June 22, 2024 • 11 mins
SailGP hits New York this weekend, the last event before July’s season finale.
Co-CEO of the Black Foils Blair Tuke joined Piney to preview the race and look back at the last event in Halifax.
He told him that although they’re entering this event with an 11 point lead, they want to continue to build momentum and confidence heading into the final race.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZB sal.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
GP hits New York this weekend, the last event before
the season finale in San Francisco in July, and the
first time an event's been held in the US since
season one of su GP. This is season four. Black
Foyle's co CEO and wing trumer Blair Chuke, joins us
on Weekend Sportive. Before we look ahead to the weekend,
how do you reflect back on the last event in
Halifax and Canada and your fifth placing there?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Yeah, the race weekend in Canada, suoning wasn't now our
best showing. We'd be the first to admit that. You know,
we've been on a real nice role over the last
six months and you know, conditions were they might have
looked challenging, you know from Afar on TV, but they
were pretty awesome sailing conditions and we you know disappointed
(01:00):
our sounds of it, you know, make use of them
and sail the boat to the level we know we can.
So what areas of focus come out out from that
that we want to tidy up, you know heading into
the like say, the Grand Finals only three weeks away,
but at the same time not not to overreact, and
you know backs out that we have been doing a
(01:22):
lot of things well and we just need tied up
in a couple of areas to really you know, finish
off what we're you know, what we wanted this season.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Can you just expand a little bit on that for us, pledge,
just unpack what the areas of focus will be for
you both this weekend and New York and then on
towards San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah. Sure, Well, one thing about New York, not one
hundred percent sure on the conditions yet. Really got a
heat wave coming through New York at the moment, so
you know, we might not experience the same conditions we
did in Halifax, but I'm pretty sure we will get
similar conditions for the Grand Final in sand France. So
it's certainly an area we want to look at. You know,
(02:04):
there's obviously they never just one or two things that
obvious it would be, you know, everyone would be doing it.
But a couple of areas. We work on our boat speed.
We pride ourselves on being one of the fastest, if
not the fastest boat on the racetrack, and we weren't
and Halifax, so first and forth foremost, that's in an
(02:26):
area we want to we want to get right. And
then just in those conditions decision making, and we weren't
able to move our way through the fleet like we
have been in over the last six months. So you know,
even with some good starts, we we struggled to finish
(02:46):
off and pick boats as we picked boats off as
we went through the through the race. So that's another
area we want to work on.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
So you've opened up an eleven point lead in the
series with just New York and then San Francisco to go,
How if at all, will the fact you've got a
substantial lead change the way that you sail this weekend.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
In particular, our pretty firm philosophy is to make sure
we keep building momentum. You know, we've done a lot
of hard work and some great racing to get to
that position on the leaderboard, but we want to continue
to build momentum and confidence within the group heading into
(03:26):
that final race in San fran You know, I think
that the team that is in the best well, obviously
you make it to the top three, but you know,
the team that is has got the momentum heading into
that final race will be hard to beat, so we
want to make sure where that where that team.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
There was some fairly dramatic scenes in Halifax with Australia
capsizing during that event. I'm not sure if it needed
to be reinforced, but did that capsize reinforce to you
how small the margins for ERA are when you're sailing
in this competition.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I think we're very well aware of it. You know,
obviously we've had our fair share of pickups this year
or pretty major ones, and you know that, Yeah, the
Australia capsize reinforces, the US capsize and Bermuda. You know,
these boats at the very top of you know, the
(04:23):
technology curve and sailing, and you know that when they're
going in the straight line and them maneuvering, well everything's balanced.
You know, it looks looks effort less easy. But you know,
I think things like what have happened in the last
couple of events, you know, show how how quickly things
can change when it you know, when you get it
wrong or the forces changed quickly on the boat. So no,
(04:46):
we're pretty aware of that. But you know, it doesn't
mean you're back off or but it's good to acknowledge it,
but then still just you know, like I said before,
as well, keep the hammer down and keep trying to
work out how to make the boat go faster and
get around the racetrack quicker than other boats.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Across the series, seven teams by my account, have been
points at various stages throughout the series for various things.
How much of a potential threat is that, you know,
the threat of losing points as you go about the
business of securing the series.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
The penalty points systems very real, that's for sure. It's
you know, it's there to try and stop boats coming together.
