Performance under pressure—built for sailing

I work with sailors, teams, and coaches to improve execution, communication, and self-regulation in the environments that matter most—training, racing, and high-stakes competition.

As a licensed psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), I’ve worked across the full pathway—from junior sailing (Opti, 420, 29er, ILCA) through high school and college sailing, to Olympic campaigns, professional sailing, and the America’s Cup.

Whether you’re a parent supporting a developing sailor, a coach working with a team, or part of a high-performance campaign (including SailGP), my focus is the same:

Helping sailors regulate, communicate, and execute under pressure.

What Is Mental Performance Coaching for Sailing?

Mental performance coaching focuses on the cognitive and physiological components of execution, helping sailors:

  • Stay composed and clear in high-pressure regattas
  • Manage nerves and pre-race anxiety
  • Communicate efficiently and effectively on the boat
  • Reset quickly after mistakes or breakdowns
  • Perform consistently in dynamic, high-speed racing environments

This is not just “mindset”—it’s about what actually shows up during racing.

What I Help With

Execution Under Pressure

  • Performing in high-intensity race environments
  • Recovering quickly after bad starts, penalties, or mistakes
  • Translating training into race-day performance
  • Processing yesterday to foster clarity in fast-moving situations today

Self-Regulation & Mental Skills for Sailors

  • Breathing and physiological regulation (including HRV-based work)
  • Managing nerves, stress, and activation levels
  • Building repeatable routines before and during racing
  • Sustaining focus across long regatta days

Team Communication & Dynamics

  • Role clarity on the boat
  • Efficient, actionable communication
  • Decision-making under pressure
  • Reducing friction and improving coordination across roles

How I Work with Sailors & Teams

Embedded (Onsite)

  • Coach boat integration
  • Real-time observation and targeted feedback
  • Between-race adjustments
  • Debrief support focused on clarity and transfer
  • Close collaboration with coaches and performance staff

Remote / Ongoing Support

  • 1:1 sailor sessions
  • Team sessions and workshops
  • Regatta preparation and post-event review
  • In-season and campaign-long support

Integrated Performance Approach

  • Mental performance + psychophysiology (breathing, HRV, regulation)
  • Imagery (including adversity rehearsal and “feeling” execution)
  • Process-based goal systems
  • Practical tools that transfer directly into racing

Sport Science Integration in Sailing

At the highest levels of sailing, performance is constrained not just by skill or strategy, but by how effectively sailors regulate attention, physiology, and communication under load.

My work is designed to integrate directly within multidisciplinary performance environments—contributing a psychophysiological and execution-focused layer that connects preparation, data, and real-time performance.

This includes:

  • Role-specific regulation strategies (helm, tactician, crew)
  • Breathing and HRV integration for performance and recovery
  • Supporting decision-making and communication in high-speed, high-load environments
  • Translating performance concepts into repeatable race behaviors
  • Ensuring that training adaptations transfer under pressure

When appropriate, I incorporate additional biofeedback modalities (e.g., EMG, skin temperature, electrodermal activity) to assess and train muscle tension, autonomic regulation, and stress responses under performance conditions.

This work is designed to complement existing:

  • Coaching staff
  • Strength & conditioning
  • Data and analytics
  • Performance leadership

Sailing Levels Supported

Junior Sailing (Opti, 420, 29er, ILCA)

  • Managing nerves and building confidence through skill
  • Developing foundational mental and self-regulation skills
  • Supporting transitions to higher levels of competition
  • Parent-informed, developmentally appropriate approach

High School & College Sailing

  • Consistency under pressure
  • Team roles, communication, and dynamics
  • Integrating mental skills into daily practice
  • Performing in qualifiers and championship settings

Elite & Professional Sailing (J70, Olympic, TP52, SailGP, America’s Cup)

  • Execution in high-pressure, high-speed environments
  • Communication and coordination at the highest levels
  • Supporting full campaign environments (sailors, coaches, and staff)
  • Integration within existing performance and sport science teams

What Makes This Different

  • Deep understanding of sailing culture and competitive environments
  • Experience working on-site in real racing contexts
  • Ability to integrate seamlessly with coaches and teams
  • Focus on execution and performance transfer—not just theory
  • Background as a licensed psychologist, allowing support across both performance and psychological demands in high-pressure environments

About Tim Herzog

I’ve spent decades in sailing—as a sailor, coach, and psychologist—working with athletes and teams from junior pathways through Olympic campaigns and the America’s Cup.

My focus is simple:

Help sailors and teams perform more consistently in the moments that matter most.

Get in Touch

Available for:

  • Individual sailors
  • Teams and programs
  • Regattas and training blocks
  • Ongoing consulting (remote or on-site)

Reach out to explore fit for your program or campaign.