The Foil Podcast

Episoder

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  The six American sailors chosen to take back the Cup - The Foil Podcast - Ep 33 12.08.2026 50min

  The America's Cup teams are taking shape, and this week there are some fascinating new names entering the picture. Lewis Smith, Andy Rice and Neil Cole look at the newly announced United States America's Cup crew, the strong crossover with the US SailGP Team and one particularly notable omission: Taylor Canfield. Could he still join the campaign, and how much catching up does the new American challenger have to do before Naples? There’s also a major development for GBR with Jemima Lines confirmed as the fifth sailor aboard the AC75, before attention turns to LA 2028. With Olympic sailors getting their first proper taste of the waters off Los Angeles, we look at what they’re already learning about the venue, some impressive early performances and the sailors attempting to balance Olympic campaigns with SailGP and America's Cup commitments. Plus, Andy pays tribute to legendary sailing photographer Carlo Borlenghi, and we catch up on the latest from the 470 Worlds and the Round Britain and Ireland Race. This episode is brought to you by Saily, the eSIM built by the team behind NordVPN. Available across more than 200 destinations, with plans flexible enough for a weekend away or a full season chasing the SailGP circuit – no SIM swap, no roaming bill shock, no wandering foreign airports hunting for Wi-Fi. We use Saily ourselves when travelling to events, like we’ll be doing in Sassnitz next week. Download Saily from the app store and use code FOIL15 at checkout for 15% off your first purchase. https://saily.com 00:00:00 Start 00:02:05 Cowes Week reflections and recovery 00:03:57 United States America's Cup crew announcement 00:15:56 Jemima Lines joins GB1 America's Cup crew 00:23:31 Remembering iconic sailing photographer Carlo Borlenghi 00:29:02 Get 15% off Saily eSim 00:30:15 LA Olympic test event insights 00:44:01 470 Worlds and Solent racing round-up Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Podcast: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. #AmericasCup #SailGP #LA2028 #Olympics #Sailing #TheFoil Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  The past, present and future of sailing - The Foil Podcast Live - Ep 32 04.08.2026 45min

  Episode 32 of the Foil Podcast celebrates the 200th anniversary of Cowes Week, diving deep into the rich history, vibrant present, and promising future of sailing. Join Neil Cole, Andy Rice and Freddie Carr as they discuss the significance of the iconic regatta with seasoned sailor Simon 'Stir Fry', who shares insights from the 'golden days' of sailing and the potential rebirth of the Admiral's Cup. Freddie highlights the exciting developments in Grand Prix sailing and the impact of events like SailGP on the sport's evolution, while Andy chats with Olympic sailor Elliot Hanson about balancing professional sailing and Olympic aspirations. Young talent, Katy Jenkins, represents the future of sailing and discusses her journey with the Athena Pathway and her first experience at Cowes Week. Lastly, Dan Fielding tells The Foil about the wonderful work of Turn to Starboard, a UK-based sailing charity that helps military veterans. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:35 200 years of Cowes Week 04:37 Simon 'Stir Fy' and sailing's past 18:20 Elliot Hanson and the present of sailing 29:42 Katy Jenkins and the future of the sport 35:02 Dan Fielding and Turn to Starboard 41:22 Outro Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Has SailGP cracked the code? Our Portsmouth verdict - The Foil Podcast - Ep 31 29.07.2026 1t 6min

  Portsmouth had everything. A packed grandstand, eleven races, changing conditions and another dramatic twist in the Season 6 championship. It was an event that showcased just how far SailGP has come, both on and off the water. This week on The Foil Podcast, Freddie Carr, Andy Rice, Lewis Smith and Neil Cole discuss why Portsmouth felt like a milestone for the championship, whether the split fleet format has finally proved itself, and why the four-boat final is becoming one of the highlights of every event. They also look at Canada’s impressive resurgence, Australia’s costly mistakes, Emirates GBR’s disappointing home regatta and Spain’s remarkable run of form that has blown the championship race wide open. With the end of the season in sight, is a clear top five beginning to emerge, and has SailGP finally found the format that brings out the very best racing? The Foil is your independent home for sailing analysis, interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage from SailGP, the America’s Cup and elite sailing. Subscribe for new episodes every week. Listen on podcast platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 #SailGP #TheFoil #Portsmouth #Sailing #AmericasCup #F50 #EmiratesGBR #Spain #LosGallos Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. 00:00 Portsmouth Delivers 07:09 Split Fleets & Four-Boat Finals 15:36 Saturday Racing Analysis 25:26 Sunday Qualifying Drama 35:52 Canada's Resurgence 42:11 Emirates GBR's Home Event 45:58 The Portsmouth Final 54:03 The SailGP Championship & Calendar Rumours Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  The Foil Podcast Live: SailGP Portsmouth - Ep 30 28.07.2026 47min

