Beyond the Finish Line: Why the Journey Matters More Than the Results in Youth Sailing

A Memory That Lasts

It was 4 a.m. on December 23, 1988, when a group of helmsmen decided to play a trick. They woke up all 8 crews at a sailing camp, insisting it was time to start rigging their Cadet Class boats for land drills. Groggy children, aged between 10 and 14, dragged themselves from their bunks. They rigged sails, hauled spars, and even flew their spinnakers on land with bleary eyes, convinced the 6:30 a.m. drill had arrived. Minutes later, one boy with a waterproof Casio watch—a keepsake from the last international event—checked the time. It was still dark, on our day off before the World’s! The prank had worked. We all had a good laugh and the crews were not amused, but just happy to go back to sleep. I was one of them. Decades later, I still remember that morning far more vividly,than the night about two weeks later at the prize-giving ceremony where I was crowned Cadet Class World Champion. The prank and the laughter lasted longer than the medal, proving that the stories we carry are rarely about results.

“We remember the prank at 4 a.m. far longer than the prize-giving night.”

The 4 a.m. Prank: This playful deception, though brief, taught us that camaraderie and humor etched deeper memories than medals ever could. It was resilience wrapped in laughter—a lesson in valuing the journey.

Coaching Tales

Fast forward to 2012, when I was coaching a talented squad of 29er sailors at the Dutch Youth Regatta. We spent eight long hours on the water, waiting for races that never started. Some might call it wasted time, but those hours spent in hunger in wet and cold conditions forged resilience, patience, and camaraderie. We worked on how to manage boredom, improvise games on the water, and stay sharp despite the frustration of waiting. Those skills serve them to this day. 

In 2013, at the Australian Open Nationals in Brisbane, I witnessed a boys’ team sail their way back to shore in storm conditions. Managing a skiff in a storm is like balancing on a unicycle with one pedal turning every five seconds—wild, unstable, and unforgiving. Yet they were the only one of 2 who made it in without a capsize. Years later, they spoke more about that stormy survival than their regatta results. These are the moments etched in memory.

The Brisbane Storm: That precarious two-sail reach in violent winds became their badge of courage and a testament of their abilities. To this day, when I reflect on those young sailors, I am convinced that storm was the moment they truly became aware of their skill and ability to win at a world class level.

The Results Trap

It’s easy to get caught in the glamour of results. Medals shine, ranking sheets give clarity, and parents love neat milestones to share. But results can be deceptive. A sudden wind shift, a broken rudder, or even a protest in the jury room can upend a regatta. Does that make a sailor less skilled, disciplined, or courageous? No. Yet when focus remains only on results, children internalize that their worth depends on scoreboards. Teenagers, especially, are vulnerable. In their fragile years of identity, many quietly leave the sport, sometimes just as their real potential begins to shine. Worse, they associate sailing with judgment rather than joy, and that is the surest way to lose them.

The Magic Moments

Ask seasoned sailors their best memories, and it’s rarely about gold medals. It’s the in-betweens—the nights, the laughs, the struggles. One recalls the 2018 Asian Championship when the 49er FX boat was cleared through Jakarta customs at the nth hour over Ramadan which was thought to be impossible in Indonesia. The boat arrived damaged but instead of despair, the team gathered, patched it with duct tape, and laughed together. She won Silver (and the entry to the Asian games), but that gritty journey was the defining story. ' These moments remind us: growth happens in the messy, unglamorous middle—not on podiums.

That is why coaches, sailors, and parents must all remember to value the process, not just the medals.

“Growth happens in the messy, unglamorous middle—not on the podium.”

Life Lessons at Sea

For teenagers, sailing is more than a sport—it’s an accelerated version of life itself.

- Unpredictability: No two days on the water are alike. Teens learn to adapt, to read the wind and waves, and to adjust strategies mid-race.

- Accountability: When you forget to tie a knot or fail to check your rigging, consequences are immediate. It’s accountability in real time.

