March 21, 2025 • 9 mins
Sail GP hits San Francisco this weekend for event five of season four.
The Black Foils bounced back from double disappointment in Auckland and Sydney to finish second In Los Angeles last weekend. This moved them up to third in the championship standings, three points behind Australia in second, with Great Britain a further two points ahead at the top.
Strategist Liv Mackay joins Piney to preview the weekend.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Sale gp hits San Francisco this weekend for event five
of season four. The Black Foils bouncing back from double
disappointment in Auckland and Sydney to finish second in Los
Angeles last weekend and moved to third in the championship standings,
three points behind Australia and second with Great Britain a
further two points ahead at the top. Black Foil's strategist
(00:34):
Live McKay's with us out of San Francisco. Love, thanks
for joining us. You won two fleet races in LA,
finished second and another two then second in the finals.
So what went so much better in LA than in
Auckland and Sydney.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah, Hey, nice to chat with you. I mean, you're right,
it was a bit of a comeback from Sydney in Auckland,
but it was I mean, it was a different weekend.
We had lighter conditions and have done a lot of
work on our starting. Yeah, finally got to LA and
was able to execute a lot of that work. So yeah,
(01:10):
I think it's just it's always a completely different venue,
different scene when we change events, But it was just
stoke that some of we've been doing a lot of
hard when in that area, so we're just happy that
we were able to execute some of those.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, what does the hard work that you're putting into
your starts consist of?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So with sale GPS, it's quite challenging, and the fact
that we get no time on the water, but with
you get unlimited basically that data and analysis. So these
different softwarees that we use and run through all the data,
we have a lot of meetings about it, and get
all the video that you could ever want. So a
(01:54):
lot of that's to do with communication, analysis, understanding what
each of us can see on the boat, and just
looking into that time on distance, so looking at you know,
obviously that max by coming off the top of the
line paid a few times for us, and then that
midpack trying to get off the line at the past
point also paid. So each start is completely different. And
(02:17):
because we're now doing eight races per AMN, you get
a lot of chances at it. And I think we're
doing a good job an LA of reviewing between each
start and being dynamic with that approach. So I mean
we're here now in San Francisco and it will be
completely different again this weekend, but yeah, hoping to build
on it.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Just before we look at the weekend ahead. You mentioned
all the data and video that's available to you. With
so much information there, how do you drill down into
what is really important and most useful for you?
Speaker 3 (02:49):
I think because we've done you know, we're a few
seasons and now we can really see what's going to
be the priority at what venue. So we'd been to
Los Angeles before, we'd seen that direction and how the
different corese geometry plays out. Each venu is very different
in the way of the length the size of the
(03:12):
start bots, and that really affects how eleven boats can behave.
So the start is super challenging because you don't know
how you know, the decision making of ten other teams
and how that will work. But I think we're seeing,
you know, we've got so much history from the few
years that you do start to see patterns and we
(03:34):
can really review that between events and bring up past
years to then really apply it for the upcoming race weekend.
And that's a huge benefit of having the coaches booth
live and they can see what's going on. They have
a birdseye view of how the start's playing out, and
they're speaking to you in real time. So yeah, we're
(03:55):
continuing to develop and really push that area and we're
starting to see some improvement there. But again, you can't
get ahead of yourself.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
So for the first time going to sail on back
to back weekends, does that present a unique challenge in
itself or actually is there an advantage to being able
to sell so soon after you lasted.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I think there's definitely pros and ponds. It's been a
huge push for our shore crew to you know, you've
got to pull apart the whole bow and then they've
all been trucked up here to Sanforan and put back
together again, and it's been a big push there. But
we've got on the water for practice racing today and
it's you know, all the eleven boats are in great shape.
So that's been a challenge. I think for us as sailors,
(04:43):
it's pretty awesome opportunity for the first time to do this.
You really lack getting hours on the water, so to
do it, you know, in quick succession, it really allows
us to build on those you know, weaknesses and really
step forward. I think all teams are taking an advantage
(05:03):
of it. So yeah, it's just the team who does
it the fastest.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Now I've seen it reported live that San Francisco could
produce the most extreme conditions of the twenty twenty five
soyle GP calendar. So how will that change the way
you sail this event?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, I mean we saw a real mix out there today.
It actually started off at four or five knots and
the breeze didn't come in for quite a while, so
I think it's a really changeable venue. And once the
breeze does come in, it definitely feels very full on it.
It's very tidal, quite chaotic, and the breeze is very
(05:42):
split and it's super strong. In some parts, you know,
you're seeing twenty twenty five knots and then and others
it's twelve knots. So that's a really challenging race course,
and I think it's great viewing, but it's very dynamic.
