1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,427 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from News Talks EDB. 3 00:00:12,627 --> 00:00:15,667 Speaker 2: All right, let's bring in the single most successful female 4 00:00:15,707 --> 00:00:18,667 Speaker 2: sailor in Olympic history Silver London twenty twelve, Gold and 5 00:00:18,747 --> 00:00:22,707 Speaker 2: Rio twenty sixteen, Gold again, Tokyo twenty twenty one. Three 6 00:00:22,707 --> 00:00:25,947 Speaker 2: time world champion, two time World Female Sailor of the Year, 7 00:00:26,187 --> 00:00:30,027 Speaker 2: mb ob E Sailing trail Blazer On and off the Water, 8 00:00:30,307 --> 00:00:32,787 Speaker 2: Emirates Great Britain strategist Hannah Mills. 9 00:00:32,587 --> 00:00:33,107 Speaker 3: Nice to see you. 10 00:00:33,707 --> 00:00:34,627 Speaker 4: Nice to see you too. 11 00:00:35,507 --> 00:00:38,627 Speaker 3: Yesterday. How do you assess it? First, second, ninth, fourth 12 00:00:38,787 --> 00:00:40,387 Speaker 3: second overall? Ye's a pretty good day. 13 00:00:40,467 --> 00:00:41,227 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was a good day. 14 00:00:41,307 --> 00:00:41,467 Speaker 3: Yeah. 15 00:00:41,507 --> 00:00:44,707 Speaker 4: Obviously that third race with the ninth didn't quite pan out. 16 00:00:44,747 --> 00:00:46,787 Speaker 4: We had a tough start and then yeah, got back 17 00:00:46,787 --> 00:00:48,947 Speaker 4: in the pack and then got sucked to the back again, 18 00:00:49,107 --> 00:00:51,027 Speaker 4: which is so easy to do in this racing. But 19 00:00:51,627 --> 00:00:55,227 Speaker 4: overall really buzzy. It was just the most amazing day sailing, 20 00:00:55,547 --> 00:00:59,107 Speaker 4: massive grandstand, so many people. Yeah, it was super cool. 21 00:00:59,147 --> 00:01:00,427 Speaker 3: Yeah, I can see it from your face. 22 00:01:00,467 --> 00:01:03,147 Speaker 2: You're beaming so hard to wear about the Yeah, the 23 00:01:03,227 --> 00:01:05,267 Speaker 2: changeable conditions, they were changeable, weren't they. 24 00:01:05,267 --> 00:01:08,867 Speaker 3: But shifty out. How much did that affect the sailing 25 00:01:08,947 --> 00:01:10,707 Speaker 3: use today? Yeah, it was massive. 26 00:01:11,187 --> 00:01:13,507 Speaker 4: You know, we were having kind of forty to fifty 27 00:01:13,507 --> 00:01:16,987 Speaker 4: degree shifts throughout the racing and then massive pressure differences 28 00:01:17,027 --> 00:01:19,947 Speaker 4: as well. So big day for the strategists trying to 29 00:01:19,947 --> 00:01:22,587 Speaker 4: pick that and manage all the boats. You know, really 30 00:01:22,627 --> 00:01:25,987 Speaker 4: tight course with eleven boats blasting round, so lots going on, 31 00:01:26,987 --> 00:01:29,347 Speaker 4: but just honestly just epic racing. 32 00:01:29,707 --> 00:01:31,187 Speaker 2: You said during the week, I'm just going to quote 33 00:01:31,187 --> 00:01:33,907 Speaker 2: it here. For the strategists, it's going to be eyes 34 00:01:33,947 --> 00:01:35,267 Speaker 2: out more than normal. 