You know that obviously it is expensive for the teams
or for the league, but it's also you know, causes
real logistical nightmares of when we're trying to race, you know,
(05:42):
on on weekends, you know, a couple of only a
couple of weekends apart. So that's been in for two
seasons now. You know, we've managed to stay clear this
season of them, but we've had we've had our share
of them last season, which, like you quite rightly pointed
out that it can swing things very fast. So yeah,
(06:05):
you definitely have to have respect for them. You have to,
you know, know the consequences which are very harsh. But
at the same time, you don't want to you don't
want to go around backed off because obviously at that point,
you know, you can come and stuck, you know, just
as easily I feel.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And I know you said before that you're not entirely
sure of the conditions you'll face this weekend, But in
general terms, do you expect the wind to be to
be strong enough yet about to use the high speed
configuration For the most.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Part, I'm still a little unsure at this stage. We've
got this bit of a heat wave coming through New
York at the moment. So with that is it just
puts a bit of uncertainty into the wind. Could you
know the chance of thunderstorms in the area Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
(06:55):
So that always just adds a level of uncertainty to
the forecast. But yeah, certainly hoping that we you know,
are up and boiling boats of ripping the around, you know,
whether we're on the the high speed configuration or the
you know, the lightier configuration. You know, obviously both options
(07:17):
get get you up and foiling, just one has a
slightly higher top end speed or more geared towards the
windy missions, but so not not too not too fast,
you know, slightly looking further ahead, you have to think,
you know, San Francisco's will likely be on the high
speed configuration, which has been the last couple of years
(07:39):
that we've braced there.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
And the racecourse itself in New York, it's off Governor's Island,
doesn't it. But what about the you know, the famous
landmarks of New York, you know, Loa, Manhattan, and of
course the Statue of Liberty. Do you get do you
get close to some of those places?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Yes, a pretty phenomenal racetrack here in New York. To
have the opportunity to sell these boats, you know, be
our first time selling Amakura here in New York. But yeah,
to have the opportunity to sell fifty is right, you know,
in such an iconic city, you know, the massive skyscrapers.
(08:16):
Statue of Liberty actually will be just on the edge
of the racetrack, probably within half a mile. And then yeah,
so Statue of Liberty and once our Governor's Island on
the other and then Lowe mayheading at the top of
the course or the bottom of the course. That's yeah,
pretty pretty awesome and just can't can't wait to get
out and ripping around out there.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
And I'm a good, amazing, amazing news in the last
couple of days, Blair, I'm sure you've picked up on
sal GP won't be returning to christ Church next year.
There is still a lot of intent for a New
Zealand League of sal GP in twenty twenty five, presumably
in Auckland. How important is it to the team that
you get the chance to sail and event in cel
GP on home waters, it would be Huges.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Is nothing better for us than racing in front of
our home fans. You know. We're a team that predominantly
races overseas all around the world, you know, and that's
going to continue next year fourteen odd events I think
somewhere around there. But to have their opportunity to race
(09:21):
in front of their home fans, yeah, there's nothing better.
So I know the league's working incredibly hard right now
to try and get that final calendar for season five.
So yeah, I guess WA's the space. But yeah, nothing
better for us than racing at home.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
And of course christ Church you know, had its issues
this year, but when you did get out racing on
the Sunday. It was a very happy regatta for you
with the win for the Black Foils. Are you a
bit disappointed you won't be going back to Littleton?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, I mean Littleton was unbelievable right this year and
last year. To those conditions for sailing there, you know
have been some of the best in sale gup and
we were pretty clear on that, you know, after after
racing there. Obviously racing there also comes with its unique challenges,
(10:15):
you know. But just you know, I want to say
thanks to ever running christ Church that you know, the
community there was amazing, to the team, to the to
the whole league and you know so to all the
fans that travel from Afar and our team partners as well.