  The Foil takes over Musto’s flagship ’Lighthouse’ store in Portsmouth for the team's first-ever live and in-person podcast. Following on from a breezy and high calibre Saturday of the Emirates Great Britain SailGP event in Portsmouth we talk all things SailGP in front of a live audience. We’ll review what went down on day one of SailGP and look ahead to Sunday’s racing. We’ll make our usual wacky predictions, answer your questions and have a right good natter. The Foil's Lewis Smith stands in for the podcast's usual host, Neil Cole, and shares the mic with senior contributors Andy Rice and Freddie Carr. Website: http://thefoil.com/ Twitter: @wearethefoil Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment, please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. https://www.thefoil.com Thumbnail image credit: Jason Ludlow / SailGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  All you need to know before SailGP Portsmouth - The Foil Podcast - Ep 29 22.07.2026 54min

  Episode 29 previews SailGP Portsmouth – the eighth event of SailGP season six – from every angle. Andy Rice goes over his conversation with Ben Ainslie this week: the reset the champions are after following an Americas leg bookended by disaster, comms that aren't as tight as last year, Stu Bithell stepping into big shoes, and the questions hanging over the back end of the season.Freddie Carr considers the crowd to be a genuine performance factor, drawn from standing on a boat in front of a packed Portsmouth grandstand himself, and reckons Emirates GBR will enjoy the pressure rather than crack under it.Then looking at the racecourse itself – thermals off Southsea, Spitbank Fort and bollards inside the boundaries, the peculiar course shape that shuts down the slingshot start, a 300-metre first reach, an east-going tide and the bottom gate that decided last year's event final.Plus: Lewis Smith's scoop on the group reorder, split fleets looking set to become a fixture, Martine Grael back in the driving seat, and the umpires’ talk of "anticipation".If you’re in Portsmouth on Sunday morning then be sure to come and say hi. Get your tickets to The Foil’s first live podcast here: https://thefoil.com/news/our-first-ever-live-and-in-person-podcast-sailgp-portsmouth/Comments are now live on thefoil.com so be sure to create your account and join the conversation under any of our articles. And follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.READ MORE: Andy Rice talks with Craig Mitchell on the art of remote umpiring https://thefoil.com/news/why-refereeing-sailgp-is-just-getting-harder/READ MORE: Lewis Smith on SailGP's split-fleet rule change https://thefoil.com/news/return-of-the-death-group-sailgp-tweaks-how-groups-are-seeded/00:00:00 Start00:06:13 Portsmouth SailGP weather and racecourse preview00:13:10 Permanent split fleet format?00:15:53 Form guide and predictions for Portsmouth00:20:23 Middle East cancellations and Ben Ainslie interview00:31:11 Martine Grael returns as driver for Brazil00:36:51 The controversial “anticipation” rule in SailGP00:43:38 America's Cup + SailGP calendar clashListen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422#TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Under pressure in Pompey: SailGP’s Emirates GBR assessed – The Foil Podcast – Ep 28 15.07.2026 1t 2min

  This week, The Foil’s podcast team train their focus on Emirates Great Britain as they head for home waters and the Portsmouth SailGP next week.Following a plug for our first live podcast – on the morning of Sunday July 26 at Musto’s flagship Lighthouse store on Portsmouth’s waterfront – Neil Cole, Andy Rice and Freddie Carr get into an analysis of reigning champions Emirates GBR and how their title defence is going at the mid-point of season six.After a fast start in Australasia, “the wheels fells of when they got to the Americas”, as Andy puts it. Yet through it all the British F50 is still equal second on points with Spain’s Los Gallos, despite failing to score at all in two rounds.Andy asks Freddie for insight into how the team management operates: is a “good vibes” Gareth Southgate approach or more a “hairdryer” Thomas Tuchel environment?Freddie then dives into the Emirates GBR backstory, cycling back to the first season of SailGP and plotting how the team has evolved. As he says, this was a pioneering squad that led the commercial growth that has made SailGP such a success story.Speaking of success, from this point what will a successful 2026 look like for the remaining champions over the course of the season’s second half? The team assess the merits of making the Grand Final or the ‘moral victory’ of topping the leaderboard.To conclude, Andy and Freddie then offer a round-up of the latest America’s Cup news, having also considered the blend between SailGP and Naples next year for both Emirates GBR and GB1, which both operate under the Athena Racing umbrella.For The Foil live podcast, sign up for your FREE tickets here: https://buytickets.at/thefoil/2299605For our round-up of the week in racing, go to: https://thefoil.com/news/the-week-in-racing-13-july-26/Subscribe to The Foil on YouTube for a new episode every week, and follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.Listen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2...Chapters0:00 Introduction1:44 Emirates GBR in 202610:09 Team management12:52 History of the franchise33:32 Heading into Portsmouth38:10 Evolution for 202740:50 What’s success in 2026?44:55 Emirates GBR and GB1 blend50:00 why Portsmouth is key52:40 America’s Cup latest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Can anyone beat New Zealand to win the 38th America’s Cup? – The Foil Podcast – Ep 27 08.07.2026 1t 8min

