Please select your home edition
Edition
Vaikobi 2024 December

An interview with ILCA 6 sailor Sarah Douglas about her 2024 Olympic Campaign

by David Schmidt 1 Feb 2024 16:00 GMT February 1, 2024
ILCA 6 gold for Sarah Douglas (CAN) at 54th Semaine Olympique Française - Toulon Provence Méditerranée © Sailing Energy / Semaine Olympique Française

When it comes to ILCA 6 racing in Canada, the conversation doesn't have much verbal runway before Sarah Douglas's name takes flight. Douglas represented Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she finished in sixth place, and she has spent the last three years preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which will be her second Games.

To date, Douglas has earned Canada a country spot on the ILCA 6 starting line at this summer's Olympics, but she first has to cement her selection to the team at the 2024 Princess Sofia Regatta (March 29 to April 6).

Formalities aside, Douglas has been posting some impressive results in the past few years. These include finishing in fifth place at the 2023 Olympic Test Event, winning the ILCA 6 class at the 2023 French Olympic Week, and wining the 2022 Palma World Cup.

I checked in with Douglas, via email, to learn more about her program ahead of this summer's Games.

Can you tell us a bit about how your campaign is going so far? What have been your biggest challenges and rewards?

Like any Olympic campaign, I've had my highs and lows. I've had a couple of break throughs by winning World Cups, but still lack consistency from regatta to regatta. I am fortunate to have some incredible people around me to help guide my program along with financial support from donors, sponsors, and my community.

This quad, I've really stepped up and became CEO of my own program, which comes with pros and cons, but now I have freedom to choose where my energy goes, run multiple meetings a year with my support team, and am really happy of how I've progressed as an athlete and a person.

How does this quad's qualification compare to the Tokyo qualification process, at least so far?

I'm in a similar spot as the Tokyo Olympic qualification. I earned Canada a country spot and now have a large lead after the first trials event. We have the same qualification process for Paris where it's the best Canadian out of the 2024 Worlds and the 2024 Princess Sofia Regatta. I am confident in my selection and now I'm focusing on peaking for Paris.

How have you been structuring your training this quad? Any big differences with the last quad?

This quad we have been focusing on having a more consistent training group and higher quality. I have been training with mostly Europeans and primarily with Norway, Sweden and Finland "we the north".

It's been a lot of flying across to Europe, and to spend time at the Olympic venue. We believe it's worth the jet lag and travel to train in a high-quality group of sailors and coaches, [and] to be pushed on the water every day.

Who have you been working with on the coaching side? Also, how long have you and your coach (or coaches) collaborated?

My sailing coach, Vaughn Harrison, and I have been working together since 2017. In times he hasn't been available, we have worked with other coaches like Nick Thompson and Jesper Stalheim in 2023.

My support team has now grown to seven people. My sailing coach, Vaughn Harrison, strength and conditioning coach, Sheldon Persad, [my] mental performance coach, Rolf Wagschal, [my] physiologist, Ollie Armstrong, [my] nutritionist, Nicole Springle, [my] athletic therapist, Alice Sobiesiak and [my] sports doctor, Dr. Kim Coros.

I am so fortunate to work with experts in their own field to help guide and develop my program towards Paris.

What about training partners? Who have you been sparing against recently?

This quad I have been primarily training with Norway's Line Flem Host, Finland's Monika Mikkola and Sweden's Josefin Olsson, but [I have also] spent some time in Florida training with [the USA's] Erika Reineke at the end of 2023.

In terms of skills, what do you think have been your biggest areas of improvement since Tokyo?

Since Tokyo, my upwind speed has taken a jump along with my downwinds. My downwinds still aren't where I want them to be so, that will continue to be my primary focus.

What do you plan to focus on between now and Palma and/or the Paris Games?

Between now and Palma, I've got two training blocks set up in Mexico and Portugal but now the primary focus is on the Paris games. I will be spending most of my spring and some of summer in Marseille where the sailing will be held for the Olympics. I'm focusing on downwind and strategy/forecasting.

Is there anything else that you'd like to add about your campaign, for the record?

I always just like to thank everyone for the support. Getting to an Olympic Games is a major commitment, both personally and financially, and every bit of support matters. I write a monthly newsletter with more updates on my campaign, which you can subscribe via my website: www.sarahdouglassailing.com

Related Articles

Tongue Twister Triumphs
Albacore wins Concours d'Elegance at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show The Concours d'Elegance for the boat of the show has been won by Matt Thompson's Albacore 'Uffa Fox Sake' after judges Mark Jardine, joined this year by the voice of SailGP, Stevie Morrison, spent an enjoyable morning perusing every boat on display. Posted on 23 Feb
The engine room
Without them we are lost. This is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick. Without them we are lost. This is not about the tiny little room under the companionway stairs. Rather, it is about the things aloft both ahead and behind the stick.Yes. The rags. Only, they are anything but for wiping up spills. They are supreme tech. Posted on 9 Feb
SailGP: Controversial Call? Late Umpire Decision?
Arguably the most contentious moment of the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix The KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix provided us with thrilling racing, but arguably the most contentious moment was when the Australian SailGP Team were awarded a penalty in the pre-start when they were luffed by the Canadian NorthStar SailGP Team. Posted on 9 Feb
Slingsby's SailGP Starting Masterclass
KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Analysis Day 1 Video Analysis The reaching starts in SailGP make for entertaining viewing and, with just 400 metres until the first mark bear away, they are often critical to a race result. Posted on 8 Feb
J/40 Boat Tour at boot Düsseldorf
Mark Jardine looks at the yacht with Frédéric Bouvier from J/Composites Mark Jardine, Managing Editor of Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com took a tour around the J/40 during boot Düsseldorf 2025 with Frédéric Bouvier from J/Composites. Posted on 7 Feb
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
If ever I needed a reminder of how varied the sport of sailing is, the past fortnight provided it If ever I needed a reminder of how varied the sport of sailing is, the past fortnight has provided it. We've seen the whole spectrum of goings on, from the superb in the Vendée Globe, to the baffling with the British America's Cup team. Posted on 4 Feb
Freight Train Running
Checking in with Cole Brauer and ZaZa Tucker in the Southern Ocean Back at the beginning of November 2024 in 'When diminutive is massive' we warned fellow mariners in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans, then the Tasman Sea that First Light may resemble more of a freight train on her delivery to Australia than a Class 40. Posted on 27 Jan
Small boats at boot Düsseldorf!
Mark Jardine took a look around Hall 15 to see what he could find... Hall 15 at boot Düsseldorf has some really interesting small boats, so Mark Jardine took a look around to see what he could find... Posted on 24 Jan
So much more than records and statistics
The way the Vendée Globe record was demolished was astounding The way the Vendée Globe record was demolished was astounding. Armel Le Cléac'h's mark of 74 days, 3 hours, 36 minutes had stood for eight years, with the 2020-21 winner of the race, Yannick Bestaven, taking just over 6 days longer to complete the course. Posted on 22 Jan
XR 41 World Premiere at boot Düsseldorf 2025
X-Yachts CEO Kræn B. Nielsen presides over the big reveal The XR 41 is one of the most exciting race yachts for 2025, and we were at the World Premiere on Saturday 18th January at boot Düsseldorf. Posted on 18 Jan