So yeah, but a bit of a shame. But I know,
you know, you know the league is now working hard
(10:37):
to try and finalize that season five calendar.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
All right, well look forward to seeing news of that
for the meantime, New York for you guys, and then
on towards San Francisco. All the best this weekend. Blair,
thanks for taking the time for a chat and good luck.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, thank you very much, No.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Thank you, Blair, Blair. Chuck there from the Black foils
at a sou gp New York. About six Tomorrow morning
is when they get under way in New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Time for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen
live to news talks be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZB sal.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
GP hits New York this weekend, the last event before
the season finale in San Francisco in July, and the
first time an event's been held in the US since
season one of su GP. This is season four. Black
Foyle's co CEO and wing trumer Blair Chuke, joins us
on Weekend Sportive. Before we look ahead to the weekend,
how do you reflect back on the last event in
Halifax and Canada and your fifth placing there?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Yeah, the race weekend in Canada, suoning wasn't now our
best showing. We'd be the first to admit that. You know,
we've been on a real nice role over the last
six months and you know, conditions were they might have
looked challenging, you know from Afar on TV, but they
were pretty awesome sailing conditions and we you know disappointed
(01:00):
our sounds of it, you know, make use of them
and sail the boat to the level we know we can.
So what areas of focus come out out from that
that we want to tidy up, you know heading into
the like say, the Grand Finals only three weeks away,
but at the same time not not to overreact, and
you know backs out that we have been doing a
(01:22):
lot of things well and we just need tied up
in a couple of areas to really you know, finish
off what we're you know, what we wanted this season.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Can you just expand a little bit on that for us, pledge,
just unpack what the areas of focus will be for
you both this weekend and New York and then on
towards San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah. Sure, Well, one thing about New York, not one
hundred percent sure on the conditions yet. Really got a
heat wave coming through New York at the moment, so
you know, we might not experience the same conditions we
did in Halifax, but I'm pretty sure we will get
similar conditions for the Grand Final in sand France. So
it's certainly an area we want to look at. You know,
(02:04):
there's obviously they never just one or two things that
obvious it would be, you know, everyone would be doing it.
But a couple of areas. We work on our boat speed.
We pride ourselves on being one of the fastest, if
not the fastest boat on the racetrack, and we weren't
and Halifax, so first and forth foremost, that's in an
(02:26):
area we want to we want to get right. And
then just in those conditions decision making, and we weren't
able to move our way through the fleet like we
have been in over the last six months. So you know,
even with some good starts, we we struggled to finish
(02:46):
off and pick boats as we picked boats off as
we went through the through the race. So that's another
area we want to work on.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
So you've opened up an eleven point lead in the
series with just New York and then San Francisco to go,
How if at all, will the fact you've got a
substantial lead change the way that you sail this weekend.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
In particular, our pretty firm philosophy is to make sure
we keep building momentum. You know, we've done a lot
of hard work and some great racing to get to
that position on the leaderboard, but we want to continue
to build momentum and confidence within the group heading into
(03:26):
that final race in San fran You know, I think
that the team that is in the best well, obviously
you make it to the top three, but you know,
the team that is has got the momentum heading into
that final race will be hard to beat, so we
want to make sure where that where that team.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
There was some fairly dramatic scenes in Halifax with Australia
capsizing during that event. I'm not sure if it needed
to be reinforced, but did that capsize reinforce to you
how small the margins for ERA are when you're sailing
in this competition.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I think we're very well aware of it. You know,
obviously we've had our fair share of pickups this year
or pretty major ones, and you know that, Yeah, the
Australia capsize reinforces, the US capsize and Bermuda. You know,
these boats at the very top of you know, the
(04:23):
technology curve and sailing, and you know that when they're
going in the straight line and them maneuvering, well everything's balanced.
You know, it looks looks effort less easy. But you know,
I think things like what have happened in the last
couple of events, you know, show how how quickly things
can change when it you know, when you get it
wrong or the forces changed quickly on the boat. So no,
(04:46):
we're pretty aware of that. But you know, it doesn't
mean you're back off or but it's good to acknowledge it,
but then still just you know, like I said before,
as well, keep the hammer down and keep trying to
work out how to make the boat go faster and
get around the racetrack quicker than other boats.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Across the series, seven teams by my account, have been
points at various stages throughout the series for various things.
How much of a potential threat is that, you know,
the threat of losing points as you go about the
business of securing the series.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
The penalty points systems very real, that's for sure. It's
you know, it's there to try and stop boats coming together.
