Mel, how do you become the voice of the America's Cup?
That's part of my job in the race management team.
When your cool voice says before the races: "This race is live!", it means: "Here we go!"
(Smiles.) This is the moment when the wind tests that we carry out before the races are passed. The winds on the Cup course must be consistently above 6.5 and below 21 knots between nine and four minutes before the start for a race to start. If the limit values are exceeded or undercut at even one measuring point, the clock is reset to the initial nine minutes and the procedure starts all over again.
How did you get into race management?
In my first job after college, I worked as a regatta coordinator for the St Francis Yacht Club. The next America's Cup came in 2013 and I helped with the pre-regattas and met Iain Murray in 2011. He took me with him.
Iain Murray is Regatta Director for the America's Cup for the fourth time. Between 1983 and 2017, he was also active as skipper and designer in Cup times in the 12-metre class, the International America's Cup class (IAAC) and the multihull era of the America's Cup. You probably couldn't have a more experienced boss.
Iain has enormous knowledge and so much experience. He is very well respected. I enjoy working with him and I work well with him. Also at the SailGP, where I actually work the whole season. But the SailGP is currently taking a break. That's why it fits so well with the America's Cup.
In fact, Iain Murray was one of your sailing heroes when you were a child. He was a tactician on the Cup yacht "OneAustralia", which dramatically broke up and sank in 1995. As a nine-year-old, you sent the team a letter and your pocket money of five dollars to help.
Yes, and I got a letter back from skipper John Bertrand and the five dollars with thanks and a note saying that fortunately they didn't have to use the money.
Your job requires globetrotter qualities, you are on the road a lot. Do you like travelling?
Very. The SailGP takes you around the world.
Are your jobs in the SailGP and the Cup similar?
Partly. At the AC, the focus is on communication. In SailGP, I work with the league software, design courses, am part of the race management and help with the documentation.
You are involved in race management and communication technologies in both the America's Cup and the SailGP. Are they similar?
Of course I can't say anything about that. (Grins.)
But we can reveal that not only do you get up at five o'clock every morning and go for a run before work, you are also a favourite hobby baker among all your colleagues.
I love baking. Today we have brownies, maple syrup walnut cookies and coconut biscuits with chocolate flakes in our office.