35 00:01:35,387 --> 00:01:36,947 Speaker 3: Can you just explain that for us? 36 00:01:37,147 --> 00:01:38,947 Speaker 4: Yeah, So a big part of the strategist role is 37 00:01:38,987 --> 00:01:42,027 Speaker 4: around identifying issue boats, which means boats that you might 38 00:01:42,067 --> 00:01:45,347 Speaker 4: be coming together with. So trying to identify those early, 39 00:01:46,027 --> 00:01:48,827 Speaker 4: bring the driver's sort of attention to them so we 40 00:01:48,867 --> 00:01:50,667 Speaker 4: can make a plan early until you're not doing any 41 00:01:50,707 --> 00:01:53,547 Speaker 4: really rush last minute maneuvers or having a crash. So 42 00:01:53,987 --> 00:01:55,907 Speaker 4: that's a huge part of the role really, And with 43 00:01:55,947 --> 00:01:58,307 Speaker 4: such a tight race course, and particularly with kind of 44 00:01:58,307 --> 00:02:01,067 Speaker 4: the big shifts and gusts, you know, you think you 45 00:02:01,107 --> 00:02:02,547 Speaker 4: might be fine on a boat and then they get 46 00:02:02,547 --> 00:02:05,107 Speaker 4: a big lift or whatever, and suddenly they are an issue. 47 00:02:05,147 --> 00:02:07,947 Speaker 4: So yeah, it's it's a constant monitoring. 48 00:02:08,147 --> 00:02:08,747 Speaker 3: It sounds like a. 49 00:02:08,747 --> 00:02:11,707 Speaker 2: Job where you need eyes everywhere. You heard, you know, 50 00:02:11,787 --> 00:02:13,587 Speaker 2: to use a cliche, Is it fair? 51 00:02:13,627 --> 00:02:15,547 Speaker 4: Yeah, I would say so. Yeah, So how do you 52 00:02:15,587 --> 00:02:19,427 Speaker 4: manage it? It's you know, you do have we have 53 00:02:19,627 --> 00:02:22,347 Speaker 4: the coaches booth actually now, which is kind of a 54 00:02:22,347 --> 00:02:24,587 Speaker 4: semi new feature for so GP. So we've got the 55 00:02:24,587 --> 00:02:28,027 Speaker 4: coach on shore with a couple of people. Actually they're 56 00:02:28,027 --> 00:02:30,907 Speaker 4: supporting as well, and so they've got big eyes out 57 00:02:30,947 --> 00:02:33,427 Speaker 4: on issue boats. So if we're not talking about it 58 00:02:33,427 --> 00:02:35,147 Speaker 4: on the boat, then they'll bring our attention to it 59 00:02:35,147 --> 00:02:38,427 Speaker 4: as well. So that's kind of like another another solution 60 00:02:38,587 --> 00:02:42,107 Speaker 4: in place. But ultimately it's just being really aware of 61 00:02:42,227 --> 00:02:45,027 Speaker 4: the moment where boats are going to come together, and 62 00:02:45,027 --> 00:02:47,427 Speaker 4: that's generally at the marks when you're bearing away and 63 00:02:47,467 --> 00:02:49,507 Speaker 4: there's people coming out wind, or at the bottom mark 64 00:02:49,547 --> 00:02:51,507 Speaker 4: when you're rounding up and there's people coming down wind, 65 00:02:51,547 --> 00:02:52,627 Speaker 4: so that they're the big ones. 66 00:02:52,827 --> 00:02:56,067 Speaker 2: Communication just seems so important on these boats. Is there 67 00:02:56,067 --> 00:02:58,627 Speaker 2: a danger of too many voices sometimes once you go 68 00:02:58,707 --> 00:02:59,547 Speaker 2: to the coach, isn't. 69 00:02:59,387 --> 00:03:01,667 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent. And sometimes you know, we 70 00:03:01,707 --> 00:03:04,667 Speaker 4: have a thing on our boat of reset or you know, 71 00:03:05,347 --> 00:03:07,307 Speaker 4: back on the job or whatever it is, just to 72 00:03:07,427 --> 00:03:09,667 Speaker 4: align everyone because it's getting too noisy. And if it's 73 00:03:09,667 --> 00:03:12,547 Speaker 4: too noisy, the driver can't concentrate and they can't kind 74 00:03:12,547 --> 00:03:14,827 Speaker 4: of think and make the right decisions. So a big 75 00:03:14,867 --> 00:03:17,747 Speaker 4: part of my job as well is actually knowing when 76 00:03:17,747 --> 00:03:19,987 Speaker 4: the right time to chip in is. And sometimes you've 77 00:03:20,027 --> 00:03:22,387 Speaker 4: got something to say, but actually in the moment that's 78 00:03:22,427 --> 00:03:24,347 Speaker 4: not the most important thing, and it's just getting through 79 00:03:24,387 --> 00:03:26,707 Speaker 4: a maneuver or getting around the mark or whatever it is, 80 00:03:26,747 --> 00:03:28,867 Speaker 4: and waiting for the opportunity to say what you need 81 00:03:28,907 --> 00:03:29,267 Speaker 4: to say. 82 00:03:29,507 --> 00:03:32,267 Speaker 2: What is the most available information that coaches can give 83 00:03:32,347 --> 00:03:33,587 Speaker 2: to you on the boat. 84 00:03:34,627 --> 00:03:36,947 Speaker 4: I think a lot of it is between races, actually 85 00:03:36,987 --> 00:03:39,147 Speaker 4: ideaing what's been going on in that race and where 86 00:03:39,147 --> 00:03:41,867 Speaker 4: the big gains were or the losses, or how the 87 00:03:41,907 --> 00:03:44,227 Speaker 4: setups changing from boat to boat, you know, boats that 88 00:03:44,267 --> 00:03:46,387 Speaker 4: are going well, trying to identify what they're doing. So 89 00:03:46,827 --> 00:03:49,267 Speaker 4: that's probably the biggie for the coaches with all the 90 00:03:49,347 --> 00:03:51,507 Speaker 4: data that they've got coming off all of the team's boats, 91 00:03:51,827 --> 00:03:53,387 Speaker 4: is trying to be really quick in ideing that. 92 00:03:54,107 --> 00:03:57,467 Speaker 2: You also use the word carnage, which I absolutely loved. 93 00:03:57,547 --> 00:04:00,187 Speaker 3: I love it. Do you think we're some interesting racing 94 00:04:00,187 --> 00:04:00,907 Speaker 3: out here today? 95 00:04:01,107 --> 00:04:04,027 Speaker 4: I think so. Yeah, looking behind me out the window 96 00:04:04,067 --> 00:04:08,107 Speaker 4: looks pretty fresh. But yeah, I mean with eleven boats, 97 00:04:08,107 --> 00:04:11,467 Speaker 4: as I said, on this race course and twenty knots, 98 00:04:11,067 --> 00:04:13,427 Speaker 4: it's going to be loose. Yeah, it's going to be big, 99 00:04:13,467 --> 00:04:15,507 Speaker 4: big eyes out. You know, there's going to be boats 100 00:04:15,667 --> 00:04:18,707 Speaker 4: having some big stuffs and just trying to avoid each 101 00:04:18,747 --> 00:04:19,667 Speaker 4: Other's the big one. 102 00:04:20,147 --> 00:04:23,187 Speaker 2: A change, obviously to the Great Britain team in the 103 00:04:23,187 --> 00:04:25,747 Speaker 2: off season, Joel Scott going to the Canadian team. Dylan Fletcher, 104 00:04:25,747 --> 00:04:27,387 Speaker 2: who we spoke to on the show yesterday, the driver 105 00:04:27,667 --> 00:04:28,987 Speaker 2: seems like a seamless transition. 