Ask an American to name a professional offshore sailor and you’ll get a blank stare. Ask a French person, and you’ll get a list. In France, solo sailors are treated like astronauts: explorers who vanish over the horizon for months at a time, flirting with death, glory, and the indifferent brutality of the sea.
Americans are having none of that. After all, offshore sailing is lonely, punishing work—freezing cold or broiling hot, full of danger from storms or sunken shipping containers. Equipment failures are routine, and in places like the ice-strewn Southern Ocean, rescue is iffy at best.
The one name a few Americans might recognize isn’t an offshore sailor at all but a billionaire tech mogul: Oracle founder Larry Ellison. His vision—high-speed sail boats skimming like fighter jets, roaring crowds close enough to feel the spray—turned sailing into a Formula One-style spectacle. Offshore racers don’t have that. Their audience is a satellite feed. Their company? Slapping waves and their inner monologue.
In Europe, offshore racing is sacred. Winning skippers are national heroes. Corporations line up to sponsor them. Luxury brands slap their logos on hulls and sails; others offer long-term endorsements for sailors and their boats.
A few continents away, Australia and New Zealand also are obsessed. In 1983 Australia took the America’s Cup away from the U.S. The current long-time holder is New Zealand. Aussie and Kiwie sailors dominate professional sailing and they routinely win golds at Olympic events.
A recent illustrative event was the 2025 Offshore Doublehanded World Championship, primarily sponsored by the century-old UK’s Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and French racing clubs including The Yacht Club de France and boat maker Jeanneau. The boats themselves are festooned with decals from a dozen supporting marketers. America could only muster two teams out of 30.
One response to this deficit of U.S. participation comes from Charlie Enright, CEO of US Sailing and one of the world’s greatest offshore racers. At his inauguration he said, “I am looking forward to building on US Sailing’s legacy, working with our dedicated team to grow the sport.”
Jesse Fielding and Leah Sweet, two Americans who sailed in the recent Doublehanded race, are trying to address this nautical gulf. They spoke to Worth about their campaign and the future of American offshore racing. Fielding is from the sailing capitol of America, Newport, Rhode Island. According to North Sails, the preeminent global maker of racing sails, of the seven offshore sailors you need to know, only one, Jesse Fielding, is American. Sweet has an international background and currently lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She is one of America’s top female sailors.
Worth asked them why they chose offshore sailing as a sport. According to Sweet, “In many ways it chose me. Offshore is where I feel the happiest and most at peace.” Fielding’s reason: “I see it as the ultimate challenge. The racecourse is the ocean at large.”
The race they chose to showcase American sailing took place on some of the world’s trickiest waters, off Cowes, Isle of Wight from September 22nd to October 1st. There were 30 entrants and 28 were not American. The teams had to be both genders and they had to qualify via a long list of offshore experiences, for example having sailed shorthanded in a variety of boats including Volvo 65’s &70’s, as well as TP 52’s, and IMOCA’s. These are state-of-the-art, fast, at the edge-of-design and construction ocean racers. Simply qualifying was validation of America’s international competitiveness.
Fielding observed, “This is a brutal race that hones skills. Stiff winds, cold nights, harsh coastlines and vicious tides.” Sweet added, “Tides posed the most difficult challenge. They are heavily influenced by the geography of the coast.”
The boat they competed in was the very small Sun Fast 30, a one-design, meaning they are identical in every way, from weight to rigging to sails to gear. The goal of the race committee is to eliminate every variable…. but the sailors. The boats are randomly assigned on the day of the race. Non-sailors should know these 30 footers are not going to be comfortable. Every wave, every wind change will be instantly felt. In any kind of heavy weather, the boat itself is going to be a challenge to keep afloat.
This was acknowledged by RORC CEO Jeremy Wilton who stated, “The racing area in the Solent and English Channel is one of the most historic and challenging racing locations in the sport. It is complex, offering many tactical and strategic possibilities.”
Post race, Worth asked what it was like competing against the best sailors in the world, sailors with huge funding advantages and who train all year. “No two ways about it, we are playing catch-up. Racing in foreign waters takes more planning, resources and commitment,” said Fielding. According to Sweet, “The French dominate in all areas, and the rest of the European teams are strong as well. The Kiwis and Australians are keenly competitive and willing to take risks; they seem to just enjoy time on the water.”
To those of us on land, it is hard to imagine two people in a small boat for days battling the ocean’s forces. There must be some very special sauce that keeps the team together as they need to make countless crucial decisions while facing physical challenges… like changing sails on stormy seas in the middle of the night. Fielding offered, “First and foremost, we love what we do. Representing the U.S. on a global stage is an honor. Sweet and I have built a solid relationship based on mutual respect and the desire to be the best teammates we can be.” Additionally, according to Sweet, “Communication is the key and developing a clear style off the water makes high pressure moments easier to navigate. When the going gets tough, humor, inside jokes and even a little sarcasm go a long way to keeping things light.”
As to the bigger picture, what is the future of American offshore sailing? What would it take to bring up a generation of sailors who want to venture into this dangerous and difficult sport? Both Fielding and Sweet had so much to say.
Sweet’s thoughtful response: “I believe we can be competitive, but it will take both focused investment and creative storytelling because offshore racing doesn’t offer the instant, high-scoring drama of traditional U.S. sports. But its endurance and adventure are unmatched—the challenge is showing that to a wider audience. The bigger factor, though, remains financial. In France, sponsorship drives the sport because companies know offshore races capture national attention for weeks, not just hours. We need sponsors willing to take that same leap, and sailors delivering the stories that connect with fans. Sharing the excitement of this sport is something that drives me—not just competing, but proving that offshore racing can be exhilarating, inspiring, and very much worth supporting.”
Fielding agreed, “The optimist in me says Americans can compete. We enjoy sport, we love an underdog story and we love the pursuit of a goal that is beyond the norm. All of those elements are true for an American offshore sailor.”
While the team did not make the finals, they are undaunted. It was always a long shot against the well-financed competition that is continuously training.
Up next for Fielding? “I’m going to take some time way from the open ocean and walk the trails of western Ireland. Then I’ll look for the next sailing adventure.” Sweet says “Family time is on the agenda. Then, big picture, I have my sights set on a personal circumnavigation followed by bringing American offshore sailing into the global spotlight, both with The Ocean Race and my own campaign for the Globe40. Short term, I welcome more opportunities to sail double handed with Jesse. As far as the race we just entered, I feel the same way as most athletes after an event they haven’t won. The fire is lit and the desire is always to come back stronger next year for another stab at it – I’m there!”
Both Fielding and Sweet are available to speak on sports training and motivation or just describe what it is like to sail for days in a small boat on some of the most challenging waters on earth. Believe me, it is a tale worth hearing.
