Getting Back in the Boat
Written by Sarah Ayton | 14 April 2010
It’s been a really exciting time for me since Beijing both on and off the water, and I have just announced my return sailing. The 470, which I will be sailing with Saskia Clark, is such a fast and fun boat to sail. Especially when you compare it to the Yngling! Starting a new campaign with Saskia brings a whole new challenge, especially since mine and Nick’s first child Thomas was born. So it has been hard trying to balance everything and still have the same enthusiasm but I am really focused on our 470 campaign and achieving all we can as a new team.
We have already put in some tough hours training together, and this first year is all about racing and building the foundations of the team and making sure everything is in place before the World Championships and then carry on that momentum onto the future and the Olympics.
The choice of the 470 wasn’t a difficult decision for me in the end, I have been trying out Match Racing which has been a great experience, but I found out that for the moment, it isn’t the best way for me to go forward. When it was announced that the Yngling wasn’t going to be included in the next Olympics I had to think long and hard about what would benefit me the most, as well as giving me the best chance to do as well as possible in the competition. I did really enjoy the challenge of Match Racing, as well as the similarities it has with the Yngling on the technical side. However with the doubts surrounding the just how the Women’s Match Racing competition and selection process was going to work, I decided that at the moment, that Match Racing isn’t for me.
On a boat like the 470 I have a lot of control and input over the equipment, and being constantly involved in improving things and tweaking how things work is something I have always had an interest in. It is this technical side of things which I really enjoy as well as working with someone like Saskia, who has been a great team mate so far. We really have bonded as a team quickly; something I know will help us as we work towards our goal of winning the gold in 2012. Saskia is really experienced in the 470 and so this made the choice of teaming up with her all the more easier. Picking a new class was interesting for me as I believe that when you’re embarking on going sailing it pays to do some research on and find out what boat suits your physique and skills the best. You don’t want put yourself at a disadvantage because they’ll be other competitors who will be hitting the exact height and weight for that boat.We are both fully responsible for how we perform and how we go about getting that gold medal, so the decision to go into the 470 with Saskia was an easy one.
We had a successful first outing as a team in Miami at the start of this year, considering it was really a last minute decision to compete. Finishing 13th in a strong fleet of experienced sailors was a good boost for our partnership, which of course had just started and I am sure will get better and better as we spend more time on the water together. The conditions were good and the event was a good way to start off our campaign for 2012
Of course, it has also been a very busy time with the arrival of Thomas, who’s steadily growing every day. I think motherhood has made me prioritise things more and think about how I spend my time. Obviously it is difficult to balance the time between my family, training and the launch of mine and Saskia’s 470 campaign. I knew it was going to take some getting used to, but one thing I didn’t count on was a feeling of guilt when I have to leave Thomas for training, or to go abroad for an event. However this is the life me and Nick have chosen and my mind is fully focused on the task ahead which is winning another Olympic gold medal.
Next up is Hyeres which usually throws up some tricky sailing conditions but I am really excited about getting back on the water and start some serious racing again.
Sarah