106 00:04:29,067 --> 00:04:30,707 Speaker 3: Here's it been, Yeah, pretty much. 107 00:04:30,787 --> 00:04:33,867 Speaker 4: You know, Dyl's been involved with most of the sailors 108 00:04:33,867 --> 00:04:35,467 Speaker 4: on this team for a long time now, and so 109 00:04:35,507 --> 00:04:37,747 Speaker 4: everyone knows each other really well. And Dyl and I've 110 00:04:37,747 --> 00:04:41,667 Speaker 4: grown up sailing together and yeah, racing and been to 111 00:04:41,707 --> 00:04:44,347 Speaker 4: a couple of Olympics together. So yeah, Dyl slotted in 112 00:04:44,387 --> 00:04:47,227 Speaker 4: really really well, really quickly, and you know he's super intense, 113 00:04:47,267 --> 00:04:50,507 Speaker 4: super focused, really pushing to want to make his mark, 114 00:04:50,547 --> 00:04:52,707 Speaker 4: and so it's a really cool, cool person to sell 115 00:04:52,787 --> 00:04:53,507 Speaker 4: with and be around. 116 00:04:53,907 --> 00:04:55,507 Speaker 3: Is the plan for you to drive at some stage. 117 00:04:55,907 --> 00:04:56,387 Speaker 3: Who knows. 118 00:04:57,147 --> 00:04:59,787 Speaker 4: My ambition with Sergeyp has always been to try and 119 00:04:59,867 --> 00:05:02,587 Speaker 4: drive a boat. And you know, like I said in 120 00:05:02,627 --> 00:05:06,067 Speaker 4: the press conference, it's you know, the moment will a 121 00:05:06,107 --> 00:05:07,867 Speaker 4: won't come, but if it does come, I just need 122 00:05:07,907 --> 00:05:09,427 Speaker 4: to be as ready as I possibly can be to 123 00:05:09,747 --> 00:05:11,227 Speaker 4: be able to step in and do that job. So 124 00:05:11,307 --> 00:05:13,827 Speaker 4: the team's been incredibly supportive and giving me time on 125 00:05:13,867 --> 00:05:16,587 Speaker 4: the helm when we get training time, and you know, 126 00:05:16,707 --> 00:05:19,627 Speaker 4: helping upskill me and teach me what it is I 127 00:05:19,667 --> 00:05:22,067 Speaker 4: need to do. So yeah, it's been really good so far. 128 00:05:22,147 --> 00:05:23,627 Speaker 2: I should ask about the t foils as well. Have 129 00:05:23,667 --> 00:05:26,107 Speaker 2: asked everybody else about those yesterday. In the different dynamic 130 00:05:26,147 --> 00:05:28,347 Speaker 2: they added, did you notice a difference. 131 00:05:28,467 --> 00:05:31,467 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a really big difference the tefoils, maybe more 132 00:05:31,507 --> 00:05:34,187 Speaker 4: so at the moment just because everyone's learning, but you know, 133 00:05:34,227 --> 00:05:35,947 Speaker 4: we're kind of learning the limits of them, what they 134 00:05:35,947 --> 00:05:38,387 Speaker 4: can and can't do. They behave quite differently to the alfoil, 135 00:05:39,347 --> 00:05:43,387 Speaker 4: So yeah, I think we'll probably see more crashes today 136 00:05:43,427 --> 00:05:45,467 Speaker 4: than we maybe would have done with the ALFOYL just 137 00:05:45,547 --> 00:05:47,107 Speaker 4: because they are behaving quite differently. 138 00:05:47,347 --> 00:05:49,547 Speaker 2: I can ask you as well about the Athena Pathway program. 139 00:05:49,667 --> 00:05:52,267 Speaker 2: You launched it in twenty two alongside some being Ainsley 140 00:05:52,667 --> 00:05:55,827 Speaker 2: the aim of fast treaking, women's development and high performance sailing. 