American geologist Chris Goldfinger has been assisting national sailing representative Viliame Ratului in understanding aerodynamics, drawing parallels between sails and wings. The two met in February at Vuda Marina.
Ratului, who has been sailing since the age of nine, will represent Fiji at the upcoming France Olympics in Paris later this month. The pair received a farewell at the Boat Shed in Vuda on Tuesday night.
The connection between Ratului, a native of Savusavu, and Goldfinger is rooted in their mutual love for the water. They depart for Paris today.
“When we met, the marina was providing him with support in various ways. He didn’t have anyone to discuss sailing with,” said Goldfinger. “We began talking about improving his understanding of how it all works and managing different situations. As a pilot, I am well-versed in aerodynamics, and sails and wings are quite similar.”
Goldfinger recounted his collegiate racing days on the West Coast before starting his career. “We trained and coached other students in racing similar boats to the one Billy Ratului is using now. You need to make the boat go fast, and to do that at the level required, perfection is key. It’s a very high level.”
Ratului’s initial coach in Savusavu, Jeff Taylor, also played a significant role in his development. “I am looking forward to this day. I didn’t realize this pathway started in Savusavu,” he said, acknowledging his community’s support.
Vuda Marina General Manager Adam Wade highlighted that Ratului, coming from a rugby-centric nation, is breaking new ground by taking up sailing. Former national representative Tony Philip Sr. expressed confidence in Ratului’s support system, which includes Vuda Marina and the Fiji Yachting Association.