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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Heartwarming
    Posted: 07 Sep 12 at 11:13am
Maybe they've just missed good old fashioned amateur dinghy fleet racing- against people better than you, worse than you, happy to share a laugh and hopefully a few jars?  It's a lovely distraction from the mundanity of your office job- even if that 'office' happens to a 470 campaign (the sailing bit is only part of it) or a 70ft offshore beast, again the sailing being the finale of sh*t load of project management.

I know after 18 months off the dinghy racing thing that's what I've missed... and remedial action has been taken in time for next year.


Edited by pondmonkey - 07 Sep 12 at 11:14am
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Dougal View Drop Down
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Posts: 556 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Dougal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Sep 12 at 10:57am
In which other sport can you turn up and race side by side with guys who won Olympic medals only a few weeks before? All credit to them for doing it, but also the structure of the sport lends itself to this type of participation.
 
Face it, none of us are going to ever get the chance to take on Usain Bolt on equal terms. 
 
 
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Sep 12 at 8:53am
They are very good. As are the top end of the Merlin fleet. But they have to work for a living (at least a little bit) whereas the 470 guys have been sailing full time for a while now. It must make a big difference, even when swapping boats, especially when going back to a class you grew up sailing anyway.

There are an awful lot of reasons why one person or team might win out over another. Talent is a pretty important one, but has to be backed up.

So long as the hotshots have an interest in the class they are jumping into, which in both these cases they do, then it does a lot for a class, and can really build a profile for the boat.
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Posts: 895 		Post Options Post Options   Quote tickler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 12 at 6:30pm
A couple of years ago the Olympc 470 sailors raced the 24 for charity, Blithel was threre. They won by two laps. I have never seen a GP go so fast.......believe me, they really are good!
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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 12 at 6:01pm
This threa has turned sour, and the OP was so positive. That said I'm picking up some ironic tones in JC's post above, I hope I'm right.
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Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 12 at 5:55pm
Or that the class is easy because someone can just jump in a boat and win...
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Posts: 556 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Dougal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 12 at 5:17pm
Originally posted by Rupert

Originally posted by RS400atC

Originally posted by alstorer

The same goes, in my view, for Bithell coming off the back of the Olympics to take the Merlin title.


Particularly as it went to the last race, shows the level of talent at the top of the Merlin fleet.


Or that he is an even better crew than he is a helm?

Or was it close because he's still on a bender after the Olympics?
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Rupert View Drop Down
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 12 at 3:12pm
Originally posted by RS400atC

Originally posted by alstorer

The same goes, in my view, for Bithell coming off the back of the Olympics to take the Merlin title.


Particularly as it went to the last race, shows the level of talent at the top of the Merlin fleet.


Or that he is an even better crew than he is a helm?
Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Posts: 3011 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RS400atC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 12 at 11:30am
Originally posted by alstorer

The same goes, in my view, for Bithell coming off the back of the Olympics to take the Merlin title.


Particularly as it went to the last race, shows the level of talent at the top of the Merlin fleet.
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alstorer View Drop Down
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Posts: 2899 		Post Options Post Options   Quote alstorer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 12 at 11:00am

The same goes, in my view, for Bithell coming off the back of the Olympics to take the Merlin title.
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