. This special compilation brings together insights from five of the sharpest minds in the sport: Luke Lawrence, Tom Burnham, Kristen Robinson, Scott Nixon, and Steph Roble .  Together, they break down one of the most decisive moments on the racecourse: the windwa...