Will Harris

🌊 Professional Sailor
⛵ Co-Skipper of Team Malizia
🇫🇷 Living in the France
🏆 Winner of the Hans Horrevoets Trophy
@willharrissailing

What's your story?

You mean why do I do this crazy sport!? I’m not from anywhere particularly close to the sea, I grew up in Weybridge, Surrey and most of my friends now live and work in London. Going sailing while I was growing up was big effort, a weekend adventure and also, most of our family holidays.

I competed in the British sailing team and my parents were the ones who really first got me into the sport aged 9. They were cruisers but it was definitely the competitive racing side that really got me hooked. When I went to Southampton University to study Oceanography (Obviously!) I got my first real taste of Ocean sailing with he Artemis offshore Academy. It quickly became my goal to spend as much time on the water as I could while studying. 3 days a week on the Isle of Wight working on/sailing a Figaro (33ft shorthanded offshore boat) and 4 days a week keeping up with Uni work.

I finally got my shot to go full time with he Artemis Academy in 2016, moving out to Brittany, France to compete in la Solitaire du Figaro, where I was the first ‘rookie’ or newcomer to the event.This was thankfully noticed by Boris Herrmann who invited me to do the TJV race together on his foiling IMOCA in 2019. A dream come true for me to race across the Atlantic in one of these foiling Machines.

That same year the Malizia project really took off and I’ve now raced around the world with them on a New foiling IMOCA in the Ocean Race 2023. Im preparing to do the same again now so here we are today!

What is the biggest lesson your sport has ever taught you?

If you put all you time, dedication and energy into something you want to do, you will get results. What are you willing to sacrifice for what you want?

What is your favourite song that helps you focus?

A song that gives me energy when I need it : No problem - Chase & Status

If Sailing hadn’t happened, where do you think you would be?

I hope doing one of the other crazy sports the other Foolhardy team members do!

What makes you Foolhardy?

I think it has to be my desire to never follow the path, to always try and find a new way to do things. In life but in my sailing too.