Team GBR update - 2

Peter Bentley surveys Britain's chances in the singlehanders for the coming season and 2004

Laser


Paul Goodison

With Ainslie dominant for so long, it is something of a surprise that a vacuum has not developed in the Laser Class. A strong squad and good pro-active management by the RYA has ensured talent in some quantity. Paul Goodison has been knocking on the door for a while now and his fourth place at the Worlds last year can only be a good omen for the future. The departure of Ainslie from the squad has seen Ed Wright step up a gear, taking a narrow second place at this years Sail Melbourne regatta. The C-carded Jim Taylor is as determined now as he has ever been. With a sound squad system in place under Chris Gowers' leadership, any of these three could come good in Athens. On a global basis, the Laser class is as strong a ever and nothing but a supreme effort will be good enough to win Olympic medals in this class.

Should any of the top three slip up, there are a whole gang of youngsters waiting to take their places. Mark Powell won the Youth Worlds last year with Tim Hulse putting in a similar performance at the Youth Europeans.

As might be expected, the world Laser fleet is as strong as ever. Though only second in the rankings right now, Scheidt must be considered the prime challenger for 2004. He has a history of a couple of 'slow' years immediately after the Games, and aside from Ainslie, if anyone can turn it on when he really needs to, it's Scheidt. The presence of South Africa's Gareth Blankenberg at fourth in the rankings, just three years after his win at the Youth Worlds, demonstrates the power of youth in the class and it could well be that if the top names slip up, the youngsters will be waiting to take the top prize.


Ed Wright