Niall Myant and Simon Coles - a madforsailing team profile
Sunday March 4th 2001, Author: Sian Cowen, Location: United Kingdom
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Niall Myant 49ers
What's your date of birth? 8th October 1980. Which sailing club do you belong to? Lee on Solent. Your sailing team mate's name/boat name? Simon Coles Where did you first meet? Simon posted a message on the 49er wed site and I answered it, foolishly he took me on as a crew. Where and when did you first sail together? Lee on Solent, Late November last year. When did you decide to sail together as a team? Our first sail. In his words: "I just wanted to make sure you didn't have three heads." What's your best regatta result sailing together? 10/13. Any other notable regatta wins together? Not yet, but give us a chance. Who owns the boat you are currently sailing together? Simon. What do you do together off the water? Talk about what went wrong or right over a few drinks and the pool table. What other interests or hobbies do you and your team mate share apart from sailing? Ultimate Frisbee, bizarrely! What's your next sailing ambition together? 49er World Championships.Everything this year is geared towards our performance there. What's your strongest attribute as a team? Joy for the sport whether winning or losing. We both seem to agree on what makes a winning team, and so are both trying to move in the same direction together. What's your team mate's greatest fear when out on the water? No fears. But he doesn't like it when I look at the sunset and say 'Beautiful' then try to snuggle up. What's the greatest strength in your team mate's sailing? Patience with me as I learn. Whenever we practise he is always very keen and his enthusiasm rubs off. He puts myself at ease quickly and that is when we work together best. What's the greatest weakness in your team mate's sailing? I can't think of any. But unfortunately I can think of hundreds for myself. I only hope Simon hasn't noticed. What aspect of your team mate's character do you like the most? Dedication to sport, boat, and team. He always turns a bad manoeuvre into a learning exercise. We are either winning or learning, but never losing. What aspect of your team mate's character do you dislike the most? Haven't known him too long. What do you most envy about your team mate? Muscles! Balance, he's much better at that than me. Also he has a nicer seat on the boat. Generally his skill on the boat, which drives me to always work harder, to keep up. What's the one thing most likely to get your team mate angry on the water? Not pushing the boat hard enough, and not picking myself up after a mistake. He hates it when I get angry with myself after a bad tack or a simple error. What's the biggest mistake your team mate's made when you've been sailing together? I HATE to say it, but again it's Simon who should be answering this about me. When you're at a regatta, who's first in the shower when you get back to your accommodation after sailing? Neither (but we don't shower together, there are two showers!). Who cooks when you're staying in self-catering accommodation at a regatta? Probably me, just cos I wouldn't trust him. We haven't really tested this one yet. Who buys the first round in the pub - you or your team mate (or another crew altogether?). ME! We are both poor, but he is always poorer. Who does most of the work preparing the boat for sailing? Simon, he knows every inch. I hate not being able to help fully, but am still learning. What's the one thing that your team mate would least want you to tell us about them?! Can't say, he might be listening. Any notable incidents to tell us about at a regatta? The time I fell off, came to the surface a little confused and very cold, and saw Simon sailing off, quite happily. |
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Simon Coles 49ers
What's your date of birth? 9th August 1983. Which sailing club do you belong to? Lee on Solent SC. Your sailing team mate's name/boat name? Niall Myant. Where did you first meet? I put an ad on the 49ers web site and Niall replied. Where and when did you first sail together? At Lee on Solent in November 2000. When did you decide to sail together as a team? The same sort of time, I just wanted to check he didn't have three heads. What's your best regatta result sailing together? 10/13 49ers Bloody Mary 2001. 216th overall. Any other notable regatta wins together? Not yet but give us time, we've only sailed together four times! I was the Buzz Gul Gala champion in 1999, and 8th at the Buzz Europeans, and 9th at the Nationals. I've also won most of the one off races held in the Solent for dinghies in the last three years. Who owns the boat you are currently sailing together? Me, and my sponsors (thanks Mum and Dad!). What do you do together off the water? We play Ultimate Frisbee! and pool. Also work out how to improve the boat and ourselves to sail better. What other interests or hobbies do you and your team mate share apart from sailing? Ultimate Frisbee. Niall also likes to watch me destroy myself skateboarding and windsurfing, and anything which I might get an adrenaline rush out of, I love it! What's your next sailing ambition together? To go to all the UK 49er events and hopefully Europeans, exams permitting. The main target is the Worlds - a gold fleet result is the minimum we will except there, anything else just ain't good enough. What's your strongest attribute as a team? Our teamwork, communication skills (no not swearing at each other), our determination, we have a desire to be the best in the world, and it's going to be difficult for the world to stop us so watch out! What's your team mate's greatest fear when out on the water? Probably death! Either that or not doing his best. What's the greatest strength in your team mate's sailing? He is so keen, he never gives in - ever. It'll be cold wet and no wind and he will call at seven in the morning and say let's go sailing! What's the greatest weakness in your team mate's sailing? Probably he's not so confident in the boat but it WILL come as I tell him. Either that or its he's weak! Nah, only joking Niall. What aspect of your team mate's character do you like the most? His determination, he's easy to get on with, and he's a little bit mad! What aspect of your team mate's character do you dislike the most? Don't know yet, I'll let you know in a year! What do you most envy about your team mate? His hair. NOT!! um.. probably his VW Beetle GT, I want it. What's the one thing most likely to get your team mate angry on the water? When things don't go right in the boat he gets angry at himself. What's the biggest mistake your team mate's made when you've been sailing together? Falling off the wire when we were doing well in the Bloody Mary this year. When you're at a regatta, who's first in the shower when you get back to your accommodation after sailing? Neither. We have two showers, but if we had one I would, cos I'd beat him up otherwise! Who cooks when you're staying in self-catering accommodation at a regatta? Me - I'm amazing at cooking! Who buys the first round in the pub - you or your team mate (or another crew altogether?). Niall of course - I'm a student! Who does most of the work preparing the boat for sailing? Probably me as its my boat and Niall lives in Brighton! What's the one thing that your team mate would least want you to tell us about them?! That he wanted to sail a 49er to impress the ladies! Any notable incidents to tell us about at a regatta? Not a regatta but on our first sail it went from Force two to Force five in about two minutes! Niall was like the kite, up now? So baptism of fire for him! |
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