How Neighbours, Home and Away Kylie Minogue playing role in Aussie SailGP’s success

Soaps Neighbours and Home and Away - and a British Olympian who watched them - are strangely playing a part in the resurgence of the Aussie crew in the SailGP series hitting Sydney at speed.

A light-footed Chris Draper, wing trimmer of Australia SailGP Team, runs across the F50. Photo: Felix Diemer for SailGP.

Australian soaps Neighbours and Home and Away - and a British Olympic medallists who watched them avidly - are strangely playing a part in the resurgence of the Australian crew in the SailGP world series which hits Sydney Harbour at high speed this weekend.

The Australian vernacular has a history of bemusing and confusing international athletes at the best of times but in a sport where split second decision are crucial, clear communication has never been more vital.

That’s not an issue for the Flying Roos newest recruit Chris Draper who grew up on a diet of Australian soaps Neighbours and Home and Away so is right at home with the Aussie accent and our propensity for slang and nicknames when racing with skipper Tom Slingsby and his crew.

And that’s handy given any lapse in communication between sailors aboard the foiling catamarans can easily result in a costly - potentially catastrophic - crash at high speed aboard the foiling F50’s which are the SailGP’s weapons of choice.

“I passed the Aussie test very easily from watching Home and Away and Neighbours over the years, that’s helped,’’ said Draper, a world recognised sailor and coach involved in Olympic, America’s Cup and SailGP racing over the years.

“The comms are a huge part of what we do. So it’s important communication is clear.’’

Jason Waterhouse, flight controller of Australia SailGP Team, and Chris Draper, wing trimmer of Australia SailGP Team, look ahead as the Australia SailGP Team train. Picture: Jon Buckle for SailGP.

Draper was enticed to join the Australian crew following the poaching of three-time series winner Kyle Langford, who grew up in Newcastle north of Sydney, to the Italian team headed up by Australian James Spithill, a two-time America’s Cup winning skipper from Sydney’ northern beaches.

It was a big hit for the Australian crew but after two rounds, Draper has proved an adept replacements and the right fit for the Australians who pre-season were keen to tap into his light wind expertise and skill.

Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan in Neighbours. Picture: supplied

Chris Draper in action.

Draper, who won a bronze medal in the 49er skiff at the Athens Olympics back in 2004, is the wing trimmer on the Australian catamaran, a demanding role involving trimming and communicating the modes and speeds the boat should be sailing at during the two days of crash and burn racing at the Sydney SailGP.

“I try to keep the boat going as fast as we can in as steady state as possible so Tom can manoeuvre on his impulse and what he sees at the time,’’ Draper said.

The cutting edge F50s raced blast above the water on T-foils which were introduced for the 2024/25 season and are expected to see new speed records set repeatedly this year - and potentially on Sydney Harbour in round three of the series on Saturday and Sunday.

The Australia SailGP Team and Emirates Great Britain team in close combat.

The Flying Roos are the defending champions at the Sydney event with skipper Tom Slingsby maintaining it is their most desired win of the season bar the finale where the winners takes home a whopping $US2m in prizemoney.

In Sydney each of the 12 teams race identical F50s catamarans in a series of qualifying races of around 15 minutes.

The top three boats then fight out for the event win in a three-boat finale where the winners take home $US200,000.

The Australians enter the Sydney leg of the 14-event series in third place behind Great Britain and New Zealand despite winning the Auckland leg a fortnight ago.

Series pointscore (after 2 of 14 events)

1. Great Britain, 17 points
2. New Zealand, 17 points
3. Australia, 16 points
4. Spain, 16 points
5. Denmark, 10 points
6. France, 10 points
7. United States, 8 points
8. Switzerland, 6 points
9. Germany, 6 points
10. Canada, 6 points
11. Italy, 5 points
12. Brazil, 3 point.

More from AMANDA LULHAM HERE

Originally published as How Neighbours, Home and Away Kylie Minogue playing role in Aussie SailGP’s success