  A year out, The Foil’s podcast team ask the key question: can any of the six teams lining up against the Defender really take on and beat Emirates Team New Zealand in Naples at the 38th America’s Cup next July? We run through the teams to assess what we know so far.ETNZ has Defender privilege – but under the rules of the new partnership arrangement, AC veteran Freddie Carr and Lewis Smith ask whether they have “depowered their advantage” by accepting Naples as the venue rather than racing on their own home waters.On the point of home advantage, Freddie refers back to his own experience sailing with Luna Rossa in the AC World Series in Naples in 2012 and ’13, when he experienced his “rock star moment” in sailing firsthand. Racing at home really can make a difference.As Lewis says, Luna Rossa was “a league ahead” in the recent Cagliari Prelim, and asks whether there might also be an operational advantage working from home.Meanwhile, The French La Roche-Posay team have hit the water in the past week and can make the most of 10 extra sailing days – even if they have capsized this week. Working out of same design stable as ETNZ, Lewis and Freddie weigh up their challenge.As for the Swiss Alinghi squad, question marks remain over their hardware following the huge capsize last time out in Barcelona, and they are pinned as a late starter too.As for the official Challenger of Record, unashamed patriot Freddie labels GB1 as the “dark horse for this Cup”, acknowledging the distracting context of the legal battle between Athena Racing and Ineos over the ownership of the British AC75.The return of Australia is an exciting moment for the Cup, but the team has been up front and honest about their biggest challenge: a lack of time. Freddie describes them as “underdogs”.Finally, the USA. As Freddie puts it, they are “super under the radar” given the little amount of information that has been confirmed about the American effort. Lewis and Freddie then summarise the fleet and come up with the answers to that big leading question…Lewis also brings us new of The Foil Live, our first public event taking place on the morning of Sunday 26 July. We’re taking over Musto’s flagship Lighthouse store in Portsmouth ahead of the final day of racing at Emirates Great Britain SailGP for a live podcast – and it’s free to attend.Get your free tickets here.Read details of the French capsize this week here https://thefoil.com/news/la-roche-posay-racing-team-capsize-their-ac75-on-fourth-sailing-day/Subscribe to The Foil on YouTube for a new episode every week, and follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.Listen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2...Chapters0:00 Introduction01:34 Andy Rice on Foiling Week03:17 Can anyone beat New Zealand in AC38?11.00: ETNZ17:25 Luna Rossa21:00 La Roche-Posay30:00 Alinghi38:20 GB147:10 Team Australia50:20 Team USA56:20 audience comments1:00:50 Any other business1:04:00 The Foil Live#TheFoil#WeAreTheFoil#SailGP#AmericasCup#OlympicSailing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  SailGP vs America's Cup: Can they coexist? - The Foil Podcast - Ep 26 01.07.2026 56min

  Sailing has never been healthier – and on this week's pod, that's exactly the problem.Episode 26 sees Neil Cole, Andy Rice, Lewis Smith and Freddie Carr wrestle with a question that's been sitting uncomfortably in the background: with SailGP, AmericasCup and the Olympics all booming at once, can they share a calendar – or will they start eating each other alive?The team trace the rivalry back to Bermuda 2017 and the framework agreement Grant Dalton never signed, then lay out just how tight the 2027 calendar really is – nine SailGP weekends, new AC75s splashing and a Cup to be won, plus an Olympic qualification cycle all fighting for the same patch of summer.Freddie, who knows the Cup's demands better than most, weighs life-changing SailGP prize money against the historical pull of helming a Cup boat, while Lewis – a former World Sailing insider – explains why the governing body faces an almost impossible juggling act. There's a hard look at the cautionary tale of golf's PGA–LIV war, a debate over who actually has the clout to knock heads together, and a real worry that the Olympics, and the women and youth coming through, could be the ones squeezed out.There's also offshore news, a look at Foiling Week, and a closing poll that has the panel split. Which one would you go for: SailGP riches, an Olympic gold, or the Auld Mug?Read Freddie’s recent technical breakdown of the SailGP fleet: https://thefoil.com/news/freddie-carr-winging-it-at-half-time-in-sailgp/Subscribe to The Foil on YouTube for a new episode every week, and follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.Listen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422#TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP #AmericasCup #OlympicSailing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  “The move of the season”: Halifax SailGP unpicked – The Foil Podcast – Ep 25 26.06.2026 1t 13min

  “The best of times, the worst of times – but fun all the time.” That’s Andy Rice’s summary of the Canada Sail Grand Prix as The Foil’s podcast team delves into round seven of SailGP 2026.Andy acknowledges the great work of SailGP’s tech team in returning to the water the three boats damaged in New York, as Lewis Smith and Freddie Carr join him to talk through a weekend that didn’t start well but finished on a high. After Lewis talks through rule changes that have followed the New York event, the team discuss the unexpected low winds of Saturday. And while the racing wasn’t a great spectacle, the “mad for it” Canadian crowd in the grandstand didn’t seem to care.Sunday was a complete turnaround, with what Andy describes as “one of the best days I’ve seen” in SailGP. The team advocate the decision to split the fleet – despite it triggering a so-called “group of death” – and also the first four-boat final. The winning skipper from Spain’s Los Gallos, Diego Botin, makes an appearance to talk about what Andy describes as “the move of the season” at the start of the final group race, which was “just the right side of clean”. Meanwhile, Bonds Flying Roos’ Tash Bryant sees the funny side (we think) of Andy pointing out that the Australians won zero prize money for finishing fourth. As Tom Slingsby puts it just off camera, “ouch!”.Read more on Andy’s fleet rating from Halifax: https://thefoil.com/news/andy-rice-rates-the-fleet-after-canada-sailgp/Listen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2...Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil 00:00:00 Start00:03:53 SailGP Halifax event recap begins00:13:13 New safety rules and crew changes00:27:08 Sunday's dramatic weather transformation00:35:16 Spain's masterclass and move of the season00:46:29 Artemis technical issues and substitution rules00:53:35 The split fleet and four-boat final debate00:58:57 TP52 World Championships and other sailing news Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Halifax SailGP, the Black Foils return and Luna Rossa launch - The Foil Podcast - Ep 24 18.06.2026 46min

  It's a full house for episode 24 of The Foil Podcast, with a Canada SailGP preview plus the latest America's Cup updates. Neil Cole, Andy Rice, Freddie Carr and Lewis Smith open with a tribute to offshore legend Charlie Dalin before turning to the weekend ahead.The Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax is the fulcrum of @SailGP Season 6 – event seven of thirteen – and the crew dig into why this race course turned the form book on its head last time, what a cold, shifting forecast could do to the foils, and whether we'll see split fleets for points scoring for the first time ever. There's the return of a freshly rebuilt Black Foils boat, a leaderboard that's wide open in the middle, and a look at who badly needs to kick-start their season.Then it's all about the Cup: Luna Rossa's relaunched AC75, what we spotted (and didn't), the first American training camp in Pensacola, and the design-stable question that could shape the whole AC38 cycle. Plus a pointed debate about whether the @AmericasCup is keeping commercial pace with SailGP. Predictions get made, and some might age better than others…Read more: https://thefoil.com/news/angry-coutts-bites-back-at-sailgp-critics/Listen to our podcast on Spotify and other platforms: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.#TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP #AmericasCup 0:00 Intro & Charlie Dalin tribute5:21 Halifax SailGP preview10:23 Course analysis & split fleets discussion17:02 Can the Black Foils still make the Grand Final?23:43 Teams needing a second-half comeback28:15 Luna Rossa relaunch AC75 "Silver Bullet"32:30 Pete Burling's influence on Luna Rossa33:47 American Magic AC40 training camp36:04 America's Cup marketing & media discussion37:06 America's Cup design partnerships explained39:15 Richard Mille Cup & TP52 Worlds update41:45 Halifax final predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Podcast Extra: Tom Slingsby breaks down the Aussie Cup challenge: boat, crew and the race against time 17.06.2026 32min

  In this wide-ranging interview Tom Slingsby sits down with The Foil’s Andy Rice to give an inside look at the current state of the Australian America’s Cup campaign.The man widely regarded as the best sailor on the planet right now is busier than ever, and in this conversation he lays out exactly what Team Australia Challenge is up against as it returns to the @AmericasCup for the first time in a generation. Slingsby talks through the childhood memories that planted the dream, the curious overlap of @SailGP and the Cup – one a monthly sprint, the other long stretches of training and almost no racing – and why he refuses to give up the racing edge that he believes cost his old Oracle camp dearly. He walks through the crew taking shape, the engineering trade-offs of reworking Team New Zealand’s 2021 boat, and the clock that's ticking very loudly, with the launch of their AC75 pushed all the way to Naples in spring 2027.Along the way the conversation also touches on the Coutts-Dalton cold war, the Disney+ deal that could transform the sport, Hugh Jackman in the debrief room, and the hard truth about being first-time challengers. Whether all of it adds up to a shot at the Cup is the question Tom keeps coming back to – and the one we’ll all be watching for.Read more: https://thefoil.com/news/australia-returns-to-the-america-s-cup-after-26-years-led-by-tom-slingsby/Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.#TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #AmericasCup 0:00 Australia's America's Cup dream 5:00 SailGP vs America's Cup 10:10 Disney+, Russell Coots and America's Cup politics 15:20 Building Team Australia 20:30 Australia's boat and technology package 25:40 Can Australia win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Escalation in sailing's most explosive feud, SailGP repairs and the race to Halifax - Podcast Ep 23 11.06.2026 1t 14min