It's saying I think you see a lot of crashes
out there, a lot of near misses, and you know
(06:03):
a lot of high speed intersections. So it's it's definitely challenging,
especially for my role in the aspect. But it's a
pretty awesome racecourse to get into.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I was going to ask you about the strategist role
in conditions like these, do you have to make more
instinctive decisions and conditions like these?
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yes. I think we were just discussing it now in
our debrief. Actually, the intersections they change very last minute
because everyn's angles change a lot with the different pressures.
So yeah, it's pretty intense, to be honest, and I
think it's you know, there's quite a big swell out
there today as well, so it's making Eyon's lives pretty
(06:46):
hard crossing the boat, and you know, the flight control
is pretty full on, and I think for me it's
you know, learning that eleven boats on the courses is
a lot, so just making sure I keep my head
out and then trying to get ahead of everything. I
think this type of racing is amazing, it's awesome. It's
(07:07):
super intense, but the biggest challenge is getting far enough ahead.
You know, the race is so I mean, you know,
you're looking at ten to fourteen minutes and you're going
at really high speed, so it's really trying to get
ahead of what's happening, where the pressure is and trying
to give that in basic form to Pete, so yeah,
(07:29):
he can obviously make a good decision and.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Just finally you're fitting in. As you mentioned before, four
races a day now used to be three, so a
lot more racing time. How much does that change things?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think it changes a lot for the grinders, to
be honest. I think that's the biggest They are working
hard up there and it's pretty full on definitely in
this venue, to be honest. But it changes things in
the way of I mean on the first day, you
can definitely rack up a lot of points, well not
(08:03):
rack up a lot of points because you get low
scoring if you have a bad day. Yeah, it's you
can definitely lose it on the first day, I think
more so with the four races, so really just trying
to stay consistent with their approach. And then yeah, I
think going into Sunday is a different day again, and
you just have so many chances with those three races
(08:25):
before the finals, so it's just fighting for every position.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Love all the best, thanks for joining us the day before.
I hope, I hope San Francisco goes as well as
Los Angeles did last week. In fact, maybe even just
slightly better. And you get a victory in San fran
Thanks for taking the time for a chat to us
this afternoon. Yeah no, thanks for having me on as
Liv mckaye. She's strategist with the black falls of course,
as they hit event five in season four San Francisco.
(08:51):
They bounced back terrifically well last weekend in Los Angeles
after disappointing regattas at home in Auckland and then the
following one in Sydney much much better in LA. It
was great to see, so let's hope we see more
of the same when su GP San Francisco is underway
mid morning tomorrow, New Zealand Time. We'll keep you up
today with what happens tomorrow on the show tomorrow afternoon.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Sale gp hits San Francisco this weekend for event five
of season four. The Black Foils bouncing back from double
disappointment in Auckland and Sydney to finish second in Los
Angeles last weekend and moved to third in the championship standings,
three points behind Australia and second with Great Britain a
further two points ahead at the top. Black Foil's strategist
(00:34):
Live McKay's with us out of San Francisco. Love, thanks
for joining us. You won two fleet races in LA,
finished second and another two then second in the finals.
So what went so much better in LA than in
Auckland and Sydney.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah, Hey, nice to chat with you. I mean, you're right,
it was a bit of a comeback from Sydney in Auckland,
but it was I mean, it was a different weekend.
We had lighter conditions and have done a lot of
work on our starting. Yeah, finally got to LA and
was able to execute a lot of that work. So yeah,
(01:10):
I think it's just it's always a completely different venue,
different scene when we change events, But it was just
stoke that some of we've been doing a lot of
hard when in that area, so we're just happy that
we were able to execute some of those.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, what does the hard work that you're putting into
your starts consist of?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So with sale GPS, it's quite challenging, and the fact
that we get no time on the water, but with
you get unlimited basically that data and analysis. So these
different softwarees that we use and run through all the data,
we have a lot of meetings about it, and get
all the video that you could ever want. So a
(01:54):
lot of that's to do with communication, analysis, understanding what
each of us can see on the boat, and just
looking into that time on distance, so looking at you know,
obviously that max by coming off the top of the
line paid a few times for us, and then that
midpack trying to get off the line at the past
point also paid. So each start is completely different. And
(02:17):
because we're now doing eight races per AMN, you get
a lot of chances at it. And I think we're
doing a good job an LA of reviewing between each
start and being dynamic with that approach. So I mean
we're here now in San Francisco and it will be
completely different again this weekend, but yeah, hoping to build
on it.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Just before we look at the weekend ahead. You mentioned
all the data and video that's available to you. With
so much information there, how do you drill down into
what is really important and most useful for you?
Speaker 3 (02:49):
I think because we've done you know, we're a few
seasons and now we can really see what's going to
be the priority at what venue. So we'd been to
Los Angeles before, we'd seen that direction and how the
different corese geometry plays out. Each venu is very different
in the way of the length the size of the
(03:12):
start bots, and that really affects how eleven boats can behave.
