Kiwis win in
Cartagena, Artemis 5th

Nickname: Dog

Born: 26 Jan 1967 in Melbourne

Lives: Sydney

Andrew has recently joined ARTEMIS as coach of the Louis Vuitton Trophy and the RC44 sailing teams. The relationship got off to a positive start, with ARTEMIS winning the Maktoum Trophy RC44 in Dubai in February 2010.

Andrew brings a wealth of experience to the team both as a sailor and coach. Since the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, when Andrew sailed with past America’s Cup skipper Iain Murray in the Star Class, most of his time has been spent coaching teams in 18 foot skiffs, Farr 30s, Farr 40s and Etchells. Andrew also coached Star sailors Hamish Pepper (NZL) and Craig Monk (NZL) who won the Silver medal at the 2009 Star Worlds. Andrew is working with Hamish and Craig as they campaign towards the London 2012 Olympics.

“It’s an interesting time to be involved in America’s Cup world. There is currently a very positive vibe that good things lie ahead in the short term for the next Cup and it will return to its position at the pinnacle of our sport. To be involved with a talented, dynamic and developing team, such asARTEMIS is quite exciting for me as a coach.”

Sailing-wise, Andrew is teamed with America’s Cup winning helmsman John Bertrand and Dual Laser World Champion Tom Slingsby (both AUS) for the 2010 Etchells Worlds in Dublin and has won the previous two Australian Etchells Championships. Andrew is a World Champion in the Etchells class and last year finished 3rd when teamed with Bertrand and the Team Origin Skipper Ben Ainslie.

Philosophies on training and preparation:

Lots of training in the boat for speed and boat handling. Whilst sailing is an equipment focused sport, the sailors still need sharp instincts to know how to get the best from their sails, rig, bodies and boat at any given tight-spot around the race course. There really is no substitute for simply putting yourself in positions where you need to make decisions and take actions in order to execute maneuvers or to make strategic decisions. To start with, mistakes will be made. One of my tasks is to help create an environment where the team can learn from these situations and improve. Executing these things well under the pressure of a competitive environment when there is plenty at stake is what separates the teams that consistently finish near the top from the others.

General sailing fitness is important, keeping fit and strong. The main thing is to be able to recover well ready for the following day. Weights in the gym for injury prevention and weight management. Stretching for injury prevention and agility and balance. Racing involves a lot of variables you cannot control, like the wind-shifts and how your opponents perform.

“In general, I am keen to ensure that the elements you can control in the lead-up to events are done effectively,” said Andrew.

Personal motto: The hard yards pay off in the end.