{"id":16548,"date":"2025-03-27T10:53:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T10:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.canadaoceanracing.com\/?p=16548"},"modified":"2025-03-27T13:49:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T13:49:47","slug":"skiing-sailing-competing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.canadaoceanracing.com\/skiing-sailing-competing\/","title":{"rendered":"Scott Shawyer on Skiing, Sailing, and the Drive to Compete"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Scott Shawyer on Skiing, Sailing, and the Drive to Compete<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

For most people, mastering one high-adrenaline sport is challenge enough. For Scott Shawyer, president and skipper of Canada Ocean Racing, competitive skiing and offshore sailing are two sides of the same coin – both push his limits, test his resilience, and fuel his competitive drive. As he transitions from a winter on the slopes to a summer on the water ahead of the Ocean Race Europe, Shawyer reflects on how ski racing has shaped his mindset, fitness, and approach to competition.<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

A Winter on the Slopes<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

“Most years, I start with a preseason race camp out west, but this year I wasn\u2019t able to go,” Shawyer shares. “Instead, I trained locally this season every Tuesday and Thursday morning at my local ski area, about 1,000 feet high with icy conditions, which is actually perfect for racing.”<\/p>\r\n

Despite a lighter racing schedule, Shawyer made the most of the season. “I didn\u2019t do any of the national races this year, but I competed in the Interclub race series and won our club championships, first in slalom, first in giant slalom, and first overall,” he says. “I\u2019ve been skiing competitively since I was a kid, and I\u2019ve continued racing as an adult. I just love it \u2013 nothing beats blasting down the hill on rails. And when you\u2019re half decent at something, it\u2019s easy to stick with it.”<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

The Competitive Mindset<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Competition is what drives Shawyer, whether on snow or at sea. “Your results are evidence of the work you put in,” he explains. “I enjoy putting in the work, and I enjoy the test at the end of it. That\u2019s what gives you feedback on whether your training has been productive and where you need to refine and try again.”<\/p>\r\n

That mindset carries over from the slopes to the open ocean. “Skiing and sailing are similar in that they both require absolute focus. When I\u2019m racing, I\u2019m 100% locked in on the goal and going after it with everything I have. The difference is duration. Skiing is a minute, maybe a minute and a half of intensity, whereas sailing can be days or weeks. But the mental approach is the same.”<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Cross-Disciplinary Training<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

While skiing itself may not keep Shawyer in peak sailing condition, the training does. “The strength, cardio, and overall conditioning work I do for skiing also prepares me for sailing. The training keeps me strong and injury-free, which is critical. It also keeps my competitive instincts sharp and builds confidence in my body and my skills.”<\/p>\r\n

Interestingly, the mental approach to both sports is just as important as the physical. “You can\u2019t ski race if you\u2019re focused on what could go wrong,” he says. “I hear people at the top of the hill talking about how icy it is or how steep or technical the course is. That\u2019s the wrong mindset. You have to focus on how well your skis are tuned, how much training you\u2019ve done, how much you\u2019re looking forward to the race. The same applies to sailing. You trust your preparation, stay positive, and focus on execution.”<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

The Balance Between Pushing Limits and Managing Risk<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Both skiing and offshore sailing carry inherent risks, and Shawyer has learned how to balance pushing his limits with staying safe. “In a ski race, the goal is to get down the mountain as fast as possible. If you push too hard and crash, you\u2019re out. So a lot of training is about finding your limits, pushing past 100% to see how far you can go. Same with sailing – you need to test your limits in training so you know exactly where they are on race day. In competition, you\u2019re pushing to 95%, maybe sometimes 100%, but never beyond what you know you and your equipment can handle.”<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Lessons from the Slopes to the Sea<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Shawyer sees strong parallels between skiing and sailing. “Skiing has reinforced for me the importance of training, preparation, and keeping my equipment in top shape, all of which apply to sailing. Both sports demand that you be mentally, physically, and emotionally engaged. And in both, there\u2019s always more to learn. That\u2019s what keeps it exciting.”<\/p>\r\n

Above all, Shawyer thrives in the challenge. “Both sports are about playing with Mother Nature. One day it\u2019s -15 degrees on the ski hill with whiteout conditions, the next it\u2019s 40 knots of wind in the middle of an angry ocean. It\u2019s exhilarating. It\u2019s about being out there, pushing yourself, and seeing how far you can go.”<\/p>\r\n

As Scott\u2019s focus now turns from the ski slopes to the seas, his new IMOCA race boat is currently in re-fit in France. He will be back on the water training towards the 2025 season starting in June. Stay tuned for more exciting news to come.<\/p>\r\n

\"Scott<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Scott Shawyer on Skiing, Sailing, and the Drive to Compete   For most people, mastering one high-adrenaline sport is challenge enough. 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