So the start is super challenging because you don't know
how you know, the decision making of ten other teams
and how that will work. But I think we're seeing,
you know, we've got so much history from the few
years that you do start to see patterns and we
(03:34):
can really review that between events and bring up past
years to then really apply it for the upcoming race weekend.
And that's a huge benefit of having the coaches booth
live and they can see what's going on. They have
a birdseye view of how the start's playing out, and
they're speaking to you in real time. So yeah, we're
(03:55):
continuing to develop and really push that area and we're
starting to see some improvement there. But again, you can't
get ahead of yourself.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
So for the first time going to sail on back
to back weekends, does that present a unique challenge in
itself or actually is there an advantage to being able
to sell so soon after you lasted.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I think there's definitely pros and ponds. It's been a
huge push for our shore crew to you know, you've
got to pull apart the whole bow and then they've
all been trucked up here to Sanforan and put back
together again, and it's been a big push there. But
we've got on the water for practice racing today and
it's you know, all the eleven boats are in great shape.
So that's been a challenge. I think for us as sailors,
(04:43):
it's pretty awesome opportunity for the first time to do this.
You really lack getting hours on the water, so to
do it, you know, in quick succession, it really allows
us to build on those you know, weaknesses and really
step forward. I think all teams are taking an advantage
(05:03):
of it. So yeah, it's just the team who does
it the fastest.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Now I've seen it reported live that San Francisco could
produce the most extreme conditions of the twenty twenty five
soyle GP calendar. So how will that change the way
you sail this event?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, I mean we saw a real mix out there today.
It actually started off at four or five knots and
the breeze didn't come in for quite a while, so
I think it's a really changeable venue. And once the
breeze does come in, it definitely feels very full on it.
It's very tidal, quite chaotic, and the breeze is very
(05:42):
split and it's super strong. In some parts, you know,
you're seeing twenty twenty five knots and then and others
it's twelve knots. So that's a really challenging race course,
and I think it's great viewing, but it's very dynamic.
It's saying I think you see a lot of crashes
out there, a lot of near misses, and you know
(06:03):
a lot of high speed intersections. So it's it's definitely challenging,
especially for my role in the aspect. But it's a
pretty awesome racecourse to get into.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I was going to ask you about the strategist role
in conditions like these, do you have to make more
instinctive decisions and conditions like these?
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yes. I think we were just discussing it now in
our debrief. Actually, the intersections they change very last minute
because everyn's angles change a lot with the different pressures.
So yeah, it's pretty intense, to be honest, and I
think it's you know, there's quite a big swell out
there today as well, so it's making Eyon's lives pretty
(06:46):
hard crossing the boat, and you know, the flight control
is pretty full on, and I think for me it's
you know, learning that eleven boats on the courses is
a lot, so just making sure I keep my head
out and then trying to get ahead of everything. I
think this type of racing is amazing, it's awesome. It's
(07:07):
super intense, but the biggest challenge is getting far enough ahead.
You know, the race is so I mean, you know,
you're looking at ten to fourteen minutes and you're going
at really high speed, so it's really trying to get
ahead of what's happening, where the pressure is and trying
to give that in basic form to Pete, so yeah,
(07:29):
he can obviously make a good decision and.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Just finally you're fitting in. As you mentioned before, four
races a day now used to be three, so a
lot more racing time. How much does that change things?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I think it changes a lot for the grinders, to
be honest. I think that's the biggest They are working
hard up there and it's pretty full on definitely in
this venue, to be honest. But it changes things in
the way of I mean on the first day, you
can definitely rack up a lot of points, well not
(08:03):
rack up a lot of points because you get low
scoring if you have a bad day. Yeah, it's you
can definitely lose it on the first day, I think
more so with the four races, so really just trying
to stay consistent with their approach. And then yeah, I
think going into Sunday is a different day again, and
you just have so many chances with those three races
(08:25):
before the finals, so it's just fighting for every position.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Love all the best, thanks for joining us the day before.
I hope, I hope San Francisco goes as well as
Los Angeles did last week. In fact, maybe even just
slightly better. And you get a victory in San fran
Thanks for taking the time for a chat to us
this afternoon. Yeah no, thanks for having me on as
Liv mckaye. She's strategist with the black falls of course,
as they hit event five in season four San Francisco.
(08:51):
They bounced back terrifically well last weekend in Los Angeles
after disappointing regattas at home in Auckland and then the
following one in Sydney much much better in LA. It
was great to see, so let's hope we see more
of the same when su GP San Francisco is underway
mid morning tomorrow, New Zealand Time. We'll keep you up
today with what happens tomorrow on the show tomorrow afternoon.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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