  The legal battle between Sir Ben Ainslie and Sir Jim Ratcliffe has taken another dramatic turn. In this week's episode of The Foil Podcast, Andy Rice, Freddie Carr and Neil Cole dive into the latest developments in the increasingly bitter dispute over ownership of Britannia, the AC75 that carried INEOS Britannia to the 37th America's Cup Match in Barcelona. The team unpacks a series of extraordinary allegations contained within newly filed legal documents, including claims that have now made headlines far beyond the sailing world. They examine what the dispute could mean for Britain's challenge at the 38th America's Cup in Naples, whether GB1 can remain competitive while the case unfolds, and why ownership of a single yacht could determine whether Britain makes it to the start line at all. Freddie offers a unique perspective having raced aboard Britannia during the last America's Cup campaign, while Andy assesses the wider implications for one of the most significant rivalries sailing has seen in recent years. Away from the courtroom, Freddie returns from the Sardinia Cup with fresh insight into the growing strength of Grand Prix offshore racing and what it could mean for the future of the sport. The team also turns its attention to SailGP's dramatic three-boat collision in New York and the race against time to repair the damaged fleet ahead of Halifax. With exclusive insight from SailGP's technical team, they reveal how close Italy, Brazil and the United States came to missing the next event and what is happening behind the scenes to get the boats back on the water. This video is brought to you by Musto – the brand that's been building performance sailing gear for decades, working directly with sailors pushing boats and themselves to the limit. We wear it ourselves, on and off the water. Chapters 00:00 Intro & Sardinia Cup 05:20 America's Cup Legal Battle 19:00 The Brackley Lockout Claim 29:20 Two British America's Cup Teams? 39:10 The Tax Question 44:00 Can GB1 Still Win? 52:20 SailGP Crash Fallout 56:50 Inside the Halifax Repair Effort 1:02:00 Will All Three Boats Race? Become a member now: https://www.youtube.com/@WeAreTheFoil/join Website: https://thefoil.com/ Instagram: @wearethefoil Facebook: wearethefoil Threads: @wearethefoil LinkedIn: The Foil Podcast: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/NSR2217026422 Thanks for watching - please like, share and comment. Please also hit subscribe to show your support so we'll keep doing what we're doing. MB01ABQNLZGEQAL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  “That is not sport”: Dissecting the chaos of New York SailGP – The Foil Podcast – Episode 22 04.06.2026 1t 27min

  A cruise ship blocking Friday practice; just three boats making it to the water to race on Saturday; a complex three-boat crash on Sunday; and a controversial flying finish to the final. That was SailGP New York in a nutshell.   In our latest podcast, The Foil’s Andy Rice, Lewis Smith and Freddie Carr join host Neil Cole to break down the many talking points of a chaotic weekend in the Big Apple.   Andy and Lewis give us some insight into what was happening off the water, including news of a Disney+ documentary on Australia’s Bonds Flying Roos. Then they get into the nitty-gritty of a challenging race weekend for SailGP.   We hear about how the inconvenient docking of Queen Mary 2 on the Friday that thwarted practice wasn’t a surprise – at least to SailGP. Freddie doesn’t hold back on his opinions on the troubles of Saturday, when only four boats could be craned into the Hudson River, with only three taking part in races that ended up amounting to exhibitions that didn’t count for points.   The team dissect the three fleet races on Sunday, including the crash at the start of Race 3 that took out the United States, Italy and Brazil. Then they offer perspectives on the thrilling final as the Flying Roos edged out Emirates Great Britain in the final metres. Interviews with Nathan Outteridge, Nicholai Sehestead, Dylan Fletcher and Hannah Mills add depth to analysis of another evenful and unforgettable weekend for SailGP.   To read how the Flying Roos beat Emirates Great Britain to victory in New York, click here https://thefoil.com/news/flying-roos-pip-great-britain-for-victory-in-the-big-apple/   Chapters 00:00 Intro 04:17 Andy Rice on NYC and Disney+ 14:45 Friday practice cancelled 18:55 Saturday racing limited 28:20 Diego Botin interview 32:45 Sunday racing 35:12 Nathan Outteridge interview 42:00 Race 3 and the crash 52:40 Outteridge on split fleets 59:45 Nicolai Sehested interview 1:05:20 The final 1:13:55 Dylan Fletcher and Hannah Mills interviews   Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.   Sign up to The Foil’s newsletter at thefoil.com/subscribe   #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #AmericasCup #SailGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  America's Cup is back! The full Cagliari debrief - The Foil Podcast - Ep 21 28.05.2026 1t 7min

