FM: Finally, if someone wants to be selected for Olympic windsurfing what is the route into Team GB?
IW: The RYA has an established pathway programme from junior level right the way through to senior level to identify and develop the best racing sailors in the world. The best way onto the programme is to attend an Olympic Classes National Ranker regatta. Results from these regattas form part of the qualification process for funding and places at selected international regattas.
With regards to Olympic selection, the trials process is open for anyone eligible to compete for Great Britain, and the first selection regattas (yet to be confirmed) will be in the spring of 2019. Success at the Olympic trials would result in selection to represent Team GB at the pre-Olympics. The pre-Olympics is the Olympic test event that takes place a year before the event proper in the same venue as the Olympics. Performance at the pre-Olympics determines whether a sailor is then selected for the Olympics.
Editor’s note – Team GB is the name of the country’s Olympic team only when the Olympics is on, and even then is only the sailing arm of Team GB. For all times outside of the Olympic Games it is the British Sailing Team.
