March 10, 2025 • 9 mins
SailGP is set to hit Los Angles this coming weekend - and the Black Foils are gearing up for the event.
Sailor Blair Tuke joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB SALGP.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It's la this weekend, March sixteen, seventeen. The Black Foils
fourth after three events. The latest are challenging outing on
Sydney Harbor a month ago Austrillians as they now have
increased their lead over two hundred meters over.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Second place and France.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
So you see New Zealand they are just limping through
the course.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
They're going to finish dead last and points and STV.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I think it's got to be some kind of mechanical,
some kind of issue on board.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Black Foils co CEO and wing from a Blair Chuke
is whether it's on sports Talk. Thanks for joining us, Blair.
What were the main things that came up in your
debrief of that last event on Sydney Harbor.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Yeah, certainly a good one. Obviously every event we want
to try and step forward afterwards. That's the name of
the game at SOLGP. But you know, I think we'd
be the first to admit that the performances both day
one in Sydney and the one here in Toomacke Mecodo
or weren't at the level that they that we expect ourselves.
(01:07):
So yeah, very thorough debrief, you know, as always these things.
It's not just one thing that we're not performing or
not at the level we should be.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
So it's right across. Obviously there's starting.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
It's a big, big area of focus in SOLGP and
there hasn't been at a high enough level. We're still
a new combination and the way we're maneuvering the boat
and locking it into straight line boat speed. Again, it's
not that show moments of promise but in the titlements
(01:42):
which obviously happened a lot in the style of racing
that's coming unstuck a bit.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So probably the two big areas we're focusing on.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
But yeah, also a lot of excitement within the group
with the growth that's ahead of us as a unit,
and yeah, where we can go. So obviously, yeah, thorough debrief,
but excited about the challenges ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Just on the start splare why isn't it quite coming
together for you at the start of races at the moment?
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Well, the start of races is the time on distance
is challenging to do and it's not something we've had
moments of doing it well in the last couple of seasons,
but of recent times it's been an area that's that's
led us down and we've been able to sail back
through the fleet due to having good boat speed or
maneuvers and the way we strategically position.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
The boat around the race course.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
But yeah, if you don't start that in that front half,
like above fifth to the first mark on average, then
it's challenging to always claw your way back. So look,
it's without going into a lot of details, that it's
really the timing and the positioning when you pull the trigger,
which is like when you actually from jostling for position
(02:58):
to finally going for it. That's probably a key focus
for us, especially especially when you're tight with the other
boats and.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You talk before about gelling as a team. And of
course you've had a personnel change with Leo taka Hashi
coming on board this year as flight controller. Is that
still a work in progress as you go about integrating
him into your team.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head.
It's integration. Got a huge amount of credit for Leo's
doing a great job for us with a lot of talent,
and he's doing a good job with managing these new
defoils and the way controlling the boat. So I think
(03:40):
the area to work on is actually back on Peter
and myself and how we worked with Leo and the communication.
You know, as you have a new combination anything, whether
it's a sports team or and someone in business, you
have to you can't just keep rolling how you have
done previously.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
You have to adapt. And I don't think we've done
that integration for Leo to the to the level that
we should have.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
So yeah, that's that's been a key key area of
focus for us. And just the more you can be
in sync as a as a unit, then in those
type moments you can have more shared consciousness and then
get a bit of result for either controlling the boat
accurately and fast or making a better decision.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
In cl GP which is more important handling the boat
or positioning the boat on the race course.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Well, it's yeah, great, great question.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
I think for the starts, incredibly important for sure that
if you can be at this top few and start
and the time you get to mark one and that
everyone mostly hand handles a boat to a level where
you should stay towards the front at least on average,
But the times and it's been a strength to ours
(04:59):
over the last few seasons is the times that you
are back and the type moments.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
If you can control the boat accurately, you can.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Make it go far, then you can call your way
out of difficult situations.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So yeah, it's a combination.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
It's a combination and all sailing races, it's never just
if you're the fastest boat that helps, but still got
a position well and make smart, smart decisions to get
around the racetrack faster than someone else.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
You've had a couple of events now on the new
T foils they divote in Auckland. You also had them
at certainly of course, are you getting used to the
new T foils and sailing on them?
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Yeah, I think the new foils have been well. It's
a great opportunity for everyone in the fleet to have it.
