SailGP: Black Foils fill gaps left by Jo Aleh and Sam Meech
by Ben Mackley 14 Jan 17:11 PST
Black Foils' Strategist Liv Mackay back on the grinders during Practice Racing on Friday - SailGP Grand Final - Abu Dhabi - November 28, 2025 © Ricardo Pinto/SailGP
The Black Foils sailing team will have the support of experienced coach Matt Steven and Olympic silver medal winner Will McKenzie in the Coaching Booth this season.
Matt Steven joins the team as Head Coach while Will McKenzie will take up the role of Booth Operator.
Last season’s support team of Sam Meech and Jo Aleh have both moved on. Meech has joined Sweden’s Artemis SailGP Team while Aleh has a new role with Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup.
Steven will head up all areas of High Performance and joins the team from his current role as a High Performance Coach with Yachting New Zealand including coaching the Men’s 49er team. That role saw him work with McKenzie and Isaac McHardie in their silver medal winning campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Since standing on the podium in Paris, McKenzie has been mixing sailing with pursuing a career in engineering. Alongside Steven he will a play key tactical role in the coaching booth and help with the team’s data led improvements race to race.
Black Foils Co-CEO and Wing Trimmer Blair Tuke said he was delighted to have the duo signed on 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.”
Tuke’s fellow Co-CEO and Black Foils Driver Peter Burling said it was exciting to see the strong connection between 49er sailing and SailGP continue.
“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 excited to start the season in Perth and join the team.
“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 also eager to test himself in a new environment.
“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 team this week in Australia for the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG.