The Psychological Challenges of Elite Sailors During Sailing Competitions and Training: A Qualitative Study

Although psychological training is now standard in high-performance sports, the specific challenges faced by elite athletes vary considerably across disciplines. Sailing, an outdoor sport influenced by unpredictable environmental conditions and complex team dynamics, presents unique psychological demands. As a result, existing psychological frameworks may not be fully adequate to prepare sailors for the mental pressures unique to their sport. This study investigates the lived experiences of elite Croatian sailors to understand this ongoing process of psychological adaptation. Using a pragmatic qualitative approach, 14 semistructured interviews were conducted and analyzed through thematic analysis. The results reveal a cyclical adaptation process organized into three interconnected themes: (a) a distinct set of psychological challenges, covering internal, interpersonal, and environmental factors, that necessitate regulation; (b) the proactive strategies that athletes develop to anticipate and reduce these stressors; and (c) the reactive coping mechanisms that they employ in the moment to handle them. This framework, which emphasizes how sailors’ personalized routines and mental skills are shaped by experience, highlights the importance of context-specific psychological support and provides a model for enhancing athlete development in similarly demanding performance settings.