Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP TOP

Shirley Robertson talks with top skipper, professional sailor and sailmaker Mike Sanderson

by Shirley Robertson 14 Jul 2021 15:13 NZST 14 July 2021
The signature shot of ABN AMRO 1 skippered by Mike Sanderson, as she passes Lizard Pt on the way to winning the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean race © Oskar Kihlborg

In this month's podcast, sailing maven Shirley Robertson talks with one of the world's leading offshore and Maxi yacht skippers, from New Zealand, Mike "Moose" Sanderson.

With tales to tell from the America's Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race and a host of successful Maxi yacht campaigns, Sanderson is a man who very obviously loves to talk sailing. Having left school early to pursue a career as a sail maker, he has spent his entire adult life immersed in the sport, and from his very first answer his enthusiasm and passion is there for all to hear.

Sanderson and Robertson sat down to talk just days after Emirates Team New Zealand's win at the 36th America's Cup, the pair kick things off with a short chat about the successful defence of the Cup, before moving on to Sanderson's early love of sailing and desire to make a living from the sport. HIs early inspiration was New Zealand's 1987 Fremantle America's Cup campaign, and of course Sir Peter Blake, and "Steinlager 2's" Whitbread win of 1990, both of which drove him to quit school and take to sailing.

Within a few years he had attracted the attention of some big names, in a country where big things were happening in the sport of sailing. At twenty one he was on the crew of New Zealand Endeavour, off around the world on the Whitbread, and his career was well under way.

"What was unbelievable about that campaign was that it was only four or five years after Fremantle, and all my heroes from Fremantle were actually sailing on the boat, these guys had literally all been on posters on my wall, and now I'm getting to sail around the world with them!"

That 1993/94 Whitbread Race was his first of many circumnavigations that made a big impression on the young twenty two year old.

"My first time around the world was like honestly, it was like reading a book about the round the world race...in the Southern Ocean we broke the mizzen mast, everything which I dreamt about, good and bad, it all happened. It was a very surreal time."

The 1993/94 Whitbread was the start of a career that would take in America's Cup campaigns, multiple Whitbread and Volvo Ocean Race campaigns, and a World Sailor of the Year win in 2006, having become the youngest skipper ever to win the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race leading the famed "ABN Amro 1" campaign. Currently CEO of Doyle Sails in Auckland, his career spans the modern era of yacht racing, and has seen him sail with some of the biggest names in the sport, from early days with Grant Dalton, to America's Cup campaigns for Oracle's Larry Ellison.

Sanderson talks candidly about that Cup period in 2000 and then 2003 in Auckland when Alinghi beat Team New Zealand, and of the implications that had for the sport...:

"That 1989 to 2000 period was interesting times... post 2000 of course was probably the biggest turning point in professional sailing that we've seen....because it went from something that you could possibly live on to literally overnight salaries tripled, quadrupled, whatever you like, suddenly every man and his dog was putting up there hand. It was a great time to be a professional sailor"

As an insight into the modern professional era of competitive sailing, this honest and engaging interview opens the door on life as a professional in our sport, and takes the listener down a multitude of different avenues, as Sanderson opens up on a lifetime spent sailing at the highest level.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and can be heard with the links above or listen via the podcast page of Shirley's own website, at shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast.

Related Articles

BOISW - New Committee announced for 2026
New Committee working hard behind the scenes to rework the 2026 Bay of Islands Sailing Week . A newly appointed committee is already working hard behind the scenes to rework the 2026 Bay of Islands Sailing Week event while honouring the traditions that have made it so special to the sailing community. Posted on 26 Jun
Nick Olson on PredictWind's newest features
Nick Olson discusses PredictWind's newest features PredictWind has long been a leader in presenting high-quality marine forecasts. Nick Olson discusses the company's newest features. Posted on 12 Jun
PredictWind launches Anchor Alert App
The app delivers immediate, real-time alerts if their anchor drags, ensuring enhanced safety. Global leader in marine weather forecasting, PredictWind, has announced the launch of its new standalone Anchor Alert app. Posted on 12 Jun
Armstrong Foils Demo Days return for 2025
Test the latest gear, get expert advice, and ride with the pros. Armstrong Foils is proud to announce the return of Armstrong Demo Days for 2025. Test the latest gear, get expert advice, and ride with the pros. Posted on 4 Jun
Armstrong Foils: On tour - Home of Armstrong II
Join America's Cup champion, Blair Tuke and Armstrong team riders on the tour of NZ's Far North Join three times America's Cup champion, Blair Tuke and Armstrong team riders Olivia Jenkins, Naumi Eychenne, Bowien van der Linden, Cash Berzolla, and Reo Stevens, on the Home of Armstrong Tour II, as they explore NZ's Far North. Posted on 30 May
VX One Class forms Int. Class Assoc.
Significant new chapter begins for VX One sailors with formation of an Int Class Assoc. A significant new chapter has just begun for VX One sailors worldwide with the formation of the VX One International Class Association Posted on 20 May
“Foil4TheGulf”, set to take place on Saturday
“Foil4TheGulf”, set to take place next Saturday (24 May) at Auckland's Okahu Bay “Foil4TheGulf”, set to take place next Saturday (24 May) at Auckland's Okahu Bay, has been inspired by the Hauraki Gulf / Tikapa Moana Marine Protection Bill's stalled progress in Parliament after its second reading in December last year. Posted on 13 May
RS-Quest rally at Cheltenam Beach
Eight RS-Quests sailed to Cheltenham Beach, on Sunday for the first NZ Quest barbeque lunch. Eight RS-Quests sailed to Cheltenham Beach, alongside North Head at the entrance to the Inner Waitemata Harbour, on Sunday for a barbeque lunch. Posted on 5 May
Taipa Sailing Club hard hit by Cyclone
The Taipa Sailing Club is reeling after being hard hit by Cyclone Tam - launches Givealittle page When Cyclone Tam tore the roof off the Taipa Sailing Club just over a week ago, the immediate future of the small Northland yacht club suddenly looked uncertain.A Givealittle page has raised more than $6000 in the first five days. Posted on 28 Apr
Exotic caulerpa in Paradise Bay at Urupukapuka
A cruiser was surprised when he pulled up a substantial amount of exotic caulerpa A cruiser was surprised - and worried - when he pulled up a substantial amount of seaweed that looked like it could be exotic caulerpa in Paradise Bay at Urupukapuka. Posted on 16 Apr
Boatseekr_LeaderBoard_121 - BOTTOMTNI Pindar SW Ads_728x90px-3 BOTTOMCollinsonCo 728x90 BOTTOM