| ATHENS, GREECE-(20-8-2003) Just less than a year out from the 2004 Olympic Games, 410
sailors, including Team GBR Olympic gold medallists Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy
and Shirley Robertson, are lining up to test the Olympic sailing waters in
Athens.
Sailing has been the only sport to test the Olympic sailing venue on two
separate occasions, whilst many other Olympic sports events have been
cancelled due to delayed building schedules. The sailing venue for 2003 is
in good shape, it is twice the size of the venue last year and although
building work is still ongoing, you can guarantee that by the time it is
finished it will be a fantastic venue for the 2004 Olympic Games.
Although the main focus for the Team GBR sailing athletes is the ISAF World
Sailing Championships in Cadiz this September, which forms part of the 2004
Olympic selection process, they will still be looking to continue their
early season success at this event.
Between the three Olympic gold medallists, two of them are the current world
champions in their class. Ben Ainslie, who swapped his Laser for the bigger
Finn class dinghy after Sydney, recently defended his European title and
will be looking to repeat his gold medal success from the Athens Test Event
last year.
Fellow Olympic gold medallist Iain Percy, who also swapped classes after
Sydney - teaming up with Steve Mitchell, has taken the Star class by storm,
winning the world championships within six months of sailing the boat and
since then a host of other international titles.
Sydney team mate Shirley Robertson followed suit and cashed in her
single-handed Europe dinghy for the three person Yngling that will debut in
Athens. Last year Robertson won bronze at the Athens Test Event, and along
with her team of Sarah Ayton and new team mate Sarah Webb, will be looking
to go one better by the time the weeks out.
RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park commented, `Although this is a test event
and there are sure to be organisational hiccups and changes for 2004, our
team are well prepared and focussed on results this week. There is no doubt
that it is an exciting time for Olympic sailing.`
The event commences on the 20 August through until the 28 August, with
eleven races scheduled for all the classes, with the exception of the 49er
who are scheduled to complete sixteen races. The official event website is
www.athens2004.com and further information on
the Team GBR sailors, as well as event photo's, can be found on the RYA
website www.rya.org.uk .
The 2003 Pre-Olympic Sailing Team is as follows:
Finn - Ben Ainslie
Star - Iain Percy/Steve Mitchell
Yngling - Shirley Robertson/Sarah Webb/Sarah Ayton
49er - Paul Brotherton/Mark Asquith
Laser - Paul Goodison
Europe - Andrea Brewster
Tornado - Leigh McMillan/Mark Bulkeley
470 Men - Nick Rogers/Joe Glanfield
470 Women - Christina Bassadone/Katherine Hopson
Mistral Men - Nick Dempsey
Mistral Women - Natasha Sturges
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