Tom Burnham & Rome Kirby

Tom Burnham and Rome Kirby are, respectively, the coach and skipper of the American SailGP team.

Burnham is an ex-Olympic campaigner who has been involved in four America’s Cup challenges – one with Young America, twice with Luna Rossa and once as head coach with Artemis Racing

He has also won multiple world championships in the Swan 45, TP52, and RC 44 classes and as a match racer.

Kirby meanwhile is renowned in the professional yacht racing world as an America’s Cup winner, a Volvo Ocean Race competitor and a regular on several top-flight grand prix raceboat campaigns. As well as steering the American SailGP catamaran he is also the team’s CEO.

With the third event of the inaugural SailGP season in New York looming Justin Chisholm spoke to Rome and Tom on Skype at breakfast time from their nearby homes in Newport, Rhode Island prior to another busy day of preparation.