by Miranda Blazeby SailGP Media
U.S. SailGP Team CEO Mike Buckley has outlined his vision and long term expectations for the team ahead of its first home event this season in Los Angeles.
Buckley, who also races with the team in the role of strategist, sat down with SailGP presenter Lisa Darmanin and fellow team member Anna Weis ahead of the Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix on March 15-16.
He reflected on the team’s entry into SailGP mid-way through Season 4 and described its time in the league so far as ‘up and down’. The team was bought by an investor group last season led by technology investor Ryan McKillen, Margaret McKillen, and Buckley himself.
The team had a positive first start, excelling in Abu Dhabi’s light wind, flat water conditions to place third. But the team struggled amid the heavier conditions of events like Sydney and Halifax and suffered a shocking capsize ahead of racing in Bermuda. Ultimately, the team finished the season in 8th overall.
Looking back, Buckley pointed to ‘how new’ the team were at the point of Bermuda’s capsize, with limited on water training undertaken.
“We had very little experience and frankly we still do. We finished last season where we should have. I would have never bet that in our second SailGP event we would finish on the podium and we did.”
He went on to describe the Bermuda capsize – which caused damage to the team’s wing and ruled them out of racing in the event – as ‘scary as hell’.
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