Yachting Australia

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‘The sailing team in Athens is undoubtedly the strongest and best prepared Australia has sent to the Olympics. In nine of the 11 classes, the Australians have raced at the Olympics before one of them, Colin Beashel, five times in the Star class.

They have forged a close camaraderie between the old hands and the newcomers, drawing strength from each other through many hours of regattas and practice that has carried on from Sydney 2000.

Winning at sailing in the Olympics at a first attempt is a rarity. It’s a special event, within a super-charged atmosphere generated by the world’s best in a host of sports, under intense media and spectator scrutiny.

With the fleets distilled to the very best sailors from the Olympics’ national nomination process, everyone is going to be fast, everyone is going to be super fit. Knowing how to race well in all conditions and being accustomed to winning major events will sort the medallists from the lesser currency.

Athens is going to be a tricky place to sail, with high land and the city’s buildings affecting the Meltemi breeze off the land which, according to the Australians who have raced there, is much like Sydney’s winter westerly. The sea breeze is also unstable, with direction shifts of up to 30 degrees even in moderate to fresh conditions.

That will make the pre-event predictions just as tricky. Yachting Australia’s head coach Victor Kovalenko believes the team has the potential to win medals in nine of the 11 classes. It will be down to who races best, who makes fewest mistakes, day by day.’

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