SAILING: When Australia’s Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen take to the waters of Guanabara Bay on Friday to defend their Olympic title, a new sense of maturity and calm will be with the Aussies.
Outteridge competed at his first Olympics in Beijing at the age of 22. When he and Jensen teamed up in 2012 to win the gold, they were 26 and 24 respectively.
Four years on the Aussies are bringing a wealth of experience to the table after spending much of the last three years campaigning in the America’s Cup. Has it hampered their Olympic preparations? Not so according to Outteridge.
“We feel really ready,” said Outteridge in the week leading up to their competition. “It’s been a big change for us. At the start of July we left all our commitments with the America’s Cup behind and headed to Rio to focus on the Olympics. It’s made a massive difference.
“We got here and took a week off, which we haven’t really done for the last three years. That was important as you’ve just got to rest your brain sometimes. You’ve got to rest your body.
“We’ve spent the last three years going from one training camp or event, onto a plane and off to the next one and being on the water the following day.
“You ask anyone in sport or business and that’s not how you get the most out of yourself or the people around you.”
Whilst the rigours of the America’s Cup may have proven challenging for the Aussies, the experience has equipped them with an incredible sense of maturity coming into the Olympic Games.
“After our week off, we put the boat together and did the South Americans (championships) after a few days training and what do you know … we win the event! That’s a huge confidence builder for us.”
While actively campaigning for the America’s Cup, Outteridge and Jensen were also working closely with their 49er coach Emmet Lazich to test various pieces of equipment in order to have the best boat possible for Rio.
“Emmet has been working very hard on the equipment side of things and we’ve finally got all the pieces from around the world into one venue and it brings a lot of confidence to the way we’re sailing,” Outteridge said.
The Aussies will come up against stiff competition from their trans-Tasman former training partners, Blair Tuke and Peter Burling. The Kiwis were the Aussies training partners leading into London and while Outteridge and Jensen won the gold, the Kiwis came away with the silver.
After London, the two teams stopped training together and the Kiwis, who have focussed solely on their 49er campaign, have won every major event since except the South American championship last month.
“Winning the South American championships was really important to us,” said Outteridge. “To beat them at that event against the whole Olympic fleet was good.
“We know we still weren’t at our best during that regatta. We’ve improved a lot still then. Winning, though, is massive on the psychology. It reminds us, the fleet and it reminds the Kiwis that’s it not as easy as it looks. They’re very smart guys. They know how much effort is required to win events, but I think the Olympics is very special and we’re going to draw on all our experience for this one.”
The Australians will begin their title defence in the 49er class from 1pm on Friday 12 August (2am Saturday 13 August AEST).
Megan McKay
olympics.com.au
