All set for Test Event start

Monday 1st August, 2011

Tomorrow will be the first day of racing for us at the Olympic Test Event in Weymouth. We’ll be the first class to start racing and it will be as close as we’ll get in similarity to racing at the Olympics next year, so we’re really looking forward to getting started.

Yesterday we had our first day sailing in the brand new Olympic boats and the venue at Portland has been taken over by LOCOG and looking quite different to usual. It all makes the Olympics next year feel that bit closer!

Today we have another official practice session in the boats then round robin racing starts for us inside Portland Harbour tomorrow at 11.00. With there only being 12 teams here and for the Games, we’ll do a complete round robin racing every other team in the first three days. We’ll then have a day off and the format is then quarter finals, semis and finally the finals aren’t until late next week. It is the longest event we have every taken part of in terms of number of days between start and finish, but in terms of number of races overall it is quite a bit shorter than our World Cup events. This means we’ll have to get used to having days off in the next two weeks… not something we’re used to with our racing usually! The forecast this week has a bit of the ‘its not normally like this’ feel to it, but next week is looking a touch more ‘normal’.

Check out the video interview below to find out how Sparky rates our chances, and a bit of an update from the three of us…

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We’ll try and keep you posted as much as possible, bye for now though.

Lucy x

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One year to the 2012 Olympic Games

Wednesday 27th July, 2011

With the news headlines dominated by the fact that there is exactly one year until the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games, today marks a significant milestone in our campaign to represent GBR on our home waters next year.

As part of the celebrations in the run-up to the Olympics next year, the National Portrait Gallery has commissioned a series of inspirational portraits depicting British athletes. We were delighted to be asked to “sit” for world-renowned photographer Finlay MacKay and spent a day with him and his team last month. The following video interview shows a little more about our portrait, and gives an update on our training and progress.

Find out more and see the other portraits on the Road to 2012 website, the collection is on display at the National Portrait Gallery until September 25th. Entry is free!

The year ahead promises to be exciting, though we’re under no illusions about the amount of dedication, training, fitness, preparation and competition it will involve. We still have a long way to go, though you can be sure we have one of these firmly in our sights :)

Stay tuned and follow us on our journey, starting with the Olympic Test Event next week!

Lucy, Annie and Kate x

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The countdown begins

Monday 25th July, 2011

Annie, Kate and I are currently enjoying our final day at home today before heading down to Weymouth tonight ready for the final preparations before the Pre Olympic Test Event starting next week.

It’s an important and exciting time in our campaign at the moment. In a few days time there will be just one year before the start day of the 2012 London Olympics and the Test Event will be the closest we’ll get to replicating the event next year. Just like it will be at the Games next year there will only be 12 teams at the test event, one per qualifying nation, so the format will be very different from what we’re used to with one complete round robin followed by quarters, semis and finals. There will be plenty of time to get all the racing in so just doing three races per day and having lay days will be aspects of the event to get used to in preparation for next year where the Match Racing starts on day 1 of the Games and finishes on the final day!

Our training has been going really well recently. We all know there are still huge areas where we can improve as a team both on our strengths and weaknesses but that is a very exciting part of the process and after the next couple of weeks we’ll assess that very thoroughly before looking ahead to the next phase of racing and training in the Autumn.

We’re aiming for a medal when we start racing next Tuesday, which certainly won’t be easy as there is going to be some great competition, but we’re looking forward to the challenge!

Lucy

GBR Match Race Girls GalleryGBR Match Race Girls GalleryGBR Match Race Girls GalleryGBR Match Race Girls Gallery

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Good week in Weymouth training for the Test Event

Friday 22nd July, 2011

We are just coming to the end of a great week training in Weymouth, preparing for the Pre-Olympic Test Event which starts a week on Monday. We’ve had a good group of guys to train against and done way more starts than I can remember!

Before each Olympic Games a Test Event is held at the venue one year in advance to ensure that all the facilities, equipment, logistics and technologies are in place and up to scratch. It not only gives the organisers, media and local suppliers a chance for a “dry run”, but is also an excellent opportunity for the competitors to sail in conditions as close a practicable to what it will be like at Games next year.

Twelve countries have been invited to compete at the Test Event, as determined by the current world rankings. We’re excited to be representing Great Britain, along with teams from Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and USA.

The fleet of 12 brand new Elliott 6m boats which will be used at the Test Event and in 2012.

After a weekend off we’ll be back on Monday to really start focusing on the Test Event. The WPNSA has started to be cleared out ready for all the security checks and it feels like the mood is changing….bring it on!

Lucy x

Further information at the Test Event and London Prepares websites.
The Match Racing starts on Tuesday 2nd August.

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