The Road to Rio begins....
Written by Libby Greenhalgh | 18 September 2013
Riiiiiio Riiiiiiii-iii-o, Rio De Janeiro holiday playground for the rich and famous, home to the largest shanty town In the World, owner of the third largest statue in the world or southern hemisphere (Jesus or his proper name Christ the Redeemer) and soon to be host nation of the football World Cup and more importantly for the Olympic Games 2016.
While it has only been a year since we were toasting our athletes as they collective pooled medals to create the most successful British Olympic Team to date, we are already back on the road and this time the ‘Road to Rio`.
Different half of the world, and arguably one of the most visually striking venues for the Games to be hosted at, but what does that all really mean for sailing?? Well that is why I have headed out in support of some of our first sailors to head out to Rio. To check out the venue, the conditions and start building some knowledge.
I have been to Rio once before, back in February, and it was sweltering hot 40 + Celsius. So I have been pleased to return in August to the cooler winter time conditions, more in line with my internal British thermometer with temperatures varying from 17-34 Celsius, it still gets pretty warm, but never really gets cold at night which is lovely for being outside.
The obligatory ‘touristing’ is a must. I have already done quite a bit but took the time to go up Sugar Loaf again. This will probably be a great viewing spot for the Games to see all the boats out on the water- though they will look like little dots. It also a great place to take a look at the course areas and get a feel and orientation for your surroundings.
Three weeks in Rio allowed the weather to provide quite a mixture of conditions and not just the sunshine brochure weather that we see back home. Four days of rain, at least four days that were cooler than the UK and a variation in wind from not a zephyr to blowing the stray dogs off their chains.
Conditions will be testing at the Games in 2016 with dramatic scenery acting as a barrier to the wind and making for some very turbulent conditions, couple this with the large tidal range and a fairly complex shape to the Bay of Guanbarra and you have the added complexity of course areas with some significant tidal influences. Then move outside to the big open ocean and you really are in the big open ocean with an unlimited fetch to create some lovely very large rolling waves.
There is plenty of learning to be done as we head to 2016 and not only on the sailing area but also on how exactly one can get your washing done in less than five days. To be fair I got half of it back after three days!!!
