November 22, 2024 • 7 mins
The Black Foils have a new flight controller.
Leo Takahashi has joined the team as they prepare for the newest Sail GP season.
He joined Piney for a chat about his journey to the Foils, and their efforts preparing for Dubai.
"The Black Foils is the benchmark of Sail GP right now, so, you know, the cream of the crop and, you know, I got some definitely big shoes to fill.”
“I'm just really excited to bring my experience and my two cents into the team.”
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB mentioned the New Sale GP season starts tonight in Dubai.
We've heard from Peter Berling let's bring a new black
Foils flight controller Leo Takahashi. He's joined the New Zealand
team for the next three years following the departure of
Andy Maloney. Leo, thanks for taking the time for a chat.
How did this all come about?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, thank you very much, Jason, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Yeah, so I guess you know, a couple of things,
you know, with Andy's departure and the new season beginning,
there was an opportunity and yeah, a phone call from
Peden Blair and.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It just happened really quick. But yeah, now we're in
Dubai getting ready for the new season.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
So when Peter Berling and Blair chuke ring you with
a proposition like this, I imagine it's a fairly easy yes,
is it.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, I mean it's right now.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
It was a pretty easy yes and a massive opportunity
for me in my career.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
So yeah, it was stoked to say yes.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So for the casual Sale GP fans who are listening
and can you explain to us the exact role of
the flight controller.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yes, as the flight controller.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I mean there's there's six people on board the helm, wing, trim,
and flight controller, two grinders and strategist. See, we all
have our roles to play on making the bow go
fast and good around the track.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Flight controller especially.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
We have big foils under the boat, four of them
in fact, two rudders and two daggerboards.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So I get full control of those foils. And you know, in.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Layman's terms, if the boat's flying high and stable and
we're going well on the race, you know we're doing
I'm doing a good job. And if the boat's looking
unstable and a little bit jumpy.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I'm not doing a very good job.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
So I get full control of the foils and fly
the boat as high as I can and fast as
I can.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
That seems I'm sure they're all important jobs, but that
seems like a really important job, and one which I
guess would be fraught with a bit of risk taking
and maybe a bit of margin for error or small
margin for error as a stressful job.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Yeah, it's a lot of concentration involved, and it's very
quick and snappy, now, you know, with all the quick
racing and the TV times and all that, So just
have to be fully focused for that fifteen minutes and
you know, three races or to play for you know,
if you're last in a race and that's going to
be big points for the season. So always going to
be focused and controlled. And yeah's a risk verse reward.
(02:30):
If you fly the boat high, it is more marketing
for error and you could lead to a crash or
but also if you fly the boat high and you
do it well, then you're going to.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Be going fast. So that's the kind of gray area
we're playing with.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Has there been an integration period for you with the team.
I mean clearly you know what you're doing, but in
terms of comms on board things like that, the language
that's used, all those sorts of things.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Yeah, as the flight controller, I'm more of on the
receiving end of com so I'm kind of just hearing
what the boat's going on.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I'm fully focused on just flying the boat well.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
So you know, Pete and Blair and Live the strategist
there more mostly in the comms, and I'm just kind
of tuning in and making sure.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
That I'm kind of pre entering what's going to happen
in the.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Race, and that's about it for me. And in terms
of getting used to the team, I know all these
guys really well, so it's been really easy fitting in
and we've been in Deo Vice for a couple of
days now. But the team building and just going through
a lot of documents, you know, of the last few
seasons and just kind of really getting integrated and how
it all works here.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
You've had time obviously with Japan Sales GP team and
the US team as well. Do you perceive that this
will be a step up from those two teams?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
One hundred percent? Yeah. The Black Falls are the benchmark
of sales.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Gup right now, so you know, the cream of the crop,
and you know, got some definitely big shoes to filter
to do my part. But you know, I'm just really
excited to bring my experience and my kind of two
cents into the end of the team. And I guess yeah,
I mean it's an opportunity for the team to get
a new face and a new perspective. So I'm just
(04:05):
really looking forward to to show what I can do
and yeah, helping this team develop, Ban get back on
the top step.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
You meant him before that. During races it's often one
way colms that you're receiving a lot of information. But
when you're having your debriefs and as you mentioned before,
when you're going through your preparation, does it feel like
an environment in which you can offer thoughts suggestions freely?
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Yeah, so, you know, just listening to the comms and
all that, I can kind of see what I kind
of saw or heard in the.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Race and then kind of just give my two cents
on what I thought.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
And yeah, we have a really good culture in the
team where you know, we're really just open to feedback
and just it feels like such a professional high sports team.
So it's really good in that sense. And yeah, i
mean everyone here is so good to work with. So
it's been really easy getting into it, and I'm just
really excited to just edging to get on the boat
and get racing.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So after do By, the second stop on the calendar
is Auckland in January. You grew up sailing at the
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron of course, where the race,
of course will be. How special an event is Auckland
going to be for you?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Oh, it's going to be epic. Yeah, Auckland Harbor.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
It's going to be super tight racing and it's really
cool how the grandstand is going to be set up
right on win your point. Yeah, the start and the
finish would be right there, so basically buzzing right next
to the wall, and the fans will probably close enough
to touch the boats, probably might even be able to
see me on board, which would be cool.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, it's going to be really special and a real you.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Know, good testament to how well just bringing SALGP there,
it's gonna be awesome city of sales basically.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And you've done a lot of sailing, a lot of
different boats. How to sl GP compare to the other
sailing you've done.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
There's nothing like sal GP really, It's definitely the pinnacle
of the sport. You know, what differentiates SALGP to every
other sport is just how how tight and quick you
have to be so focused.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
To do well here.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And like I said, you know it's high course, fast racing,
and yeah, the fans get to enjoy it. So, you know,
Sergey Pi has really changed the dimension of kind of
sailing as a whole. The fans can see it so
close and just be there with us, so that's a
cool part of it.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
It's basically just like I file on the water really.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, it's brilliant to watch. And of course recently you
were helmsman of the New Zealand team and the Youth
America's Cup and Barcelona. How do you reflect on that
experience twice for you now?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Of course, yeah, that.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Was a you know, a really cool experience just being
part of the whole atmosphere there and being part of
the bigger team in general.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
But you know, just take those learnings.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
It's been a big year for me, so just really
trying to take all those learnings what I learned in
Barcelona into into the Black Foils and yeah, my focus
switches now into these short course racing and being a
flight controller as well, so something different and yeah, just
going to put my all into this project.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Exciting times ahead. We'll all the best and do by
this weekend. Leo. Look forward to to catching up in
person when you hit Auckland in the middle of January.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Thanks Jason, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I appreciate you time. Leo. Thanks today, Leo Takahashi. There
new flight controller with the Black Foils our sale. Jub
GP team Dubai first event starts tonight and again tomorrow night.
Then they have a break before they head Auckland January
eighteen and nineteen.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk sed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB mentioned the New Sale GP season starts tonight in Dubai.
We've heard from Peter Berling let's bring a new black
Foils flight controller Leo Takahashi. He's joined the New Zealand
team for the next three years following the departure of
Andy Maloney. Leo, thanks for taking the time for a chat.
How did this all come about?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, thank you very much, Jason, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Yeah, so I guess you know, a couple of things,
you know, with Andy's departure and the new season beginning,
there was an opportunity and yeah, a phone call from
Peden Blair and.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It just happened really quick. But yeah, now we're in
Dubai getting ready for the new season.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
So when Peter Berling and Blair chuke ring you with
a proposition like this, I imagine it's a fairly easy yes,
is it.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, I mean it's right now.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
It was a pretty easy yes and a massive opportunity
for me in my career.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
So yeah, it was stoked to say yes.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So for the casual Sale GP fans who are listening
and can you explain to us the exact role of
the flight controller.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yes, as the flight controller.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I mean there's there's six people on board the helm, wing, trim,
and flight controller, two grinders and strategist. See, we all
have our roles to play on making the bow go
fast and good around the track.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Flight controller especially.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
We have big foils under the boat, four of them
in fact, two rudders and two daggerboards.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So I get full control of those foils. And you know, in.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Layman's terms, if the boat's flying high and stable and
we're going well on the race, you know we're doing
I'm doing a good job. And if the boat's looking
unstable and a little bit jumpy.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I'm not doing a very good job.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
So I get full control of the foils and fly
the boat as high as I can and fast as
I can.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
That seems I'm sure they're all important jobs, but that
seems like a really important job, and one which I
guess would be fraught with a bit of risk taking
and maybe a bit of margin for error or small
margin for error as a stressful job.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Yeah, it's a lot of concentration involved, and it's very
quick and snappy, now, you know, with all the quick
racing and the TV times and all that, So just
have to be fully focused for that fifteen minutes and
you know, three races or to play for you know,
if you're last in a race and that's going to
be big points for the season. So always going to
be focused and controlled. And yeah's a risk verse reward.
