Kevin Sproul - a madforsailing profile

What job do you do?
Sales and Marketing Director at Hyde Sails.

If you weren’t doing the job you are, what would you be doing instead?
Running my own photographic business.

What other sports do you do outside sailing?
Football, Squash.

Any other hobbies or interests?
I am 'madforsport' of any type except synchronized swimming, which I hate!

Favourite method of relaxing?
Holiday in Antigua.

Favourite bar or pub?
The Key in Hamble

What inspired you to take up sailing?
My Father was a keen sailor.

Where was your first sailing club?
Monklands Sailing Club in Scotland.

Which class did you first race in?
Graduate.

How did you buy your first boat?
My father bought it!

Have you ever used a coach?
Yes, one of the best - Jim Saltonstall.

Do you have any professional links to the sport?
Yes, through my work, Hyde Sails.

What’s your most memorable moment in sailing?
Racing around the Brittany coast during the Tour Voile 2000 in a Mumm 30, we had between 25 and 30 knots of wind from directly behind and hit speeds of up to 23 knots. We covered a hundred miles in six hours - an amazing day's sailing! But sailing the Ultra 30 from Hamble to Portsmouth and then racing in 30 knots was also pretty exciting.

What’s your biggest remaining goal in sailing?
To win as many championships in as many classes as possible!

How much time do you spend on the water each week?
So far this year I've spent a hundred days on the water.

Do you have a sponsor, and if so, who?
Not at the moment, but in the past Henri Lloyd and Glenfiddich have been very supportive.

Who are your Sailing heroes - and why?
Paul Elvstrom because he moved sailing to a different level with his dedication to improvement in every area.

What is the best excuse you’ve ever made for a poor performance in a race?
I guess that would be in a 420 race at Kiel Week. I was sailing with Andy Hemmings who is very organised, whereas I'm not. I had forgotten to bring the mainsheet blocks and we had to borrow some from another boat, unfortunately they were swivel blocks and as I was playing the main upwind it twisted and I couldn’t bear away at the windward mark! It lost us the regatta and Andy was livid.

What is the best excuse you’ve ever heard for a poor performance in a race, and from who?
Rob Smith caught a tree on the keel of his Melges in a race at the Worlds.

What’s your favourite sailing venue?
Key West.

What’s the single thing that could most improve the running of championship regattas?
Employing good race officers who understand what the competitors want - Tony Lovell, Jamie Wilkinson and the guys who run Key West are really good.

What’s your greatest strength in sailing?
Concentration.

What’s your greatest weakness in sailing?
I shout too much - although I think I've mellowed recently?

What’s the single most important piece of advice you could give to younger sailors?
Keep at it, sailing leads to lots of opportunities.

Would you rather sail with your friends - or with Russell Coutts?
It would be interesting to sail with Russell Coutts, but I also have a lot of friends who are great sailors who I enjoy sailing with.

Who’s the best sailor in Britain?
For all-round ability it has to be Ian Walker.

Who’s the best sailor in the world?
If you take the America's Cup as the pinnacle of sailing then it has to be Russell Coutts, but I believe Ian Walker and Ben Ainslie are as good as anybody in the world.

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