webpage hosted by
Transouth Translators Ltd

CentreBoard

November 2004

The Newsletter of Spinnaker Club, Ringwood

www.spinnakerclub.co.uk

click here
for previous
issues

Laura Baldwin’s Olympic Diary

October 2004

Hard Graft: This month has been fully packed. After my holiday in Corfu I returned to the office to work through the mass of administrative work that is attached to an Olympic Campaign. Closing off my Athens campaign and opening up my Beijing Campaign. It has kept me busy for weeks working through budgets, writing sponsorship proposals and contracting a coach and training partners.

Everything is in place as long as the Europe Dinghy remains the Women’s Single-handed Olympic Class. ISAF has a conference in Denmark in mid November to decide on the boats to be used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. There are 5 possible choices: the Zoom 8 that is the size of an Optimist. I would have to be 50kg to be competitive! At the other extreme there is the Laser Radial for which girls would need to be 70kg, don’t much fancy that! The Flash is similar to the Radial and the Byte a bit smaller, but all these boats are one-design, which means one ideal crew weight and they have silly names!

The Europe on the other hand has more open rules, allowing for a wider range of crew weights to be competitive on an even playing field. The 70kg girls can have a stiff mast and full sail. The 55kg girls can have a soft mast and flat sail. The Europe is the Porsche of the seas; it handles so smoothly and is made of quality equipment that can last for years. The Europe is always the boat that is sent out in the strongest winds at regattas and is the boat that comes ashore with the least amount of damage.

Help keep the Europe the Olympic Class by signing the petition on the USA website at www.europedinghy.org

The British Olympic Classes National Ranking Regatta at Weymouth was the first time lining up against the rest of the British Europe Squad since the World Championships in July. My main sponsor, Jeep, was present so I really wanted to do well. I made some silly mistakes, sailing to the wrong mark and twice giving my lead away, but with three 1st and two 2nd places I comfortably won the event.

Trafalgar Square was alive with spectators as the Olympic Medallist arrived on stage after the parade through London. I was watching from the wings with the other non-medallists. It was another very uplifting occasion. Heather Small sang her song, ‘Proud’ live on stage. This song has been a driving force during difficult moments in training over the last four years as it was the song the BBC played all through the Sydney Olympics. Whenever I heard it my heart would race. Hearing it live was fantastic.

Buckingham Palace was very grand. We were led through lots of entrance halls where we had to sign to receive various items including a book of all the people attending the evening’s function and a pin for Olympic Participants. Dotted among the mass of suits were brightly coloured members of the Royal Family and their workforce. I spoke with the gentleman who organises all the transportation for the Royal Family and a lady in waiting. I spoke to the Duchesses of York and Gloucester, Princes Andrew and Edward, and even the Queen herself! They all spoke with such enthusiasm, precious memories.

I stayed the night along with Katherine Hopson and Shirley Robertson at the Royal Ocean Racing Club so that we didn’t have far to travel to The House Of commons Lunch the following day. Katherine and I walked through the parks and passed the Changing of the Guards just in time to see them change.

The House of Commons Lunch was open to the RYA and BCU (British Canoe Union) whose heads gave speeches proudly boasting 40% of the medals won at Athens being won by watersports. It was interesting talking to MP’s and meeting the heads of the RYA. On the way out Katherine and I met an MP who offered to give us a guided tour. We went into the House of Lords. It was in session so we had to pass security checks that have been tightened since the purple powder incident. We were also shown underground to the beautiful Chapel.

Next month I have an invitation to a reception with Tony Blair and the Hampshire Celebration of Sport function at Winchester. My new coach is visiting the UK to sign a contract with me, I’m keeping quiet about who this is until it’s all signed and sealed! Watch this space…

Laura Baldwin

Sponsored by Jeep, Gill, SiS, Marlow, Silva, Harken. Check out more at: www.laurabaldwin.co.uk

Comment: Undoubtedly the Europe Class community will have been rocked by ISAF’s decision to replace the Europe with the Laser Radial as Olympic women’s single-hander. The ramifications will surely be felt far and wide right down to grassroots club sailing. ISAF president Paul Henderson paid tribute to the Europe Class. "I am sorry to see the Europe leave. The Class has been a great supporter." Ed.