- Resilience: Capsizing in front of your peers can be humiliating. But getting back up, and racing again or having a bad start and grinding it out to the front  teaches resilience far more effectively than a lecture ever could.

Parents often hope their kids will grow into confident, adaptable adults. Sailing does that—if we allow the focus to remain on the journey rather than the outcome.

Coaches Matter

While parents are powerful influences, teenagers often listen most to coaches. A coach’s words can magnify pressure—or nurture passion. Great coaches understand their role goes beyond rankings. They celebrate the small wins: a perfect gybe after weeks of practice, a shy teen stepping up to brief the team, or a sailor persisting despite repeated capsizes. I remember a coach praising a 13-year-old who always finished last in training: 'Every lap you’re faster. Results will follow, but your persistence is already a win.' That boy stayed in the sport, grew, and became a leader. Coaches who highlight learning, adventure, and joy create environments where kids want to return. They make sailing about self-belief rather than fear of losing. One coach I know even made it a rule that every sailor had to share one thing they enjoyed after training—no matter how tough the day. It could be a wave surfed, a funny capsize, or even just the snacks afterwards. That ritual built a culture of positivity and reflection to keep things in the right perspective.

Passion Over Pressure

At one regatta,13-year-old Aarav finished near the back of the fleet. His father immediately listed every mistake: poor tacks, bad starts, wasted downwinds. The coach, however, asked just one question: 'Did you enjoy being out there?' Aarav sniffled, then admitted he loved surfing down waves on the final leg when the wind picked up. That mattered more than position. Passion fuels persistence. Pressure without passion pushes kids away.

“Passion keeps you sailing; pressure drives you out.”

Beyond the Sport

Few children will become professional sailors. Most move on—to medicine, engineering, aviation, business. But the lessons linger:

- Decision-making under pressure.

- Coping with failure, bouncing back stronger.

- Leadership and teamwork.

- Respect for nature and patience.

A former sailor once told me: 'I don’t remember medals. But every time I walk into a boardroom, I still think like that teenager at sea—read conditions, plan, adapt.' Sailing builds humans, not just champions. These skills are the invisible trophies carried for life.

Parents’ Role

So, what can parents do to truly support their child’s sailing journey?

1. Celebrate sincere effort, not just results. Applaud courage in storms, resilience after capsizes, or persistence when plans go wrong or just sticking with the regular training.

2. Ask about experiences, not rankings. Replace 'Where did you finish?' with 'What did you learn?' or 'What was the best part of the day?'

3. Notice growth that’s invisible on scoreboards—leadership, independence, and decision-making.

4. Detach your own pride. Medals are not proof of parental effort. Sailing belongs to the child.

Parents who succeed in this shift often find their children stay longer in the sport. I’ve seen mothers who ask, 'What was the funniest thing that happened today?' instead of 'Did you win?' and fathers who celebrate effort by treating the whole team to ice cream after a tough regatta, regardless of outcome. These small acts teach children that their value lies not in results, but in effort, resilience, and joy of the experience.

This perspective shift helps create not only better sailors, but more confident, resilient young adults who will apply these lessons well beyond the boat park.

The Larger Regatta

Every race has a finish line. Life does not. What matters most is not how quickly one crosses, but how one sails through shifting winds. Teenagers who fall in love with the journey carry those lessons into adulthood. They face storms with courage, ride fair winds with humility, and build the confidence that comes from weathering challenges. Results fade, but friendships, resilience, and memories endure.

SailGuru Gyan

If you want your children to succeed—not just in sailing but in life—help them fall in love with the journey. Celebrate their courage to set sail, their resilience to rise after setbacks, and their joy in feeling the wind.

Because one day, long after the trophies are forgotten, they’ll thank you. Not for pushing them toward medals, but for showing them how to embrace adventure, learning, and the wonder of the sport.

In sailing, as in life, the real victory is not the medal you’ve won, but the joy each day in a job well done.