Chris Draper: podcast appearances and interviews

Chris Draper, born on 20 March 1978, is a British sailor with an extensive competitive record, including multiple World and European championships and a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Sailing event in the mixed 49er category. He has competed at the highest levels of sailing, winning the Extreme Sailing Series and serving as helmsman for Luna Rossa, Italy's America's Cup challenger from 2011 to 2015. Notably, Draper became the first British to helm in the Louis Vuitton Cup final during the 34th America's Cup. He held various roles, including Sailing Team Manager, Tactician, and Wing Trimmer for Softbank Team Japan during the 35th America's Cup and America's Cup World Series between 2015 and 2017. In 2019, Draper assumed the roles of CEO and Wing Trimmer for the Great Britain team racing in SailGP, a competitive circuit featuring F50 hydrofoiling catamarans, and continued with the Japanese SailGP team as a Wing Trimmer during the 2021/2022 season, securing multiple event wins and finishing as runners-up overall. Residing in Lytchett Matravers, Dorset, UK, Draper is married with two children. He began sailing at age seven in an Optimist boat, influenced early on by his father and Jim Saltonstall, a former RYA Youth Program Leader and Coach. Outside of sailing, his interests include surfing and mountain biking.