141 00:05:56,267 --> 00:05:57,747 Speaker 3: How's the progress been in your mind? 142 00:05:57,947 --> 00:06:00,187 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's been really good. We had a really successful 143 00:06:00,707 --> 00:06:03,587 Speaker 4: Women's in Youth America's Cup back in Barcelona last summerh 144 00:06:03,707 --> 00:06:05,027 Speaker 4: so cool, which is super cool? 145 00:06:05,027 --> 00:06:08,027 Speaker 3: Well it was. It was heartbreaking, I know for you, 146 00:06:08,107 --> 00:06:09,747 Speaker 3: but it was. It was so called to say it was. 147 00:06:09,787 --> 00:06:12,027 Speaker 4: It was an amazing about the particular women's event for 148 00:06:12,067 --> 00:06:14,587 Speaker 4: me to be a part of was just yeah, moment 149 00:06:14,587 --> 00:06:16,227 Speaker 4: in history. And I think a big step forward for 150 00:06:16,227 --> 00:06:18,667 Speaker 4: women's sailing in this type of boat, you know. And 151 00:06:18,867 --> 00:06:21,147 Speaker 4: there's a lot of similarities between the AC forty and 152 00:06:21,467 --> 00:06:23,347 Speaker 4: the F fifteen now, especially with the t foils coming 153 00:06:23,387 --> 00:06:25,907 Speaker 4: on the F fifty, So big step forward for a 154 00:06:25,907 --> 00:06:28,187 Speaker 4: lot of the female athletes there, and I think that's 155 00:06:28,347 --> 00:06:31,987 Speaker 4: really helping the progression with CELGP. I think they both 156 00:06:32,467 --> 00:06:35,907 Speaker 4: have worked really well together actually, and with the Athena Pathway. 157 00:06:35,907 --> 00:06:39,027 Speaker 4: We're lucky we've got good funding for the next Cup 158 00:06:39,067 --> 00:06:42,267 Speaker 4: cycle and so looking forward to driving that forward, trying 159 00:06:42,307 --> 00:06:44,827 Speaker 4: to create more opportunity and trying to keep moving women's sailing. 160 00:06:44,667 --> 00:06:46,747 Speaker 2: Forward absolutely, and I know the vision for sal GP 161 00:06:46,907 --> 00:06:49,387 Speaker 2: is to have two female athletes per race crew. 162 00:06:50,067 --> 00:06:51,667 Speaker 3: How far away from it do you think we are? 163 00:06:52,307 --> 00:06:54,827 Speaker 4: Oh, it's hard to say, you know, I think we 164 00:06:54,987 --> 00:06:56,667 Speaker 4: still we are still a way off, I would say, 165 00:06:56,707 --> 00:06:58,947 Speaker 4: but there's a lot of push there and we're getting 166 00:06:58,947 --> 00:07:01,987 Speaker 4: some commercial backing now for the Women's Pathway program with 167 00:07:02,147 --> 00:07:04,947 Speaker 4: our first ever all female training camp in Dubai after 168 00:07:04,947 --> 00:07:07,907 Speaker 4: the event there, which which was huge, and the challenge. 169 00:07:08,107 --> 00:07:09,507 Speaker 4: You know, it's easy for people to say, well, why 170 00:07:09,507 --> 00:07:11,787 Speaker 4: don't you just put more women on the boats, but 171 00:07:12,347 --> 00:07:15,587 Speaker 4: the experience gap is real in terms of you know, 172 00:07:15,627 --> 00:07:18,267 Speaker 4: the men have been racing and sailing these boats now, 173 00:07:18,507 --> 00:07:20,467 Speaker 4: this type of sailing for kind of fifteen years, and 174 00:07:20,467 --> 00:07:22,907 Speaker 4: it's a lot of learning to catch up on and 175 00:07:23,267 --> 00:07:25,387 Speaker 4: getting time on the water in these types of boats 176 00:07:25,467 --> 00:07:28,827 Speaker 4: is really difficult, just the nature, the cost, everything that 177 00:07:28,907 --> 00:07:31,027 Speaker 4: goes with it. So you know, there's a big, big 178 00:07:31,067 --> 00:07:34,707 Speaker 4: push which is great, and I think all the female 179 00:07:34,707 --> 00:07:36,427 Speaker 4: athletes feel the sameia. We want to be there when 180 00:07:36,467 --> 00:07:38,547 Speaker 4: it's the right time and when we deserve our place. 