Aussie 49ers snorkel their way to the top
by Gael Pawson, Creating Waves 2 Aug 2012 09:50 BST
1 August 2012
Aussie 49ers snorkel their way to the top on day four of the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition © OnEdition
Perhaps it’s the younger average age in the class, or perhaps it’s the nature of a boat, but good humour colourful language and fun pranks abound in the 49er fleet. This might be the Olympic Games – and make no mistake, these athletes take their sailing seriously, but they’re not above laughing – especially at themselves.
The move of the Games so far, without doubt, goes to Aussie duo Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen. After capsizing on Tuesday they got bit of ribbing from their mates and turned up for racing wearing a snorkel – although they drew the line at a pair of flippers! Can you imagine that happening in any other Olympic sport? It’s the sort of display that makes you proud to be a sailor! Keeping their sense of humour didn’t do them any harm either… they ended the day at the top of the fleet after a first and a second, putting them 13 points ahead of the young Kiwi team.
Meanwhile the Brits, Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes, found fewer banana skins and posted 4,2 to move to fifth overall – just three points out of the medals. If they can keep that up and avoid any snorkelling incidents... keep hunting out the mushrooms lads!
www.YachtsandYachting.com/London2012
Gael Pawson has been editor of the UK's top performance magazine,
Yachts and Yachting, for over 10 years and runs
Creating Waves, which supplies editorial content for a range of publications. A keen and experienced sailor in her own right – having learnt to sail at the age of five - small, fast boats are her first love, but she has sailed everything from America’s Cup yachts to foiling Moths. She has been involved in covering the UK's amazing Olympic sailing success story since the 2000 Sydney Games.