Olympic Dream

keenbean

Member
Hi everyone,

I'm now 22 and have been sailing hard for 4 years and have begun competing on the national circuit. I am looking for a flexible working job to let me sail as much as possible for someone who works.
I was just wondering if you think it is possible for someone in this position to make the olympics or a worlds? I'm really keen to give it my all but I was just looking for some advice before I potentially embark on a red herring.

Thanks
 
if you want it you can do it. The only key is to treat it like a job. Be obsessed with it and never lose your focus. 8 hours a day train. Be it on the water or on a bike or in the swimming pool, or in the gym.

Unless you are at the top level already it is very difficult to get there on 4 hours a week. I know I have tried the part time thing in another sport.
 
In this economy you'll be hard pressed to find that position, but you could try some sort of PT retail position. I know Paul forester worked off and on for Raytheon over the years as a, yes it's true, rocket scientist.

Try talking to people you know first that are empathetic to what you are trying to do. Remember, a lot of sailors own their own business or hold higher positions in companies and can get you in the door. Use your connections.
 
Folks, the poster is in the UK, which has by far, the best funded national team/olympic development program going. It's very hard for someone not on their national team to compete against those on the team due to those resources.. Not trying to be negative, just factual
 
cheers everyone. What you say is right about the national squad. It is the equivalent of breaking the 'big four' in the football(soccer) premiership over here. I have picked the worst time to be searching for a new job :(
 
if you want it you can do it. The only key is to treat it like a job. Be obsessed with it and never lose your focus. 8 hours a day train. Be it on the water or on a bike or in the swimming pool, or in the gym.

Unless you are at the top level already it is very difficult to get there on 4 hours a week. I know I have tried the part time thing in another sport.

Unfortunately, this is not true with our sport. Olympic level sailing takes takes a skill level that few are capable of achieving. Some folks think that if they just put the time in they can win the worlds or whatever. I could have "chased the dream" back in 1994. I was a top level contender in my district at the time, but I was also sailing against those like David Loring, Brian Porter and Eric Otgen and when they were on the course they showed a different gear and level of sompetition that I could not get my head around. Being a realist I knew that level of the sport was best left for those that actually had the skill set for it. So my best advice for those who "make the leep" and set up a web site asking for donations for 2012 is this. If you have the skill to break the top 20 at your countries national Laser event then go for it. If you are finishing worse than the top 1/3 rd of the fleet keep it recreational and avoid being sued for internet fraud.
 
haha while i agree with that i would definitely say to go for it at least for a little while, while you're young. I'm only 21 myself but i doubt there is much worse than when you get older wondering 'what if'. For me, I am probably a bit like Rob in thinking i'm not good enough so am keeping it recreational too. But that's probably a good benchmark, if you could get top 20 here in the UK you have to be a pretty awesome sailor. Worth a shot but don't pack in work totally lol, especially not at the moment.
 
as a side Rob, what is it that the top level have got? How can it be a natural skill set I just reckon they have worked damn hard to achieve that level of feel for the boat and conditions. I do often wonder what is it they're doing that i'm not but have usually put it down to experience.
 
Some people just have natural talents that when combined with massive amounts of hard work and dedication, gets them to the top. A natural ability to make a boat go fast without thinking too hard, or read the wind and anticipate what it will do next, or coming up with a whole new way to sail the boat that actually works, or whatever. That extra something. You probably know how hard the guys and girls at the top work to get and stay there, I imagine to rise above this crowd you need a little extra something.
 
Some people just have natural talents that when combined with massive amounts of hard work and dedication, gets them to the top. A natural ability to make a boat go fast without thinking too hard, or read the wind and anticipate what it will do next, or coming up with a whole new way to sail the boat that actually works, or whatever. That extra something. You probably know how hard the guys and girls at the top work to get and stay there, I imagine to rise above this crowd you need a little extra something.