You know that obviously it is expensive for the teams
or for the league, but it's also you know, causes
real logistical nightmares of when we're trying to race, you know,
(05:42):
on on weekends, you know, a couple of only a
couple of weekends apart. So that's been in for two
seasons now. You know, we've managed to stay clear this
season of them, but we've had we've had our share
of them last season, which, like you quite rightly pointed
out that it can swing things very fast. So yeah,
(06:05):
you definitely have to have respect for them. You have to,
you know, know the consequences which are very harsh. But
at the same time, you don't want to you don't
want to go around backed off because obviously at that point,
you know, you can come and stuck, you know, just
as easily I feel.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And I know you said before that you're not entirely
sure of the conditions you'll face this weekend, But in
general terms, do you expect the wind to be to
be strong enough yet about to use the high speed
configuration For the most.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Part, I'm still a little unsure at this stage. We've
got this bit of a heat wave coming through New
York at the moment. So with that is it just
puts a bit of uncertainty into the wind. Could you
know the chance of thunderstorms in the area Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
(06:55):
So that always just adds a level of uncertainty to
the forecast. But yeah, certainly hoping that we you know,
are up and boiling boats of ripping the around, you know,
whether we're on the the high speed configuration or the
you know, the lightier configuration. You know, obviously both options
(07:17):
get get you up and foiling, just one has a
slightly higher top end speed or more geared towards the
windy missions, but so not not too not too fast,
you know, slightly looking further ahead, you have to think,
you know, San Francisco's will likely be on the high
speed configuration, which has been the last couple of years
(07:39):
that we've braced there.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
And the racecourse itself in New York, it's off Governor's Island,
doesn't it. But what about the you know, the famous
landmarks of New York, you know, Loa, Manhattan, and of
course the Statue of Liberty. Do you get do you
get close to some of those places?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Yes, a pretty phenomenal racetrack here in New York. To
have the opportunity to sell these boats, you know, be
our first time selling Amakura here in New York. But yeah,
to have the opportunity to sell fifty is right, you know,
in such an iconic city, you know, the massive skyscrapers.
(08:16):
Statue of Liberty actually will be just on the edge
of the racetrack, probably within half a mile. And then yeah,
so Statue of Liberty and once our Governor's Island on
the other and then Lowe mayheading at the top of
the course or the bottom of the course. That's yeah,
pretty pretty awesome and just can't can't wait to get
out and ripping around out there.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
And I'm a good, amazing, amazing news in the last
couple of days, Blair, I'm sure you've picked up on
sal GP won't be returning to christ Church next year.
There is still a lot of intent for a New
Zealand League of sal GP in twenty twenty five, presumably
in Auckland. How important is it to the team that
you get the chance to sail and event in cel
GP on home waters, it would be Huges.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Is nothing better for us than racing in front of
our home fans. You know. We're a team that predominantly
races overseas all around the world, you know, and that's
going to continue next year fourteen odd events I think
somewhere around there. But to have their opportunity to race
(09:21):
in front of their home fans, yeah, there's nothing better.
So I know the league's working incredibly hard right now
to try and get that final calendar for season five.
So yeah, I guess WA's the space. But yeah, nothing
better for us than racing at home.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
And of course christ Church you know, had its issues
this year, but when you did get out racing on
the Sunday. It was a very happy regatta for you
with the win for the Black Foils. Are you a
bit disappointed you won't be going back to Littleton?
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, I mean Littleton was unbelievable right this year and
last year. To those conditions for sailing there, you know
have been some of the best in sale gup and
we were pretty clear on that, you know, after after
racing there. Obviously racing there also comes with its unique challenges,
(10:15):
you know. But just you know, I want to say
thanks to ever running christ Church that you know, the
community there was amazing, to the team, to the to
the whole league and you know so to all the
fans that travel from Afar and our team partners as well.
So yeah, but a bit of a shame. But I know,
you know, you know the league is now working hard
(10:37):
to try and finalize that season five calendar.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
All right, well look forward to seeing news of that
for the meantime, New York for you guys, and then
on towards San Francisco. All the best this weekend. Blair,
thanks for taking the time for a chat and good luck.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, thank you very much, No.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Thank you, Blair, Blair. Chuck there from the Black foils
at a sou gp New York. About six Tomorrow morning
is when they get under way in New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Time for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen
live to news talks be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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