Nick Rogers - a madforsailing profile

We speak to one half of the young, cute and very talented 470 Olympians

MFS - When did you hook up with Joe Glanfield?
Nick - It was Jim Saltonstall that brought us together. Our first event was the ISAF Worlds and we came 12th which was a great result considering that we had hardly sailed together. We seemed to work really as a team. Joe crews and does tactics upwind and I do tactics downwind. it works for us.

We did a lot of training and spent a huge amount of time on the water, so we learnt the hard way and finally got a 9th at the Europeans. After that it started really coming together and we were consistently winning races at every event.

MFS - When did you realise that the Olympics could be a reality?
Nick - We blossomed at the 1999 Worlds in Melbourne and came 12th which we were really pleased with as the fleet was very strong.

The following season was really hard and the competition was great as we were all fighting to qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. We were by then always making the top five and nabbed a 6th at the Worlds. In Weymouth they were looking at the form boats or the clear winner to qualify and we missed it by a point to Chris Draper. Fortunately the committee extended the trials to two more events, the Worlds at Lake Garda, there we got 6th and at Spa in Holland we got a 4th, making qualification.

MFS - What happened at the Games?
Nick - We had been plagued with 4th position since Spa. Fourth at the qualifiers then again at the Europeans and just missed Bronze with 4th at the Sydney Games. But Olympics was an overwhelming experience and we intend to be part of the next Games in 2004.

MFS - What is the game plan now?
Nick - Well we are very enthusiastic about our future and are determined to go for Gold in Athens. We are still training hard and working closely with Holt on equipment development and improving our performance. It was very encouraging to break the plague of fourth position with a 2nd at the 2001 Spa regatta. We are now world ranked No. 2.

MFS - When is your next event?
Nick - As soon as Joe gets back from coaching the Cadets in Argentina we will get back on the water and prepare for the first major event in Portugal and after that its Hyeres where we aim to reclaim our title. It should be very exciting and we are feeling very confident.