  The America's Cup is finally back, and after eighteen months of SailGP we'd almost forgotten how different it feels. So Neil Cole sits down with Freddie Carr and Lewis Smith – The Foil's new reporter and multimedia editor, just back from Cagliari – to dive into our very first taste of AC38 fleet racing. Lewis was on the ground for (nearly) the whole weekend, and shares his hot take: he prefers the AC40s to the AC75s, seeing the smaller boats as more playful and fun to chuck about. He and Freddie dig into how all the racing unfolded, from the chop of day one to the great leveller of flat water on day three, and the autopilot "superpower" that had the Luna Rossa Women & Youth crew outclassing everyone – right up until it all unravelled. The guys discuss what it's like to come back to the Cup after living in SailGP – the longer races, the space on the course, the upwind starts, the joy of actually being able to hear the calls on board – and then run a quickfire vibe check on all eight teams. We've also got the news of a second prelim in Naples at the end of September, Freddie on the legal cloud hanging over Athena Racing, then it’s a switch to SailGP and what's brewing in New York this weekend, where the question remains: who, if anyone, can stop the Aussies? Check Lewis' video from Cagliari: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zBK_WJOXyM Read more on SailGP’s 2027 calendar: https://thefoil.com/news/what-2027-calendar-tells-us-about-sailgp-s-future/ This episode is brought to you by Saily, the eSIM built by the team behind NordVPN. Available across more than 200 destinations, with plans flexible enough for a weekend away or a full season chasing the SailGP circuit – no SIM swap, no roaming bill shock, no wandering foreign airports hunting for Wi-Fi. We use Saily ourselves when travelling to events, like we'll be doing in NYC this weekend. Download Saily from the app store and use code FOIL15 at checkout for 15% off your first purchase. Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. 00:00:00 Start 00:02:23 Comparing the America's Cup to SailGP 00:11:01 Luna Rossa Women & Youth dominate 00:17:03 Day two tactics and upwind starts 00:24:20 Day three and the dramatic OCS penalty 00:33:10 Match race final: Burling vs Outteridge 00:45:06 AC38 prelim team-by-team vibe check 00:51:42 SailGP calendar and New York preview #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #AmericasCup #SailGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Podcast Extra: Mozzy and Freddie preview the AC38 Cagliari prelim 21.05.2026 55min

  Mozzy and Freddie are back with a bonus podcast, previewing the AC38 Cagliari preliminary regatta, the curtain-raiser on the road to Naples. With only 11 of last Cup's AC75 sailors returning to the racecourse, and a fresh wave of names making their debuts, this opening regatta in Sardinia feels less like a tune-up and more like the moment the next America’s Cup cycle properly begins. Mozzy and Freddie work through every announced crew list – from Emirates Team New Zealand’s Outteridge–Menzies pairing and the lingering Blair Tuke question, to GB1's surprising helm call, Athena Racing's two-female-helm setup, Luna Rossa's almost-too-stacked talent pool, Alinghi's freshly assembled lineup, and the French team's combination that could yet emerge as the dark horse of the weekend. The Cagliari prelim also marks the first time we'll see B-boat sailors racing for seats on the AC75 itself – a significant format change that could reshape squad dynamics across every syndicate as the fleet builds towards Naples 2027. READ MORE: https://thefoil.com/news/mozzy-s-take-on-cagliari-crew-lists-who-s-in-who-s-out-and-why/ https://thefoil.com/news/freddie-carr-why-the-ac38-prelim-regatta-in-cagliari-matters/ Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. 00:00:00 — Intro 00:04:28 — Emirates Team New Zealand (A Boat) 00:10:32 — Emirates Team New Zealand (Youth & Women's Boat) 00:13:49 — GB1 (A Boat) 00:20:36 — Athena (Youth & Women's Boat) 00:29:23 — Luna Rossa 00:36:03 — Tudor Team Alinghi 00:40:45 — La Roche-Posay Racing Team (France) 00:47:43 — Predictions & picks #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #AmericasCup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  “It starts with a dream”: Glenn Ashby on Australia’s AC38 challenge – The Foil Podcast ep 20 21.05.2026 1t 15min

