Lucy Macgregor

Lucy Macgregor

Lucy exudes a relaxed and care-free attitude, however she is an extremely driven and hard-working professional athlete.

A real seat-of-the-pants sailor, Lucy has an enormous natural talent and feel for reading the wind, waves, and her opponents, and an instinctively sharp tactical mind that is so essential for her success as a match race skipper.

A successful youth career including Silver at the World Championships in the 420 dinghy provided Lucy the springboard to Olympic level sailing. Deferring entry to university, she joined Shirley Robertson’s Yngling campaign for the Bejing Games, along with Annie, and has been a professional sailor ever since.

Just don’t ask her to sing…

Profile

Name
Lucy Macgregor

Born
Poole, 1986

Star sign
Sagittarius

Siblings
Two sisters, Nicky and team-mate Kate (both mad about sailing too)

Home club
Poole Yacht Club

First started sailing
Probably at a few weeks old on my parent’s cruiser racer. From what I remember though it was in Poole Harbour in a Mirror dinghy.

Love most about sailing
Every day on the water is different

Dislike most about the sport
The combination of no wind and rain

Sports philosophy
Never say never!

Greatest strength
Consistency at the big moments

Greatest weakness
Can be too relaxed!

First boat sailed and where?
The first boat I learnt to sail in was an optimist at Poole Yacht Club but I grew up sailing from basically a few weeks old, so with my parents on their cruiser was probably the first place I sailed.

Favourite boat to sail?
One of my favourite boats to sail on is a 470, really like the boat and the racing is always fun. But I also like sailing some of the bigger 30 foot racing boats.

Biggest influence in your career?
My parents have always been really supportive of me, but I think sailing with Annie and Shirley in the Yngling was a fantastic experience and I learnt a huge amount from it

My best moment (sailing)?
My best sailing moment was the first time I did Hyeres regatta, I was in a 470 with one of my really good friends. It was probably the windiest conditions I have ever sailed in, and I was definitely not prepared for it in any way.

My worst moment (sailing)?
Finishing the final race of the worlds in 2007 in the Yngling class and unfortunately losing the trials

My most embarrassing moment (sailing)?
I think it is best not to tell…

Favorite place in UK to sail?
It would have to be Poole Harbour! Beautiful surroundings, plenty of sailors there just for racing or enjoying the sports, it’s a great place to go sailing!

Best sailing venue in the World?
I think the best sailing venue in the world would have to be San Fransisco, its an awesome place to sail, lots of breeze the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, just fantastic.

If you weren’t a professional sailor what else would you be?
I think I would be a fighter pilot in the RAF!

How did you progress from a club sailor to an Olympic class sailor?
I started sailing at Poole Yacht Club, just in the training sessions doing local events, at around 13 I was then invited to sail with the national squad, and from that I continued in the RYA nationals squads through into the 420. At the 420 world championships in Melbourne (2004) I was sailing with my older sister, Nicky, where we finished second. From that moment we were invited to sail in the Olympic development squad and that’s really where my Olympic passion started.

Any advice to future sailors?
Take any opportunity you can get, sail with as many different people, sail in as many different classes as you can and somewhere you will get a break.

What are your passions outside of sailing?
I play any sport really, I play hockey for Bournemouth Hockey Club, and do a lot of cycling, but just anything that means I’m outside is perfect for me.

Worst habit?
Probably being too relaxed at times, and other people getting frustrated by that.

What’s your favourite reality TV show and would you go on it?
I think I would have to say strictly Come Dancing and yes I would definitely go on it.

Do you have any lucky charms or rituals?
I have some lucky union jack socks!

Greatest fear or phobia?
I’m not a fan of spiders, I’m ok until they move!

Name 3 things that are always in your shopping trolley?
Fruit of any kind, chocolate and steak.

Dream Holiday
I would love to go to South Africa, I have heard amazing things about it and its definitely somewhere on my list of places to go.

Favourite Music
Anything and everything