A new challenge would be on that those more conventional
alfoils for the hot l GPS conception. So all the
times are relishing that opportunity to learn, and some teams
are doing it to a better level than others.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
But yeah, we're enjoying that challenge.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
It's you know, I think on average they are actually
a little bit easier to control, we said, the straight
line components, uh as we saw here in Auckland Harbor
with outgoing parent windy conditions, tight race track, for they're
still an absolute handful to control, and probably the maneuvers
and the final details of the control through the maneuvers
(06:23):
as a area that all teams are giving getting the
hands on getting a handle of.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Still.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So next up Los Angeles next weekend. You sailed there,
was it last year maybe the year before? What are
conditions likely to be like in Los Angeles in terms
of the wind and sea conditions and the race course itself.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Yeah, the race track in Las that's down in Long Beach,
it's a it's.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
A tight race track, so it's similarish to the size
of in a harbor here in Auckland and the white
and Mata. So yeah, expect really cloaks racing. When we
it was actually two years ago we raced there, it
was actually.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Quite light wind.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
But in general in Los Angeles you can expect good
sea breezes that an afternoon seabreeze to really bring.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
The wind the window.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
So that's yeah, we'll wait and see what we get,
but for sure at fight racetrack and then obviously as speaker.
Now we'd still down the the first double hitter, so
back to back weekends with Sam Fran just a week later,
which conditions there? Obviously we're a bit more accustomed to
We've sell there three or four times now and it's
a more traditional racetrack which is a bit more open
(07:38):
in length and you know, more opportunities to let the
boats over a longer period.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
All right, and just well I've got you. There's been
talk this week of the next America's Cup potentially being
back in New Zealand. You might defend it on home
waters if everything can be brought together. How would you
feel about a return to Auckland to defend.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Yeah, well, I think, as I mentioned earlier, just you know,
the hype around the sol gp here when we race
on only a month ago, now, you know soon awesome
to see at the public support for a great sailing event.
So you know, I'm not surprised that you know, there's
plenty of discussions now and obviously not directly involved with them,
(08:20):
but it's interesting watching it bubbling away for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Do you have any influence on all as sailors? Are
you able to you know, put a word in the
right ear or do you really just leave it to
those a bit higher up the food chain.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Than you not doing that. So I mean that obviously
may focus currently is prepping on LA and Sam Fin
and then you know the role with the.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Team in lists, you know predominantly just around trying to
make the boat go as fast as we can and
race it better than other people. So that's where my
main focus has been for a number of years with
Team ins fair.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Enough, well, I think a lot of us hope that
it will be on home waters. That's all to come.
Immediate focus for you in the meantime as sell GP
off to LA for next weekends have been all the
best plan. Thanks for chatting to us as always.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yeah, that's the chat. Thank you, Matte, No, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Please plead check there are co Ceo and wing Trimmer
with the Black Foils off to Los Angeles this coming weekend.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB SALGP.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It's la this weekend, March sixteen, seventeen. The Black Foils
fourth after three events. The latest are challenging outing on
Sydney Harbor a month ago Austrillians as they now have
increased their lead over two hundred meters over.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Second place and France.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
So you see New Zealand they are just limping through
the course.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
They're going to finish dead last and points and STV.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I think it's got to be some kind of mechanical,
some kind of issue on board.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Black Foils co CEO and wing from a Blair Chuke
is whether it's on sports Talk. Thanks for joining us, Blair.
What were the main things that came up in your
debrief of that last event on Sydney Harbor.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Yeah, certainly a good one. Obviously every event we want
to try and step forward afterwards. That's the name of
the game at SOLGP. But you know, I think we'd
be the first to admit that the performances both day
one in Sydney and the one here in Toomacke Mecodo
or weren't at the level that they that we expect ourselves.
(01:07):
So yeah, very thorough debrief, you know, as always these things.
It's not just one thing that we're not performing or
not at the level we should be.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
So it's right across. Obviously there's starting.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
It's a big, big area of focus in SOLGP and
there hasn't been at a high enough level. We're still
a new combination and the way we're maneuvering the boat
and locking it into straight line boat speed. Again, it's
not that show moments of promise but in the titlements
(01:42):
which obviously happened a lot in the style of racing
that's coming unstuck a bit.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So probably the two big areas we're focusing on.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
But yeah, also a lot of excitement within the group
with the growth that's ahead of us as a unit,
and yeah, where we can go. So obviously, yeah, thorough debrief,
but excited about the challenges ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Just on the start splare why isn't it quite coming
together for you at the start of races at the moment?
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Well, the start of races is the time on distance
is challenging to do and it's not something we've had
moments of doing it well in the last couple of seasons,
but of recent times it's been an area that's that's
led us down and we've been able to sail back
through the fleet due to having good boat speed or
maneuvers and the way we strategically position.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
The boat around the race course.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
But yeah, if you don't start that in that front half,
like above fifth to the first mark on average, then
it's challenging to always claw your way back. So look,
it's without going into a lot of details, that it's
really the timing and the positioning when you pull the trigger,
which is like when you actually from jostling for position
(02:58):
to finally going for it. That's probably a key focus
for us, especially especially when you're tight with the other
boats and.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You talk before about gelling as a team. And of
course you've had a personnel change with Leo taka Hashi
coming on board this year as flight controller. Is that
still a work in progress as you go about integrating
him into your team.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head.