That's it. Of course there is a TON of work involved, but there is also an extra bit of natural ability and nattural course management skills that work to set them above the rest. For instance, Eric Otgen, (who used the laser as his Finn campaign platform in the US from 94-96) came back to the Laser just this year after being away from the class for years. He showed up to our first district event in his 1995 boat and classic rigging. He attended 4 of our district events and won every one and only took one or 2 second place finishes in the whole series, (over 20 races). No fancy gear, not a lot of time in the boat, just great natural ability to make it go. Of course his years of campaigning a Finn, (and never making the olympics) helped, but look at THAT talent and he never made the games. That is what I'm talking about. Sure, everyone has to start somewhere, but saying anyone can do it with enough time invested is just not true. Same goes for any sport. Only 1% of the TOP college football/basketball players make it to the pros and I'll bet they ALL put the same time and energy into the game.
 
Yep, natural ability and instinct and willing to gamble. Just look at that race our gal sailing the
Radial in China now that was classic that will be reveled for years to come on that last race.
I remember sailing against a guy in the 80s on H16s' he had the oldest boat blown out sails we
all showed up with new sails the latest gadgets and he would clean our clocks. He was a harbor
pilot he new the tides in Chasn, harbor and had natural instincts and ability. I remember when
he stepped on a H18 in Hobcaw creek never sailed a 18 tore Ted Turner up and down the course.
 
Not to steer away but my key phrase was IF YOU WANT IT YOU CAN DO IT. And unless you can say to me that you did give 110% and you are nothing but a rec sailor I will not believe that it is not possible. I have seen to many Obsessed people excel in their passions.

This is not a sport like cycling or swimming where if your body is not made up correctly you can not reach that Olympic level. This is a sport where you can learn what you need. But as an aside....Micheal Phelps swam every single day from the 2004 Olympics till the 2008 Olympics. Why? He wanted the 8 medals BAD! Lance Armstrong rides and trains every single day starting 6 months before the Tour De France, Why? He does not want to lose.

After the hard core training and learning then you can sail like Paul Elvstrom and come off the bench and whoop up. Look at Micheal Jordan, he has the moves and now is nothing close to the shape he was in when he started playing pro.
 
Not to steer away but my key phrase was IF YOU WANT IT YOU CAN DO IT. And unless you can say to me that you did give 110% and you are nothing but a rec sailor I will not believe that it is not possible. I have seen to many Obsessed people excel in their passions.

This is not a sport like cycling or swimming where if your body is not made up correctly you can not reach that Olympic level. This is a sport where you can learn what you need. But as an aside....Micheal Phelps swam every single day from the 2004 Olympics till the 2008 Olympics. Why? He wanted the 8 medals BAD! Lance Armstrong rides and trains every single day starting 6 months before the Tour De France, Why? He does not want to lose.

After the hard core training and learning then you can sail like Paul Elvstrom and come off the bench and whoop up. Look at Micheal Jordan, he has the moves and now is nothing close to the shape he was in when he started playing pro.

Have you not seen the scientific study's regarding Phelps body shape? How about Lance's lung capacity? Jordan? Are you kidding me? How many guys in the NBA now can pull off the blind jumpers Mike could in the day? Sure they trained hard and wanted it, but SO DID EVERY OTHER COMPETITOR they were up against! Winning an event is one thing, but showing the pure dominance of the folks you listed above is another level of the stratosphere requiring a natural, (God given if you will) talant that not everyone has.

Yes the people at the top work hard. However, to think that anyone can get to that same level just by putting in the time is not realistic.
 
Go for it!

I don't believe there's some form of magic power that makes somebody fast or slow.

The top sailors of each generation have got two main things in common. They train hard, and have above average IQ's.

So, if you're an A or B average student, or used to be, then there is no real reason why, with dedication and training, you cant be amongst the elite.

Whether 2012 is realistic depends on what standard you are at now. Qualifying for the worlds, though, is definitely within the realms of possibility.

Train hard, stay focussed, ideally recruit a training partner, but play your cards close to your chest for a little while longer yet. Once you're winning most races at your club and on the GP circuit, head off to a few qualifiers. Getting near the front in those is a good indication of your performance.

Good luck, and ignore the nay-sayers.

Forgot to mention I studied sport psychology at uni!

Steal the line from the shoe company that has a slogan and just do it!
 

Back
Top