SailGP: Yachting New Zealand stars Will McKenzie and Matt Steven join Black Foils coaching team for new season

Two of the country’s top sailing talents and Yachting New Zealand alumni will bolster the Black Foils this SailGP season, with experienced high-performance coach Matt Steven and Olympic silver medallist Will McKenzie joining the team’s coaching booth.

Steven has been appointed head coach, while McKenzie will take up the role of booth operator, as the Black Foils further strengthen their performance support unit. The pair replace last season’s support team of Sam Meech and Jo Aleh, with Meech moving to Sweden’s Artemis SailGP Team and Aleh taking up a new role with Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup.

Steven joins the Black Foils from Yachting New Zealand, where he has been working as a high performance coach, including with the men’s 49er programme. In that role, he coached McKenzie and Isaac McHardie through their silver medal-winning campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He will now head up all areas of high performance within the SailGP team.

Since standing on the podium in Paris, McKenzie has balanced elite sailing with pursuing a career in engineering. Working alongside Steven, he will play a key tactical role in the coaching booth and support the team’s data-led improvements from race to race.

"It’s great to see Matt and Will step onto the SailGP circuit with the Black Foils," said Yachting New Zealand high-performance director Ian Stewart.

"Their selection reflects the significant amount of time and effort they have put into Olympic sailing with the support of our high-performance programme, and it’s hugely rewarding to see that work translate into opportunities like this."

Black Foils co-CEO and wing trimmer Blair Tuke said he was delighted to have the duo on board for the season ahead.

“High performance support units in SailGP continue to develop and we are excited to take this next step forward with Matt and Will this year. As a team we always want to be moving forward and getting a little bit better each week and event to event. I am excited about how Matt and Will can help us do that this year.”

Fellow co-CEO and Black Foils driver Peter Burling said the appointments reinforced the strong connection between 49er sailing and SailGP.

“There’s a strong legacy across SailGP of athletes and coaches having experience in the 49er. We are really proud of that connection in our team, with now six members of the group having been connected to the 49er at a high level. It’s great to carry on that path in our team with the addition of Matt and Will. They each bring a different set of experiences on and off the water which we will believe will be great additions to the team environment.”

Steven said he was looking forward to joining the team and starting the season in Perth.

“I have known a number of the team for a long time and been a keen observer of SailGP so I am looking forward to getting involved. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to take the next step in my coaching career and test myself in a new environment while working to help the team succeed on the water.”

McKenzie said he was equally eager to embrace a new challenge.

“This is a new step for me in my sailing career and it’s exciting to be taking on a new challenge. In particular I am looking forward to using my skills at the intersection of performance on water and technology to support the team. Having sailed alongside and against Pete, Blair and Leo in the 49er it’s awesome to now be on the same team.”

Steven and McKenzie join the Black Foils this week in Australia ahead of the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG.