Emma Wilson: How joy became the competitive edge in windsuring

The Game Changers

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8d ago 40:14

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Emma Wilson: Flying on Foils, Keeping the Joy

“Two bronzes, two completely different emotions. Tokyo was joy. Paris… it broke me inside. It’s taken a long time to process and move forward.”

Emma Wilson is transforming the face of British windsurfing. A world champion at every age group, Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo, and now the youngest Briton ever to claim a senior world title, Emma talks openly about the highs and lows of life on the water.

She reflects on growing up in a family of elite athletes, the sibling rivalry that drove her forward and the tough leap from youth prodigy to senior racing. Emma relives the joy of her first Olympic medal, the heartbreak of Paris 2024 and the resilience it took to come back stronger as world number one.

From mastering the switch to foiling and the crashes that followed to rediscovering the fun that first inspired her, Emma’s story is one of courage, reinvention and embracing joy.

A fearless competitor with an infectious love for her sport, Emma Wilson is proof that when you protect that joy, the medals will follow.

Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.
Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers

Hosted by Sue Anstiss
Produced by Sam Walker, What Goes On Media
A Fearless Women production

Chapters

1. Heartbreak In The Medal Race (00:00:00)

2. Emma Wilson’s Rise And Achievements (00:00:25)

3. Growing Up In A Sporting Family (00:01:11)

4. Discovering Love For Windsurfing (00:02:47)

5. Youth Success And Early Pressure (00:05:22)

6. Choosing Sport Over School (00:07:42)

7. Funding, Equipment, And Support (00:09:16)

8. Tokyo Bronze And Team GB Pressure (00:11:23)

9. Shift To Foiling And New Format (00:14:08)

10. Building Strength And Body Changes (00:16:22)

11. Learning To Fly: Crashes And Grit (00:18:20)

12. Sudden-Death Format In Paris (00:19:58)

13. The Protest And The Costly Mistake (00:21:21)

14. Processing Two Very Different Bronzes (00:23:17)

15. Pushing For Fairer Racing Formats (00:24:58)

16. Why She Didn’t Quit After Paris (00:26:15)

17. Joy-First Mindset And 2024 Dominance (00:27:46)

18. Training Weeks In Weymouth (00:29:05)

19. Tech, Data, And Sports Science (00:30:35)

20. Hosting Worlds At Home (00:31:47)

21. Longevity, Balance, And Team Culture (00:32:38)

22. Women’s Visibility And Role Modeling (00:33:34)

23. Legacy, Impact, And Life After Sport (00:35:01)

24. Advice To Young Sailors (00:36:12)

25. Series Wrap And Community Invitation (00:38:35)

242 episodes

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