It is simply… amazing, the way she speaks – soft spoken yet with so much conviction. That is the first thing I saw about Sarah Ayton, OBE. She has this very interesting way of getting her message across and it is as if when she speaks, people would definitely listen. As the coach of the Oman Air sailing team for the 2016 leg of the Extreme Sailing Series, Sarah is welcoming her new position – after being the tactician of The Wave sailing team. She explains: “I’m a great believer that if you’re good enough in my environment, you’ll be on the boat. For me I teamed with Oman Air and this year I’ll be coaching the team.” I quite remember some of her staff referring to her as “The Lady” and it is very… apt so to speak; being the only lady in the Extreme Sailing Series, a name such as The Lady really sticks.
“I’m a great believer that if you’re good enough in my environment, you’ll be on the boat.”
Unnaturally Natural
Sailing didn’t come naturally for The Lady. She was raised from a non-sailing background but that didn’t stop her father from encouraging her and her brother to take up an interest. She fondly remembers of her first thoughts about sailing: “We tried lots of different sports and then randomly fell upon sailing and it was one of those things that you know you just had a go at and just really loved.” I can see in her eyes, the reflection of the sea as we continued to speak.
She earned worldwide recognition as one the Three Blondes in a Boat alongside Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson when they bagged a gold medal for sailing in the Yngling class in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Shortly thereafter, the ladies went their own ways and have become important individuals in the sailing world. For their contributions to the sport, they have received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire with Sarah attaining the rank of Officer in 2009.
Of Dubai and Other Things
As our conversation went on, I had to ask if she had some time to do other outdoor activities while she was here in Dubai. In a light-hearted manner she quickly responded that “I wouldn’t do it, definitely wouldn’t do it!” followed by a warm laugh as I asked if she would like to try skydiving in the nearby Skydive Dubai. She then proceeds to remember their arrival in the emirate while sailing when the rest of the team lifted her up the mast but she asked to be put down after some time.
Despite not being a big fan of heights, what I immediately knew was the she was a big fan of watersports and some land-based sports as well. Outside of sailing she does windsurfing, mountain biking, road biking and running. Other than this, she also takes her children out for a day outdoors whether it be rugby, tennis or golf.
Master and Commander
On the field, Sarah takes a very straightforward approach: “I like to keep things simple” summarizes her style in issuing tactics to the team. As the tactician for The Wave last year, this was also the belief that led the team to their overall victory for the 2015 season. She elaborates in her simplistic style: “We just think that we’re trying to get this boat around the course as fast as we can.” She’s also a firm believer in consistency and that you have to be consistent in order to get results.
Adding to this, she says that it’s all about giving a good picture and delivering the information to the rest of team when they need it the most. She adds as well that a running commentary must be avoided so that the important information gets delivered when it’s needed the most.
As the coach for Oman Air this year, they are pretty busy with of course the new GC32 as well as the introduction of new formats entering the series. About this, she says: “…it’s the first time we had the GC32s so there’s lots to learn, lots of boat work. I’ve got a lot of photos of us all working in the dark with torches on trying to get the boat done.” Other than preparing their GC32, they also give sessions with young and aspiring sailors in each of their destinations where she encourages women especially, to have a go at sailing.
A Portrait of the Sailor as a Mother… and Woman
In the final minutes of my time with Sarah, we delved into a more personal aspect of things – her motherhood. She admits that being a sailor and a mother is a real balancing act – one that requires organization and discipline. The mother of two lovely children, Sarah glows with fondness as she is reminded of her children back in the United Kingdom. “They actually enjoy what I am doing, they’re following me online when I’m away and it’s not a problem” – referring to the times when she is out at the sea or in foreign lands. She says that the key to their parental relationship has always been good communication and she is quite an expert in that aspect.
Despite being the only woman in the Extreme Sailing Series and being one of the few female coaches in the field of sailing at large, Sarah says that she does not let her gender become a factor. Her opinion can be summarized in her very short statement: “The boys respect me, I respect the boys. We’re all five athletes trying to do the best that we can at what we do”.
In closing, my last question was about the achievement that she is most proud of. It actually went without saying as she mentioned that it had to be the 2008 Olympic Games. She brings Three Blondes again to mind as they bagged their Olympic gold as a team and everything else followed suit – Double World Champions, European Champions. She also remembers her first gold back in 2004, also in the Yngling class. But she ends her response saying that “…Beijing was probably my best one but the others are very special to me”.
As the recorder stops, a silence ensued and this was when it hit me, that Sarah is quite a person to meet; a multi-faceted human with exceptional skills both as a mother and as a sailor and that in her gentle and simplistic ways, she gets the world watching and listening as she coaches the Oman Air team with prowess. At the end of it all, we left the room and she went the other way, probably being called by the seas to take her throne as its empress.
Words by: Keith Perena
Photos supplied by: Lloyd Images