  “The time is now,” decorated sailor Glenn Ashby tells The Foil’s Freddie Carr in an exclusive interview on Team Australia’s newly-minted challenge for the 38th America’s Cup.    In a long-promised one-on-one with The Foil, Ashby tells his old friend about how Australia’s return to the Cup for the first time since 2000 came together, and how by the end of this year an expansion to “80-100 people” must be complete.   The feeling and process of building up a team from scratch carries echoes for Ashby of his part in Emirates Team New Zealand’s victory in the 2017 Cup in Bermuda. He also reflects on the technical support from the Kiwi effort this time via the shared design philosophy. “We wouldn’t be in Naples next year without the support of ETNZ,” he admits.   Ashby predicts much tighter performance between the teams than we saw in the 2024 AC37 in Barcelona, and explains what success will look like for the Australians following their relatively late entry for Naples.   Before the Ashby interview, The Foil’s team discuss other matters of the moment, including the 49er, 49FX and Nacra 17 World Championships in France. Andy Rice, who was part of the live stream commentary team in Quiberon Bay, gives us the lowdown and presents a pair of interviews: one with new 49er World Champions Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush, the other with Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei who clinched the Nacra 17 crown.   NEXT UP: PODCAST EXTRAKeep an eye on the channel this week for an extra show, as Tom ‘Mozzy’ Morris and Freddie Carr preview the AC38 Preliminary Regatta which takes place in Cagliari this weekend. The duo dissect the teams and crew line-ups as the build-up to Naples in 2027 properly begins.   Also, head to thefoil.com to read Mozzy’s analysis of who’s in, who’s out and why https://thefoil.com/news/mozzy-s-take-on-cagliari-crew-lists-who-s-in-who-s-out-and-why/   Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP 00:00:00 Start 00:07:54 Young Kiwis dominate 49er World Championships 00:18:50 Debating the new Olympic sailing medal format 00:24:26 Nacra 17 champions Gigi and Maria interview 00:32:21 Are Team New Zealand underdogs for the prelims? 00:38:10 Glenn Ashby on the Team Australia Challenge 00:52:43 What will win the next America's Cup? 01:07:07 Paul Cayard and the Defi Wind foiling festival Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  First SailGP, now the America's Cup? The Aussies want it all | The Foil Podcast - Ep 19 14.05.2026 1t 28min

  Australia have now won so many SailGP events that it's starting to look like the anomaly when they don't. Episode 19 of The Foil Podcast digs into a Bermuda Grand Prix that felt like the F50s finally getting to stretch their legs – flat water, proper breeze, big race course – and dissects exactly how Tom Slingsby's crew made it look so straightforward. Andy and Freddie walk through the racing day by day, from Spain's eye-catching foiling speed to the tactical shifts that shaped day two, and from Canada's pivotal error to the breakdown of the grand final itself. There were other stories worth unpacking too. Glenn Ashby's ankle injury, Artemis's mechanical heartbreak and the thorny question of whether the current redress rules are fit for purpose all get proper airtime – as does Ryan Reynolds's first experience of F50 G-forces, which apparently left the Hollywood A-lister a bit rattled. Freddie also reflects on a bruising week with Gladiator in the TP52 Super Series opener, won ultimately by Sled after a tight last-day battle. And then, just as Bermuda was neatly wrapped up, the news was finally made official: a new Australian entry for the America's Cup, backed by the Winning family – 18-foot skiff royalty from Sydney Harbour, now setting their sights on the oldest trophy in sport. Andy and Freddie give their first read on what it means and who might be on the boat. Read more at The Foil https://thefoil.com/news/australia-returns-to-the-america-s-cup-after-26-years-led-by-tom-slingsby/ This episode is brought to you by our friends at Musto, the brand that's been building performance sailing gear for decades, working directly with sailors pushing boats and themselves to the limit. We wear it ourselves, on and off the water. Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP 00:00:00 Start 00:01:34 SailGP travel & expensive pints 00:07:21 TP52 Super Series recap 00:10:18 SailGP Bermuda day one conditions and starts 00:15:46 Spain's aggressive foiling & speed advantage 00:22:02 Glenn Ashby's ankle injury 00:27:28 Ryan Reynolds and F50 G-forces 00:32:51 Artemis breakdown & redress rules 00:38:18 Boundary penalties & pushing the lay lines 00:45:43 Day two tactical changes in lighter winds 00:50:48 Canada's costly mistake 00:56:59 Australia's dominant race strategy 01:02:52 Breaking down the Bermuda final 01:07:03 Australia's historic SailGP dominance 01:11:42 Which teams left Bermuda disappointed? 01:18:26 New Australian America's Cup challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Inside Bermuda SailGP, Gitana 18 & which boats make the Olympics? | The Foil Podcast - Ep 18 07.05.2026 1t 4min

