GAC Pindar Skipper Seve Jarvin Interview
by Mark Jardine 20 Mar 2014 13:25 GMT
20 March 2014
Gotta Love It 7 flying downwind in race 2 of the 18ft Skiff Australian Championship © Frank Quealey
YachtsandYachting.com talk to Extreme Sailing Series™ GAC Pindar skipper and six-time JJ Giltinan champion Seve Jarvin about the step from 18ft Skiffs to Extreme 40s and his aims for the future.
Q: You must be delighted with your sixth JJ Giltinan win. I guess the next step is to match your team manager, Iain Murray's record of six straight wins as helm – are you aiming to compete in 2015?
Seve Jarvin: In all honesty, we haven't really talked about it yet, so we're not sure. There will be discussions over the next month or to plan for everything, so at the moment I'm not in a position to say, but there's a 50/50 chance I'd say.
Q: Singapore looked like a baptism of fire in the Extreme Sailing Series with shifting, gusty winds and a truly world-class fleet. How have you found the transition from 18ft Skiff to Extreme 40 catamaran?
SJ: Everything is very different, especially the racing, as it's not the sort of racing I'm used to. This is more fleet management racing, and I'm learning all the time in every race we compete in. I'm used to 1 hour races, and making the transition to 7 or 8 minutes per race has been challenging but exciting. In this competition, you have to make decisions quickly as everything is a lot more frantic. Concentration levels have to be top notch, and with the quick turnaround between races, there's no real time to reflect on the previous race.
Q: What one skill did you find you needed in Act 1 Singapore that you've not found so important in your previous sailing events?
SJ: Obviously it's important for all types of sailing, but starting really is absolutely key in the Extreme Sailing Series. With such short races, if you get a bad start and find yourselves towards the back of the pack, you have very little time to play catch-up, which is why a good start is so crucial.
Q: Where would you like to see GAC Pindar finish in the Extreme Sailing Series Act 2?
SJ: The series is a big learning curve for us at the moment, given that we're a young team, and most of us are new to the competition. The conditions here are slightly easier than in Singapore, and I believe we're learning and improving all the time. Although we had a difficult first day, we're confident we can pick up some good points during the remainder of the weekend.
Q: If you were to see one upgrade to the Extreme 40 catamaran, what would it be?
SJ: That's a tough question. To be honest, I like the boat and can't think of too much I'd change about it. Myself and the rest of the crew are certainly enjoying racing it, and we're getting to know it better every race.
Q: How did you get into sailing and at what age?
SJ: I first started sailing at the age of five – my family and particularly my Dad were big fans of sailing and they got me in to it from an early age.
Q: Who is your sailing role-model and why?
SJ: To be honest, it would probably have to be Iain Murray. He's obviously my coach now, and I've looked up to him over the past five or six years that I've worked with him, as he's got us to where we are today. However I idolised him before working with him, and it was my aim to be as good as him, and try to emulate his achievements in sailing.
Q: What advice would you give to a young, aspiring sailor who was determined to make the step up to the top level of our sport?
SJ: My biggest advice would be to stick at it and never give up. In all honesty, when I first started, there were times when I didn't enjoy it and had to be forced by my parents to go sailing. However, the more I did it, the more I grew to love it. I love the competitiveness of the racing, the teamwork, and being out on the open water. I wouldn't change what I do for anything, and I know I'm very lucky to be in this position.
Q: With Team Australia now in the America's Cup, have you had any contact with reference to joining the team?
SJ: There a lots of trials going on at the moment, and I've done a few trials recently, but its all up in the air at the moment, so we'll have to wait and see! I would definitely love to be a part of it though.