It's integration. Got a huge amount of credit for Leo's
doing a great job for us with a lot of talent,
and he's doing a good job with managing these new
defoils and the way controlling the boat. So I think
(03:40):
the area to work on is actually back on Peter
and myself and how we worked with Leo and the communication.
You know, as you have a new combination anything, whether
it's a sports team or and someone in business, you
have to you can't just keep rolling how you have
done previously.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
You have to adapt. And I don't think we've done
that integration for Leo to the to the level that
we should have.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
So yeah, that's that's been a key key area of
focus for us. And just the more you can be
in sync as a as a unit, then in those
type moments you can have more shared consciousness and then
get a bit of result for either controlling the boat
accurately and fast or making a better decision.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
In cl GP which is more important handling the boat
or positioning the boat on the race course.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Well, it's yeah, great, great question.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
I think for the starts, incredibly important for sure that
if you can be at this top few and start
and the time you get to mark one and that
everyone mostly hand handles a boat to a level where
you should stay towards the front at least on average,
But the times and it's been a strength to ours
(04:59):
over the last few seasons is the times that you
are back and the type moments.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
If you can control the boat accurately, you can.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Make it go far, then you can call your way
out of difficult situations.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So yeah, it's a combination.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
It's a combination and all sailing races, it's never just
if you're the fastest boat that helps, but still got
a position well and make smart, smart decisions to get
around the racetrack faster than someone else.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
You've had a couple of events now on the new
T foils they divote in Auckland. You also had them
at certainly of course, are you getting used to the
new T foils and sailing on them?
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Yeah, I think the new foils have been well. It's
a great opportunity for everyone in the fleet to have it.
A new challenge would be on that those more conventional
alfoils for the hot l GPS conception. So all the
times are relishing that opportunity to learn, and some teams
are doing it to a better level than others.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
But yeah, we're enjoying that challenge.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
It's you know, I think on average they are actually
a little bit easier to control, we said, the straight
line components, uh as we saw here in Auckland Harbor
with outgoing parent windy conditions, tight race track, for they're
still an absolute handful to control, and probably the maneuvers
and the final details of the control through the maneuvers
(06:23):
as a area that all teams are giving getting the
hands on getting a handle of.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Still.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
So next up Los Angeles next weekend. You sailed there,
was it last year maybe the year before? What are
conditions likely to be like in Los Angeles in terms
of the wind and sea conditions and the race course itself.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Yeah, the race track in Las that's down in Long Beach,
it's a it's.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
A tight race track, so it's similarish to the size
of in a harbor here in Auckland and the white
and Mata. So yeah, expect really cloaks racing. When we
it was actually two years ago we raced there, it
was actually.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Quite light wind.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
But in general in Los Angeles you can expect good
sea breezes that an afternoon seabreeze to really bring.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
The wind the window.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
So that's yeah, we'll wait and see what we get,
but for sure at fight racetrack and then obviously as speaker.
Now we'd still down the the first double hitter, so
back to back weekends with Sam Fran just a week later,
which conditions there? Obviously we're a bit more accustomed to
We've sell there three or four times now and it's
a more traditional racetrack which is a bit more open
(07:38):
in length and you know, more opportunities to let the
boats over a longer period.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
All right, and just well I've got you. There's been
talk this week of the next America's Cup potentially being
back in New Zealand. You might defend it on home
waters if everything can be brought together. How would you
feel about a return to Auckland to defend.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Yeah, well, I think, as I mentioned earlier, just you know,
the hype around the sol gp here when we race
on only a month ago, now, you know soon awesome
to see at the public support for a great sailing event.
So you know, I'm not surprised that you know, there's
plenty of discussions now and obviously not directly involved with them,
(08:20):
but it's interesting watching it bubbling away for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Do you have any influence on all as sailors? Are
you able to you know, put a word in the
right ear or do you really just leave it to
those a bit higher up the food chain.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Than you not doing that. So I mean that obviously
may focus currently is prepping on LA and Sam Fin
and then you know the role with the.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Team in lists, you know predominantly just around trying to
make the boat go as fast as we can and
race it better than other people. So that's where my
main focus has been for a number of years with
Team ins fair.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Enough, well, I think a lot of us hope that
it will be on home waters. That's all to come.
Immediate focus for you in the meantime as sell GP
off to LA for next weekends have been all the
best plan. Thanks for chatting to us as always.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yeah, that's the chat. Thank you, Matte, No, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Please plead check there are co Ceo and wing Trimmer
with the Black Foils off to Los Angeles this coming weekend.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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