Sailor in the Spotlight

One of the top sailors in the world, Sam Davies is infectiously buoyant, remarkably skilled, and well on her way to achieving rock-star status. She's become a darling of the press, the sponsors, and even her competitors. She looks like a swimsuit model, sure, but that doesn't change the fact that she's a solid, world-class competitor. And maybe more than anything else, her exuberance shows that she clearly loves every minute on the water, and truly enjoys racing.
Sam proved she's more than a pretty face again last week, by being the first Brit across the line in the Artemis Transat race. She sustained damage to her older Open 60 after hitting something which may or may not have been whale-ish, slowed down for a while, and then got right back to racing all-out, despite the damage. Hey, what are the chances of hitting TWO whales?
With that truly unsinkable drive, Sam Davies is our latest Sailor in the Spotlight. We caught up to Sam in Marblehead, MA, US.

YP: First of all Sam, congratulations. We're proud of you here at YachtPals.
Sam: Thank you, thank you. That's really kind of you. I was proud of me too [laughing].


YP: I hear you were a cruising kid, is that true?
Sam: Yeah, my Mum and Dad had a cruising boat when I was born, so... I wasn't an excuse for them to stop going sailing. I used to get tagged along with the cushions and my toys. They taught me everything I know. To enjoy it. To make roast beef and yorkshire pudding, while in a force 7 gale blow [laughing].
They had a Contessa 28 at the time. Now my Mum and Dad are living their dream. They sold everything, and now they live on a classic yacht, a 1928 racing schooner. Um, so they're more crazy than I am.
Read more here.