Who's gonna be watching the Olympics this summer?

[buford]

Guys your talking about sailing.

Hey, you need to be fit to sail Olympic class boats at any level. Its not like crusing on a yacht. Stars are like the Maseratis of keelboats. Huge power for their size. I've crewed on Stars and you have to minihike. That means getting right over the gunnel with your butt down near the water line, the only part of your body that's inboard is from the knees down to feet and the only thing holding you in is your feet under the hiking straps and a grip on the mainsheet. In a tacking duel you have to get in and over the other side really fast, time after time. Try doing that for hours in 20 knots of wind. My only problem was cause I'm a girl I didn't have the upper body strength to do this well enough at the top level, but believe me its no cruise!

[lew]

Sailing is an amazing sport. Its better to do it than to watch it though.

I had a laser1, race rigged at age 14. And boy could I make that thing move, shame it got to expensive, I really would love to take it up again when I can afford a cat.


lew

[Daveb]

Aren't most of those girls only 15?

The average age of the women in the Great Britain Olympic Team is about 23. There's a couple who is 19, a few aged around the 22 barrier, then a couple more who is like 26, 34 etc.

[Daveb]

Guys your talking about sailing.

Hey, you need to be fit to sail Olympic class boats at any level. Its not like crusing on a yacht. Stars are like the Maseratis of keelboats. Huge power for their size. I've crewed on Stars and you have to minihike. That means getting right over the gunnel with your butt down near the water line, the only part of your body that's inboard is from the knees down to feet and the only thing holding you in is your feet under the hiking straps and a grip on the mainsheet. In a tacking duel you have to get in and over the other side really fast, time after time. Try doing that for hours in 20 knots of wind. My only problem was cause I'm a girl I didn't have the upper body strength to do this well enough at the top level, but believe me its no cruise!

Adding onto what Buford said, it is very tough. Our team are always in the gym training. One of the Mistral team members do the equivalent of a mini marathon everytime he goes out onto the water!

[buford]

Sailing is an amazing sport. Its better to do it than to watch it though.

I had a laser1, race rigged at age 14. And boy could I make that thing move, shame it got to expensive, I really would love to take it up again when I can afford a cat.

lew

Cats are great. I'm trying to get a little hobie set up to start teaching my kids this summer. You can often pick them up reasonably priced second hand. You are probably talking something bigger though, like a tornado.

[Daveb]

Just seen Iain Percy and the teams physiologist Pete Cunningham on the opening ceremony.......it's so weird seeing them on tv when you see them everyday! heh

[rabby]

The opening cerenomy is sooo boring! Once you've 2 or 3 countries come out you've seen them all! I haven't even heard of some of these countries, and they've been arriving for well over an hour already and dont seem to be stopping!!

[Daveb]

Definetely mate! and to cap it off, they had Bjork singing!! Nooooooo!!

[andrew_s]

I shall be watching rowing-the sport of kings, the coxless fours should interesting with matthew pinset and company (Great Britain obviously).

[Edwards159]

Some of the girls coming on were pretty nice.

[Daveb]

So far, Great Britain is 1st in the Finn and 470 (mens) class, 4th in the Yngling and 9th in the 470 Women!


We're doing very well! All of which have a very strong chance to win at least a medal! C'mon Team GB!