Viliame Ratulu: The Fijian sailor emulating his ancestors

One weekend when he was nine years old, Ratulu and a friend were aimlessly wondering around Savusavu, their hometown in Fiji, searching for some entertainment after their rugby training had been cancelled. When passing the town’s marina, the pair saw some Optimist Dinghies from the local yacht club bobbing in insolation.

With everyone from the club away having lunch, curiosity overcame the boys – they jumped into one of the boats and attempted to set sail.

After a few minutes, Geoff Taylor, the club’s head coach, emerged from a hut and spied a single boat out at sea. He quickly chased down the wayward vessel to find it filled with two novice sailors.

“Instead of growling at us, Geoff told us how to use the tiller and made sure we knew how to steer the boat back to shore,” said Ratulu.

“When Geoff found out we lived a couple of blocks away from him, he asked if he could take us to the club to sail every weekend.”

The boys only spoke Fijian, but Taylor was patient with them, making clear hand gestures when speaking English. Once he understood the offer, Ratulu willingly accepted.

“When we weren’t playing rugby on the weekend, we’d go sailing,” Ratulu said. “It was a fun sport for me. I got to meet new people, but the main reason why I took up sailing was I always wanted to see town.

“For all Fijian kids, our parents wouldn’t take us to town because we’d always want to buy things, so sailing gave me a chance to get there.”

Ratulu was raised on a small parcel of land with his mother and six siblings. He and his older brother both played rugby, but due to financial strains, their mother could only support one of their sporting ambitions.

“My brother took up rugby because he was one of the best when he was younger. That was when I started thinking: ‘If my mum can’t support me playing rugby and Geoff is there giving me his time, maybe I should sail.’”

Aided by Taylor’s support, Ratulu started showing promise in local competitions. Early success gave him the chance to venture beyond Savusavu, exposing Ratulu to a whole new world beyond the waterline.

“Two years after I started sailing there was a competition and the top five would go to Suva – Fiji’s capital. I came fifth in that race.

“Back then I’d never been out of Savusavu. It was a really small town where you could walk from one end to the other in 20 minutes.”

Later in 2017, Ratulu participated in a clinic in Vanuatu, which was part of World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Program. Ratulu came second overall, which earnt him a spot at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Sanya, China.

It would have been easy for Ratulu to get carried away with these early accomplishments, but he remained realistic.

“I didn’t really think about the Olympics until 2019, when I was told we’d be going to the South Pacific Games. Geoff told me that if I did well there, I could go to a qualifying games in Sydney.

“After that I did a few more overseas regattas with Geoff’s help and then last year I went to the Solomon Islands for the Pacific Games, and I told myself I needed to go to the Olympics.”

Ratulu finished ninth at the Pacific Games and subsequently booked his spot at Paris 2024 after competing in the ILCA 7 class at the Sail Sydney Continental Qualifier.

Before the Olympics began, Ratulu received a phone call from Fiji’s Chef de Mission Sale Sorovaki and was told he would be carrying the national flag at the Opening Ceremony. Knowing Sorovaki had a sense of humour, Ratulu at first thought the call was a prank.

“When I realised he was being serious, I felt like I’d won a gold medal. It’s not just about carrying the flag, I’m carrying the whole country behind me,” Ratulu said proudly.

“When I started sailing, no-one really knew who I was. Now everybody back home knows who Vili is.

“It feels good, but it’s not just for me. It’s for the younger generation that’s going to come through. I’ve cut the path that gives the kids back home another thing to work for. Sailing has taught me a lot. It’s taught me how to live a good life.”

In Fiji, playing rugby is part of the status quo. The nation has won four Olympic medals in total, including two golds, all in Rugby Sevens. The sport is ingrained within Fijian culture, but Ratulu sees no reason why sailing cannot become equally popular.

“Fijian kids love their sport. If you give a Fijian kid a book and a rugby ball, he’ll take the rugby ball, even if they’re smart.

“Kids get told that if they want to go overseas, they have to play rugby. I’ve literally changed that.”

Sailing and rugby both have a deep history within Fiji. Ratulu’s immediate family never sailed, but his ancestors, like many Fijians, harnessed a strong bond with the sea.

“Fiji consists of a few islands, so to get from one island to another, our ancestors had to sail. To do this they built Druas.”

Ratulu proudly points to symbol of a Drua emblazoned on his shorts.

“They could fit 150 to 200 people at once. Where I come from in Fiji, we built the best hulls. They said that in the Yasawa Islands they built the best sails.”

By reaching the Olympics, Ratulu is continuing the legacy of sailors that embarked around Oceania on Druas. It is a considerable achievement and one he is extremely proud of.

“I’m really honoured to be amongst the best in the world. It takes a lot of training and dedication to get here.”

For now, Ratulu is focused on racing in the men’s dinghy, but he has support from fellow Fijian Sophia Morgan, who is competing in the women’s dinghy event. The pair are the only sailors representing their nation in Marseille, though Ratulu hopes that in four years time Fiji will have more athletes out on the water.

“When you see me at the next Olympics, ask me how sailing is going.”

Written by Stefan Frost