Q&A
As excitement builds ahead of the 37th America’s Cup, we chat to Olympic legend Paul Goodison - Driver for the US challenger American Magic
Q: What is your opinion of Barcelona as a venue for the 37th America’s Cup?
A: We’re excited to be here in Barcelona, obviously racing here last year in the 52s, we got a little bit of a glimpse of what the racing is going to be like, what the weather conditions are going to be like. But now out there in our AC40s, with two boats out yesterday, it’s exciting. The sea state is going to be a little bit challenging; the wind is a little bit different, but we’re all excited to be here and we’re super excited to start racing.
Q: You’re driving the boat and flying! What is the sensation to drive this boat?
A: The little AC40 is an amazing boat. With the autopilot working strong they’re both super stable. You can throw the boat around and almost race it like any other little monohull. It’s an incredible piece of kit, but when you move on to the AC-75, the boat’s a lot more powerful. The boat bites a bit harder and if you get it wrong – with manual flight and a lot more of a team coordination between the cyclists and the sailors – it’s a different challenge.
Q: What are the keys to American Magic winning?
A: You’ve got to think about it as your destiny is in your own hands. It’s all about completing the process, doing all the things that you need to do to get yourself into the best position for when the race comes. And if you get it right and you race well, then hopefully you win at the end of the day.
Q: You have experience ra