181 00:07:38,827 --> 00:07:40,507 Speaker 2: I use the word trial blizer. At the start and 182 00:07:40,547 --> 00:07:43,347 Speaker 2: you're operating at an elite level. Do you feel any 183 00:07:43,707 --> 00:07:47,507 Speaker 2: sense of responsibility in that regard or do you feel 184 00:07:47,867 --> 00:07:49,667 Speaker 2: a sense of frustration in that regard? I'm not sure 185 00:07:49,667 --> 00:07:50,867 Speaker 2: what are your emotions around it? 186 00:07:51,067 --> 00:07:53,907 Speaker 4: No, I don't feel I mean, sometimes you feel frustrated 187 00:07:53,907 --> 00:07:56,907 Speaker 4: because you know, you're competitive, you're driven, and you want 188 00:07:56,947 --> 00:07:58,227 Speaker 4: to get to where you want to get to. But 189 00:07:58,307 --> 00:08:00,907 Speaker 4: it's a process, and I guess I feel privileged in 190 00:08:00,907 --> 00:08:04,187 Speaker 4: a way that I'm in a point in time where 191 00:08:04,187 --> 00:08:06,787 Speaker 4: there is progress being made and I can help drive 192 00:08:06,827 --> 00:08:08,947 Speaker 4: that forward. So hopefully for the next generation it's a 193 00:08:08,987 --> 00:08:12,747 Speaker 4: bit easier. But yeah, you know, I look at who's 194 00:08:12,787 --> 00:08:15,787 Speaker 4: come before me and some of the things they've had 195 00:08:15,787 --> 00:08:17,107 Speaker 4: to deal with and go through to get us to 196 00:08:17,147 --> 00:08:19,747 Speaker 4: this point, and so yeah, I mostly feel privileged to 197 00:08:20,467 --> 00:08:21,067 Speaker 4: be a part. 198 00:08:20,867 --> 00:08:21,747 Speaker 3: Of the story, all right. 199 00:08:21,787 --> 00:08:24,867 Speaker 2: In inspect to today, I'm so looking forward to today. 200 00:08:24,867 --> 00:08:26,907 Speaker 2: After talking to you, you got the Aussies just to 201 00:08:26,947 --> 00:08:28,547 Speaker 2: hit to you. We've got two more fleet racers in 202 00:08:28,667 --> 00:08:31,627 Speaker 2: the inn, the final carnage out there to day. 203 00:08:31,627 --> 00:08:33,547 Speaker 3: You must be how do you feel a few hours 204 00:08:33,547 --> 00:08:34,307 Speaker 3: before you go out. 205 00:08:34,467 --> 00:08:36,627 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's all the emotions, you know, a bit of nerves, 206 00:08:36,667 --> 00:08:38,547 Speaker 4: a bit of excitement, a bit of trepidation because it 207 00:08:38,627 --> 00:08:42,107 Speaker 4: is breezy, and yeah, just everything. I think a lot 208 00:08:42,107 --> 00:08:44,587 Speaker 4: of adrenaline, that'll be for sure on the boat. But 209 00:08:45,787 --> 00:08:48,147 Speaker 4: you know, once you get racing, once you start the race, 210 00:08:48,187 --> 00:08:49,827 Speaker 4: you're kind of just into it and you're doing your job. 211 00:08:50,147 --> 00:08:51,747 Speaker 3: Really great to chat Henna. All the best out of 212 00:08:51,747 --> 00:08:53,347 Speaker 3: there this afternoon and for the rest of the season. 213 00:08:53,387 --> 00:08:56,787 Speaker 1: Thank you for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. 214 00:08:56,907 --> 00:09:00,187 Speaker 1: Listen live to news talks it'd be weekends from midday, 215 00:09:00,467 --> 00:09:02,507 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on I Hard Radio.