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September 2003
We did not have much time to enjoy or celebrate our silver
medal at the Pre Olympics, 3 days after returning home we
left for Cadiz in Spain to get a quick training camp in before
the all important world championships that start there on
the 18th September. We trained there for 5 days, it was a
quite relaxing training camp really, we just wanted to get
set up in our accommodation make sure the boat was ready and
get a feel for the local conditions.
There were already a lot of competitors there most doing
the spanish national championships as a warm up. Come the
18th there will be about 120 boats from 40 different countries
and just to add some spice it is nearly everybodys Olympic
trials. For us, if we come in the top 3 we are definitely
selected, if we come in the top 8 and ahead of the other british
it goes to a decision to the Olympic selection committee whether
to select us now or hold another trials in the spring of 2004.
I believe we are 1 of about 10 boats that are capable of getting
a medal and its really going to come down to mental toughness
and who can hold it together over the whole week.
I am now back home in Budleigh for a week of rest, we dont
believe there is much for us to gain to cram in a few more
days of training, we feel our time would be better spent resting
so come into the event feeling fresh, focused and fit.
We are expecting light winds so I have been eating a very
low fat diet and been running each day to knock off an extra
kilogram. Its times like these, just before a huge championship
that you feel very much in your own world, you keep going
over the races in your head and building up your self belief
that you can be the best in the world. Its probably where
athletes reputations for being arrogant comes from, there
is no room for self doubt if your going to handle the pressure.
Racing starts on the 18th with the last race held on the
24th, to get results go to www.isaf.org and look up cadiz
world championships 470 men.
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