(02:30):
If you fly the boat high, it is more marketing
for error and you could lead to a crash or
but also if you fly the boat high and you
do it well, then you're going to.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Be going fast. So that's the kind of gray area
we're playing with.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Has there been an integration period for you with the team.
I mean clearly you know what you're doing, but in
terms of comms on board things like that, the language
that's used, all those sorts of things.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Yeah, as the flight controller, I'm more of on the
receiving end of com so I'm kind of just hearing
what the boat's going on.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I'm fully focused on just flying the boat well.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
So you know, Pete and Blair and Live the strategist
there more mostly in the comms, and I'm just kind
of tuning in and making sure.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
That I'm kind of pre entering what's going to happen
in the.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Race, and that's about it for me. And in terms
of getting used to the team, I know all these
guys really well, so it's been really easy fitting in
and we've been in Deo Vice for a couple of
days now. But the team building and just going through
a lot of documents, you know, of the last few
seasons and just kind of really getting integrated and how
it all works here.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
You've had time obviously with Japan Sales GP team and
the US team as well. Do you perceive that this
will be a step up from those two teams?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
One hundred percent? Yeah. The Black Falls are the benchmark
of sales.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Gup right now, so you know, the cream of the crop,
and you know, got some definitely big shoes to filter
to do my part. But you know, I'm just really
excited to bring my experience and my kind of two
cents into the end of the team. And I guess yeah,
I mean it's an opportunity for the team to get
a new face and a new perspective. So I'm just
(04:05):
really looking forward to to show what I can do
and yeah, helping this team develop, Ban get back on
the top step.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
You meant him before that. During races it's often one
way colms that you're receiving a lot of information. But
when you're having your debriefs and as you mentioned before,
when you're going through your preparation, does it feel like
an environment in which you can offer thoughts suggestions freely?
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Yeah, so, you know, just listening to the comms and
all that, I can kind of see what I kind
of saw or heard in the.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Race and then kind of just give my two cents
on what I thought.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
And yeah, we have a really good culture in the
team where you know, we're really just open to feedback
and just it feels like such a professional high sports team.
So it's really good in that sense. And yeah, i
mean everyone here is so good to work with. So
it's been really easy getting into it, and I'm just
really excited to just edging to get on the boat
and get racing.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So after do By, the second stop on the calendar
is Auckland in January. You grew up sailing at the
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron of course, where the race,
of course will be. How special an event is Auckland
going to be for you?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Oh, it's going to be epic. Yeah, Auckland Harbor.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
It's going to be super tight racing and it's really
cool how the grandstand is going to be set up
right on win your point. Yeah, the start and the
finish would be right there, so basically buzzing right next
to the wall, and the fans will probably close enough
to touch the boats, probably might even be able to
see me on board, which would be cool.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, it's going to be really special and a real you.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Know, good testament to how well just bringing SALGP there,
it's gonna be awesome city of sales basically.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And you've done a lot of sailing, a lot of
different boats. How to sl GP compare to the other
sailing you've done.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
There's nothing like sal GP really, It's definitely the pinnacle
of the sport. You know, what differentiates SALGP to every
other sport is just how how tight and quick you
have to be so focused.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
To do well here.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And like I said, you know it's high course, fast racing,
and yeah, the fans get to enjoy it. So, you know,
Sergey Pi has really changed the dimension of kind of
sailing as a whole. The fans can see it so
close and just be there with us, so that's a
cool part of it.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
It's basically just like I file on the water really.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, it's brilliant to watch. And of course recently you
were helmsman of the New Zealand team and the Youth
America's Cup and Barcelona. How do you reflect on that
experience twice for you now?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Of course, yeah, that.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Was a you know, a really cool experience just being
part of the whole atmosphere there and being part of
the bigger team in general.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
But you know, just take those learnings.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
It's been a big year for me, so just really
trying to take all those learnings what I learned in
Barcelona into into the Black Foils and yeah, my focus
switches now into these short course racing and being a
flight controller as well, so something different and yeah, just
going to put my all into this project.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Exciting times ahead. We'll all the best and do by
this weekend. Leo. Look forward to to catching up in
person when you hit Auckland in the middle of January.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Thanks Jason, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I appreciate you time. Leo. Thanks today, Leo Takahashi. There
new flight controller with the Black Foils our sale. Jub
GP team Dubai first event starts tonight and again tomorrow night.
Then they have a break before they head Auckland January
eighteen and nineteen.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk sed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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