Hi – I’m Justin Chisholm, the founding editor and main writer here at Yacht Racing Life.
I’ve been a sailing journalist for the past 25 years, covering the biggest events in the sport – from The Ocean Race and the America’s Cup to the Vendée Globe. I’ve filed stories from the media centre, the press boat, and even onboard – including racing around Great Britain and Ireland as the embedded reporter with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.
Along the way, I’ve interviewed most of the sport’s leading lights and worked behind the scenes with some of the top teams as a communications director and media strategist. I’ve also done my fair share of mark-rounding and midnight watches, starting out on a murky lake in northwest England and eventually racing offshore in the Fastnet, Round Ireland, and internationally in the Melges 24 fleet.
These days I do a lot less racing, but I still spend a huge amount of time on the water – watching the pros do their thing and asking them questions afterwards.
Yacht Racing Life began as a personal project – a digital calling card – but it’s grown into something bigger: a home for the stories I want to tell about the people, teams, technology, and passion that make this sport what it is. The tone is informal, informed, and on occasion opinionated. I write most of the content myself, though from time to time I’m joined by brilliant guest contributors who share the same obsession for high-performance sailing.
I’m not a naval architect, a sail designer, or a systems engineer – but I have access to those who are, and I try to explain the technical side of our sport in clear, accessible language. My real focus, though, is on the human stories: the sailors, coaches, designers, and team managers whose lives revolve around wind, water, and competition.
If podcasts are more your style, check out The Yacht Racing Podcast, where I sit down for longform conversations with some of the most compelling characters in the sport.
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Ultimately, I'd love for Yacht Racing Life to become a hub for the global sailboat racing community – a place where fans, sailors, and insiders can enjoy good stories, share insights, and stay connected.
Our Public Posts are available for all to read, but if you sign up for a Free Membership (no credit card required) you’ll unlock extra posts and get access to the newsletter (daily, weekly, or monthly – your choice) so you never miss a story or podcast episode.
If you’d like the full experience, a Full Membership unlocks everything on the site. You can try it risk-free with a seven-day trial – no commitment, cancel anytime.
Free and Full members are able to comment on all the posts on Yacht Racing Life.
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read this. I hope you’ll stick around – and maybe even become part of the Yacht Racing Life community.
Good racing...
Justin Chisholm – Founder & Editor
Yacht Racing Life