Congratulations to Penny Clark, who has just been selected as GBR’s Olympic representative in the Laser Radial. This brings to an end the four-way battle for selection in one of the few classes where Great Britain’s chances are not all that strong. Having said that, Penny did win a bronze on Qingdao waters two years ago at the first Test Regatta.
Having recently won a surprise Bronze medal at the Women’s Laser Radial World Championships, Andrea Brewster will doubtless be disappointed that this wasn’t enough to keep her selection hopes alive. But Penny Clark has been the more consistent performer and this is doubtless what has given her the place ahead of her three team mates and rivals. The other two in the frame were Charlotte Dobson and Lizzie Vickers.
The British Olympic Association also announced the rest of the sailing team who were still to be formally confirmed, although there are no surprises here: RS-X sailors Nick Dempsey and Bryony Shaw; 470 teams Nick Rogers/Joe Glanfield and Christina Bassadone/Saskia Clark; and Tornado sailors Leigh McMillan/Will Howden.
Penny Clark commented: “I think the trials process for us has been really important preparation for China, and has actually been a good experience. There was lots of pressure on me heading into the Worlds as I felt the trials were mine to lose after Miami. Learning how to sail under pressure and still delivering a result at the Worlds has shown that I can carry it off – and working with the girls and training as a squad has played a big part in that.”
Like Penny Clark, Saskia Clark (no relation as far as I’m aware) will be a first-timer at the Games. “I am massively excited, we packed up our first two boxes last week and it’s a silly thing, but it indicated it’s all getting very close now. Everyone says the Olympics are a very different regatta and you don’t appreciate it until you’ve done one. But Christina competed at Athens and there are many other members of the team who have competed at past Games so I’ve been able to get an invaluable insight into what it’s likely to be like.
“From the outset Qingdao was a bit of a controversial choice of venue because of its reputation for the light winds but we have all just been getting on with it. At the Test Event last year, they managed to get a reasonable series of races in so it might not be as disastrous as some people have been forecasting but you never know and have to be ready for anything.”
Question: Do you think the sailors will get a full series of races in Qingdao? If they don’t, will the right people still win?
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