Sailfaster: The Podcast For Racing Sailors

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 RaceSense works, why starts are becoming tighter and more aggressive, how Olympic, J/70, and TP52 fleets are adapting.. and why he was “happy to lose a protest” using his own system’s data
It’s a fascinating look at the technology reshaping competitive sailing — from club racing to the Olympic level.

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 as a critical part of racing fast. Drawing on endurance sports, Ambre explains how handling discomfort and risk is central to success offshore.
Now moving into the Class40 circuit, she outlines her next goals and what it takes to keep progressing at the highest level.

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 and the mental game under pressure. All of it played out in IC24s in consistently challenging – and beautiful - Caribbean conditions.
 
If you’re looking to refine your racing process and extract marginal gains, there’s a lot in here to take away.  Hope you find something you can use on the water this Spring!

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 the best sailors are the ones who can stay calm, identify what matters, and take the next step.
We get into how to manage pressure, why the “human” side of sailing is often overlooked, and how small gains—whether in training, communication or preparation—add up over time. Lara also talks about building alignment within a team, making the most of limited time on the water, and why focusing on process beats chasing results.
This is a conversation about clarity, consistency and learning to perform when it counts.  
(Image courtesy of Salty Brother)

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!