Gold medals and future plans

Paul Goodison talks about life as an icon

A Gold Medal is the ultimate accolade for any sailor and surely means the world to anyone who manages to win one. If there is one sailor it might mean more to than most this year, that sailor would be Paul Goodison. After years of trying and a disappointment in Athens, where he came fourth - arguably the most disappointing place at an Olympics - this year he finally achieved his goal and won a Gold in the waters off Qingdao.

Goodison is clearly a very happy man with his Gold and even after some time back in the UK coming to terms with the result he still lights up when talking about it. As is the case with many top sailors, though, off the water he is very humble about the experience and says since he has returned from China many people have spoken of their happiness at his win – and he feels privileged to have represented such a number of people.



Goodison put a great deal of pressure on himself going into the Olympic regatta to achieve his ultimate goal. “After trying to go to Sydney and bloody Ben [Ainslie] being in the way and then coming close in Athens but ending up fourth, this time round it was not even about getting a medal but about getting the Gold Medal that I wanted,” he explains. The Brit goes on to talk about the amount of pressure he put on himself going into the Olympics. He says that he stated several times before going to China that this time round it would be judgement time. “I probably regretted having said that on day two of the Olympics” – Goodison humbly admits. He had a fairly slow start to the event, getting two 15ths in the first three races. However: “It all came good in the end and it is just a fantastic feeling.”

Before the Olympics began most would have put Australian Laser sailing sensation, Tom Slingsby down as Goodison’s main competition to take the title. Slingsby had won the World Championships for the last two years and also won the last major event before the Games began, the European Championships. Being Australian he did not get the title of European Champion – that accolade went to Goodison for the fourth time running – but Slingsby was clearly on top form going into the Games. It was, then, to the surprise of many that Slingsby blew up spectacularly in August, finishing the event in 22nd. “Tom [Slingsby] has obviously been the best sailor in the world in windy conditions but he has always struggled in the light stuff. He did not get off to the best start and never really recovered from that. He is still an amazing sailor and is one of the biggest threats out there.” Goodison says he is unsure exactly what went wrong for the Australian but says it is possible it comes down to experience at the Olympics – this was Slingsby’s first time at the Games. “Maybe it was down to experience, it is pretty hard to tell as it is quite a stressful environment. It is especially tough in those conditions where you are not able to boatspeed your way out of any bad situations.”

After coming back from Athens, finishing fourth, the difference in attention between 2004 and now has been huge for Goodison. “It is fantastic to be at the front of the queue rather than the back like last time,” he explains. “It was a big team effort and I feel sorry for people like Nick [Dempsey who fell off the podium in the RSX Medal Race] as I know just how he feels. Without everyone in the team though I don’t think we would have done as well as we did.”

The first few weeks of life as an Olympic Gold Medallist have not been the non-stop partying and revelry one might expect. As many know the British sailing team at the Olympics this year was the most successful of all time and as such the sailors have been kept busy being taken from one media shindig to another. “We have been doing lots of events. It is almost beginning to get a bit tiresome as we have been dragged around here there and everywhere,” Goodison laments. “Although I do quite enjoy it at first, it does get a little dull and I am starting to look forward to getting away from it all.”

Goodison does not have to wait too long until he gets some time to himself though as he is off to a friends wedding in Tobago for two weeks in just over a fortnights time. The British Laser sailor is clearly looking forward to letting his hair down and says he is hoping it will be two weeks of bliss.

However, there is still some time before he gets to go away and his diary is very full until then. This week he has been competing at the Sail for Gold regatta at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. When we spoke to him, just before the event began, he admitted to not being all that keen to take part in the event saying: “I have been trying to get out of doing Sail for Gold because my feet have not touched the ground really since we got back, I have been informed massive fines will be in place if we miss it so I guess I am doing it then. I would like to do it in an RS:X or something but I am not sure that will be allowed.”



After his time at Sail for Gold and his holiday in Tobago it will be time for Goodison to start considering his future plans. He does already have some ideas about what he wants to do, though there are a few options and the next Olympic cycle could see a change for the Brit. “I think I just need to wait and see what classes are announced in November and then I can asses my options,” he says. “I would love to go Star sailing but I have spoken to Iain [Percy] and Bart [Andrew Simpson] and the costs involved in that are phenomenal. I simply don’t know if I would be able to do a campaign plus those guys are the best in the World.”

A move to the Star, then, is far from definite but we wonder is Goodison really wants to do another four hard years sailing a Laser. “I still love laser sailing and think there is more of that to be done so we will wait and see. It is a joy to turn up and get the same boat as everyone else. That is the thing that really appeals to me about Laser sailing. I think I would struggle a bit if someone beat me due to having better equipment. To me it is the purest form of sailing and that is what I love about the boat.” He adds that he would not do another full four year term in the Laser - as he would almost definitely take one or two years away from the boat, before potentially ramping up the Laser sailing again in the build up to 2012.

Finally, Goodison has been seen at the helm of a few keelboats in the last couple of years and this is something he would like to pursue on a more serious level. “I would love to get involved in some America’s Cup stuff or the Volvo ocean race, mostly to further my own knowledge of sailing. There is so much more to be learned and I think something like that would really help me to defend my title in 2012 in Weymouth.”

Obviously returning to the UK has seen a great deal of hard work for the man from Rotherham Speaking to him his enthusiasm for the sport and his joy at finally winning that Gold Medal are infectious. It seems more than likely we will see Goodison going for Gold again in Weymouth. However, which class he does it in is still up in the air but we suspect we will see the Brit return to the Laser once more.