Percy eyes the ultimate tribute to Simpson
Artemis manager aims for glory four years on from the death of his friend, writes Tom Cary
One way or another Iain Percy’s life is going to change dramatically over the next few weeks. As team manager and tactician with Artemis Racing, the Swedish challenger for the 35th America’s Cup which begins in Bermuda on Friday, he stands an excellent chance of getting through to next month’s final series against defenders Oracle Team USA.
Artemis have been one of the strongest teams in the practice racing which has been taking place in Bermuda’s Great Sound over the past few weeks. And while Percy – a two-time Olympic champion but one of the most unassuming, down-to-earth sportsmen you could possibly wish to meet – says there are still “a ----load of things” they can improve upon, he also admits the evidence of what we have seen so far “would have to” make Artemis one of the favourites to make it through, alongside Softbank Team Japan and Emirates Team NZ.
A win for Percy and for Artemis in sailing’s most prestigious competition would, of course, carry huge emotional significance. It would be redemptive. Percy was skippering the America’s Cup boat which capsized in San Francisco Bay before the last Cup in 2013, leading to the death of Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson, Percy’s childhood friend and the man with whom he won Olympic gold and silver medals in the Star class in 2008 and 2012 respectively.
The pain of that experience has shaped Percy’s life ever since.
Rather than quitting, as he and many of the team were tempted to do, Percy instead redoubled his efforts, leading Artemis in the Louis Vuitton Challenger series for the 34th Cup just a few months later. They stood virtually no chance, having had to rebuild their boat entirely in the wake of the accident, but their courage won them many friends. It was, they said, “what Bart would have wanted”.
Now, four years on, Percy is leading Artemis once more, in the 35th Cup. He is enjoying life again, or at least as much as it is possible to do when you are “lacking sleep, on a relentless mission to make every incremental gain you can”.
The 41-year-old, though, has absolute conviction that his team can win the challenger series and go through to face Oracle in the final. He acknowledges the reputation of the Kiwis, but says he is not concerned by their muchpublicised use of pedal power to drive their hydraulic systems.
“I’d like to challenge their best cyclist against [British sailor] Chris Brittle on the arm grinder for maximum watts,” he says. “Now
that would be a contest.” He reckons Land Rover BAR, by contrast, might be “a little low on power” but he is not writing off his friend Sir Ben Ainslie either.
“Oh God no. They’ve responded to what they’ve seen and are making changes. Those changes might be really good. Ben, in particular, is a very skilful sailor, so they’ll be fine. As long as they get on the pace. Overall they are obviously a strong team.”
As for himself, Percy says he is excited about where the America’s Cup is and where it is headed, about these 50ft foiling catamarans, which are faster but safer than the 72ft versions in 2013. On the subject of safety, he notes that teams have all stepped up brilliantly and worked as one. “I think, as a team, for obvious reasons, it’s been something that we’ve really been passionate about and made sure that it’s a collaborative approach,” he says. “Everyone has been great on that. Whenever there has been an incident internally we will share it with other teams. And that is reciprocated. It’s important that the safety side is never compromised by the competitive. It’s a legacy of Bart.”
In fact, he says, there has been a different vibe altogether surrounding this Cup. Fewer lawsuits, greater harmony. Or just “less bull----”, as he puts it. “We have a hell of a lot of respect for each other. Relationships going back years. And that’s good for the Cup. It’s a very different environment even than last time. And certainly prior to that.”
Would he like to continue with Artemis beyond this Cup? “It’s not my place to say. I am under no illusions, and nor is anyone here, that we need to perform. Torbjorn [Tornqvist, the Artemis owner] expects results from us. We need to perform for this team to carry on.”
Whatever happens, it is going to be a life-changing month for ‘the other British skipper’ in this Cup. Percy’s long-term partner, Alex, is due to give birth to their first child – a boy – around the time the Cup is due to finish. “It’s bordering on perfect timing/terrible timing!” he laughs. “She’s just gone back to the UK so she can be with her family and stuff. But we cannot wait.”
A few weeks ago, on the anniversary of Bart’s death on May 9, sailors from every team met in the Great Sound and shared a Dorset cider in memory of their former colleague.
Now Percy – who has been there for Bart’s widow, Leah, and her sons Freddie and Hamish over the past four years, and who helped to set up the Andrew Simpson Foundation in his friend’s memory – prepares to welcome a new life into the world. It would be the ultimate tribute if Artemis could also deliver a Cup to honour their friend.
‘It’s important the safety side is never compromised by the competitive. It’s a legacy of Bart’