Live Sail Die is on location in Cowes, Isle of Wight, for the 2025 Admiral’s Cup for PredictWind – the world leader in weather forecasting, routing and more – and it’s made in New Zealand.
If Oakley Marsh were a cocktail, he’d be a perfect mix of Kiwi grit, offshore lunacy, and just the right splash of cheek.
At 27, he’s racked up more miles than your average airline pilot, and he’s just getting warmed up. Considering we are both in Cowes for the Admiral’s Cup and the Rolex Fastnet Race, it seemed rude to not have a chat to Oakley about his racing, and what it feels like to be terrorised by Dean Barker on the race course.
Oakley Marsh – Cowes (GBR) – Day 1 – Admiral’s Cup 2025 – © Ricardo Pinto | JOLT
From Squadron Graduate to Offshore Gypsy
“2021,” Oakley says when asked when he graduated from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Mastercard Youth Training Programme. “Just before COVID kicked off.”
Ah yes, the good old days when regattas turned into Netflix marathons and sourdough starters. But Oakley wasn’t about to let a global pandemic park his sailing dreams. After finishing his sailmaking apprenticeship at Doyle Sails in Auckland, he looked around New Zealand’s slightly sleepy pro-sailing scene and said: “Right, I’m off.”
Fast forward three and a half years and he’s calling France home.
Well… Actually…
“New Zealand will always be home,” he insists. “But right now, the opportunities are overseas. Plus, every time I go back it feels like a holiday, and I quite like that!
2025: Oakley’s ‘No Sleep’ Tour
This year, Oakley’s calendar is fuller than the bar at a yacht club after prize giving. He’s seven races into the The Admiral’s Cup as a crew member on board the (plot twist) Yacht Club de Monaco team, Jolt 6. Then, a full-blown Figaro campaign, because why not throw yourself into the shark tank of one of the toughest solo racing scene in the world?
“The French offshore scene is nuts,” he admits. “The sailors that come out of it, Franck Cammas, Sam Goodchild, Will Harris – they’re absolute weapons. I want to be on that level.”
Oh, and just for kicks, he’s also lining up for the Double-Handed Offshore World Championships in Cowes. His co-skipper? The unstoppable Megan Thomson. “She’s a match racing legend and an Ocean Race vet. Honestly, she’s probably going to make me look good.”
Oakley Marsh – Cowes (GBR) – Day 1 – Admiral’s Cup 2025 – © Ricardo Pinto | JOLT
Dean Barker, Dream Crusher
With Oakley racing for the Yacht Club de Monaco, this means he’s going head-to-head against fellow Kiwis in the Admiral’s Cup in the the AC2 division. Legends like Dean Barker, Mike Sanderson (who was his boss back in the day at Doyle Sails), and fellow YTP Graduate James Dagg. And let’s not forget about Dave Sweete who, while no longer lives in NZ, reminds everyone that he’s still a Kiwi. He’s on board Beau Ideal. And there are loads more Kiwis amongst the teams as well.
“It’s weird,” he says. “You want the Kiwis to do well, but you also really want to crush them. It’s just how we’re wired.”
These other Kiwis have given Oakley a proper Kiwi schooling.
“Dean Barker tacked on me,” he recalls. “I grew up watching him win America’s Cup races. Getting lee-bowed by him is punishing, but also freakin cool.”
His first Rolex Fastnet Race
This is Oakley’s first Rolex Fastnet Race and he is buzzing!
“I’ve done the Middle Sea Race and a bunch of offshore stuff, but the Fastnet? That’s iconic. I just can’t wait to hit that start line.”
Advice for Young Guns
Oakley’s advice is simple: “Do the RNZYS Youth Training Programme. Give it heaps. Don’t overthink it – just go for it.”
YTP, he says, gave him all the tools he needed. “Boat speed, tactics, how to not fall off rails when someone gybes without warning – it’s all gold. Those skills stay with you.”
The Dream? The Ocean Race
I asked the question – Oakley, you can only choose one more race to be a part of in your life – which one would you choose?
“Easy. The Ocean Race!”
“New Zealand’s history in it is huge,” he says. “I don’t just want to push the boat off the dock. I want to be on it. That’s the dream.”
With a year like this, we’d bet good rum Oakley Marsh will be a name you’ll hear a lot. Fastnet virgin or not, he’s getting amongst it, and we’ve got no doubt that in 10 years time, people will be writing about Oakley with the word “legend” next to his name.