  SailGP returns to Bermuda's Great Sound this weekend for the fifth event of season 6. For episode 18 of The Foil Podcast, Neil Cole, Andy Rice and Freddie Carr serve up everything you need to know before the F50s hit the water. The fourth visit to the spiritual home of SailGP brings a fleet of 12 (no Black Foils until Halifax) onto a stretch of water Andy and Freddie reckon plays more like lake sailing than open-water racing – gear-changey, breeze coming over the land, and a serious advantage to anyone who logged hours there in the AC50 days. Tom Slingsby is the obvious benchmark: he's topped the fleet-racing qualifying series every single time the league has rolled into Bermuda. The lads run over the contenders: a British side licking its wounds after Rio, an Australian squad riding the high of one of the fiercest race-day performances in the league’s history, a US team that simply refuses to let the wheels come off, and the defending Bermuda winners Spain. Beyond the race weekend, Andy shares a revealing sit-down with Jimmy Spithill on his unwitting role in launching SailGP, an inside look at the radical new Ultim Gitana 18 with its three-axis foil control and U-shaped rudders, and what the Switch class might mean for Olympic sailing. Plus Cole Tapper's Congressional Cup blazer, Freddie's first day back on a TP52 at the 52 Super Series, and a strong case against renting a moped in Bermuda. This episode is sponsored by Saily, the eSIM built by the team behind NordVPN. Available across more than 200 destinations, with plans flexible enough for a weekend away or a full season chasing the SailGP circuit – no SIM swap, no roaming bill shock, no wandering foreign airports hunting for Wi-Fi. This week we're using Saily ourselves in Bermuda. Download Saily from the app store and use code FOIL15 at checkout for 15% off your first purchase. This podcast is brought to you by Saily, the worldwide eSim service. Download the Saily app in the appstore and use out code foil15 at checkout to get 15% off your first purchase. For further details go to sail.com/foil15 Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #SailGP #Gitana18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  New signings, 7th challenger leaked & the design stables reshaping AC38 - The Foil Podcast - Ep 17 30.04.2026 1t 15min

  New alliances, new signings, and a secret that slipped out… In episode 17, Andy Rice, Freddie Carr and Neil Cole dig into the detail of how AC38 is playing out. Paul Goodison is the new skipper of Tudor Team Alinghi, while Giles Scott was just announced as the sailing director of American Racing Challenger Team USA. Both are on the podcast this week, and they walk Freddie through the early weeks at their new homes – what they've found, what they've inherited, and what's keeping them up at night with Naples 2027 already feeling closer than it should. What's emerging behind the scenes, though, may matter more than any individual hire. Alinghi have confirmed a design partnership with GB1, the Challenger of Record, and team director David Endean spells it out simply: with budget caps tightening and late entries scrambling to catch up, only the most prepared teams can afford to go it alone. Goodison himself admits it feels surreal – two campaigns ago, he and Freddie were sharing hotel rooms, taking design calls from opposite ends of the balcony so neither could hear. Now he's walking into the same meeting room as his rivals. And this week, America's Cup media accidentally confirmed what has been the worst-kept secret this cycle: the seventh challenger is Australia. The quote naming them has since disappeared from the official website, but not before Andy and Freddie saw it. With the cat now out of the bag, they talk through the implications for this cycle. Beyond the Cup, Freddie reports back from three days on a J-Class in Palma Bay before the TP52 season gets serious, Andy digs into French Olympic Week with special guest Alexia Lahoud, and Matt Wearn calls out Olympic sailing's media coverage from the top step of the podium. Plus a viewer question on whether the Cup's permanent backdrop of legal disputes is a feature or a bug. Follow @wearethefoil across all platforms – Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube. #TheFoil #WeAreTheFoil #AmericasCup #OlympicSailing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Why Ferrari Hypersail “could redefine” sailing – The Foil podcast – Ep 16 23.04.2026 1t 3min

  Neil Cole, Andy Rice and Freddie Carr return for the latest episode of The Foil podcast with a range of subjects to discuss. Andy has just returned from Milan where he witnessed the livery reveal for Ferrari’s amazing Hypersail project.   First up, the team tackle some audience questions, including when New Zealand’s Black Foils will return to the SailGP fleet as a new F50 takes shape in Southampton. They also discuss potential changes to the SailGP calendar in the wake of the war in the Middle East, the challenges of commentating live on events and the complexity of SailGP rules for racing.   Andy then tells us about arriving in Milan during Design Week to find out more about Ferrari’s fascinating venture into the sailing world. “The merging of automotive and maritime,” as Andy puts it. He offers some insight into the sustainability reasons why Ferrari has chosen to dive into sailing and, as Neil puts it, why this is a “moving laboratory” for new technology. Freddie suggests “It could redefine what we think sailing is”. But the team wonders, can a monohull really beat a multihull to a potential Jules Verne Around the World record?   An interview with French super-designer Guillaume Verdier – the man behind the Ferrari Hypersail – adds further detail, and he tells Andy how designers from land and sea “speak the same language” of physics.   The team then move on to the announcement made in Barcelona this week, as Tudor Team Alinghi announce their line-up for the 38th America’s Cup. “It’s an exciting line-up featuring a lot of talent,” enthuses Freddie. He and Andy then reflect on the importance of the forthcoming Road to Naples AC regatta in Sardinia.   To wrap up, Andy then offers an update on the 57th Semaine Olympique Française that is under way in Hyères this week, and Freddie tells us about how much he’s looking forward to grappling with Rainbow, the J-Class classic he’ll be helping to sail this week in Palma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices