Update Page has successfully lured back US Radial gold medallist Anna
Tunnicliffe, who’s now teamed up with Paris Henken in the 49erFX. It did take some aggressive matchmaking (a relatively new strategy for the US), but now Tunnicliffe is hungry for more. ‘I think I do have unfinished business,’ she says with a laugh. ‘I was heartbroken after London and I took it hard. It’s part of the game, both winning and losing, I know that, but I’m not satisfied just yet.’ Right after Paris Henken won the 49erFX medal race in Rio (with
Helena Scutt, now sailing Nacras with Bora Gulari) she flew back to Charleston to continue her biology degree. ‘I knew I wanted to do another Olympic campaign sometime in my life,’ she explains, ‘but it wasn’t until Anna was interested that I thought 2020 was an option. Malcolm definitely paved the way…’
Wealth spread One thing that scares Page is what he calls the dilution of the Olympic marketplace: many smaller countries are now fighting above their weight in the medal count. ‘A lot of federations are getting more professional. Poland’s coming strong, look what Croatia did in Rio, a very small country… France is really growing up. They’re going to be strong in close to eight classes by 2020.’ That will be significant at this year’s Sailing World Championships
in Aarhus, the 2020 quad’s first and largest Olympic country qualifier. ‘I think we’ve got a realistic chance in five classes,’ Page says, adding, ‘But getting among the top eight nations… it’s tough.’ August in Aarhus will show, among other things, how full Page’s
glass really is. Meanwhile, he’s putting all of his personal street cred and expertise into work for Team USA. When athletes asked him how to make the leap into the top five,
Page brought in his gold medal skipper, Nathan Wilmot (now a US 470 coach), to show the different ways they visualise the race- course. ‘I was always mentally repeating races,’ Page says. ‘This race, we tacked out here. And Nathan would ask, “How do you remember that stuff?” Joking, trying to be the casual guy… because he can do exactly the same thing. ‘In the coach boat he’ll see what’s happening in the [470] women’s
fleet; he’s also got half an eye on the men’s fleet and what’s happening with the 49ers. You can see why he’s a gold medallist.’
Taming the lions Without government funding, the US can’t pay its athletes a salary – the best way to guarantee full devotion to Olympic preparation. The programme does now provide coaching and fitness training for team members, while furiously trying to find enough funding for a more professional team. ‘There are so many temptations out there for our athletes,’ Page points out. ‘A pro gig here, or the TP52s or foiling circuit… until we can provide a complete system it’s always going to be tempting to go elsewhere.’ He also understands that money can’t be the only incentive.
‘Viktor [Kovalenko] said once: “You’re coaching lions. So do you use a whip? No! I use meat to motivate.” The athlete is like a lion. They can scratch you, they can bite you… they’re mean. But that’s what it’s like when you need to win.’ As the Olympic game continues to get more professional the
chief US lion tamer might be tempted to whip his team into shape. Instead Page has been studying what makes each sailor tick and then trying to provide their preferred ‘meat’. He has goals of where he wants to take the team, Railey explains, but he also ‘listens to the individual athlete’s goals and strategically combines the two’. Compared to a decade ago Tunnicliffe sees significant progress
in one area. ‘The athletes are starting to get much more fit. I am excited that I can use my other love, CrossFit, to help learn a new position.’ She also concedes that shifting to the front of the boat took ‘big adjustments… Being told what to do is hard as I’m so used to doing the telling. But I love the new challenge and Paris is fantastic! Having a skipper’s perspective at the front of a boat is a huge advantage.’
Infinite potential Twelve months ago Page predicted the US would win two medals
16 SEAHORSE
in Tokyo. Pinned down for an update, he replies, ‘I still believe it. But I would say it’s now dosed with a little more reality.’ The elephant in the room, of course, is money. Building a ‘womb
to tomb’ system is so expensive, even diehard Olympic supporters have sticker shock. ‘The funding increased from 2017 to 2018,’ Page says. ‘That is a win. Is it where we want it to be? Course not. We want the bar to be raised even higher.’ To do that, he continues, ‘We’ve got to get our organisation in line internally. We’ve got to get our connections going externally. Bottom line is that we’ve got to build the system that we’re sitting here enthusing about…’ Malcolm Page was talking to Carol Cronin
q SNAPSHOTS Brought to you in association with
l Unstoppable…89 Minis are entered in this year’s Mini en Mai 500nm solo race l It’s not…even Mini Transat year l He kicks…he scores... l The understated…Mr Ed Wright briefly dropped back into the Finn class in Cadiz and flew home with the European title l Nice job too…François Gabart, shredding the solo round-the-world record (that bit you knew, right) l But your prize…we’re going to build you another Macif Ultim (sic) to go again in 2020 l Once you’re back…from your race lap over winter 2019 l Carrot…and stick l Carrot…only carrot l Because…he’s worth it l Every…cent, in fact l Macif et al…so how do they keep doing it? l None of those…tedious dividends to pay l They’re…‘mutuelles’, you see l Crafty… l Finally…foil-fellow Dave Hollom has 100 orders for his new Moth l Now…he just has to find a way to build them! l Just kidding…White Formula are confirmed as manufacturer l More…good (French) news l Mini 6.50…and Class40 champion designer Sam Manuard is getting his first Imoca commission l Classy…Paul Cayard raced the Bacardi with sail number 4789 and bow number 64 l As…used by his old friend Sir Durward Knowles when he won gold in Tokyo in 1964 l The best class…remembers these things l Spithill…(back) to Luna Rossa l Australia…out of the Cup l Oracle…retired (bored) l Indeed…these things are not disconnected l But China…who knows, but they are talking? l Not this time…is our prediction (100 per cent – ed) l JJ Giltinan…Sydney, Australia (sic) l The…most important skiff trophy was won this year by Kiwis l Bet that…hurt l Oops…spotted recently… l Environmentally… sensitive VO65s all neatly shrink-wrapped in single-use plastic l Flickered briefly…Carbon Ocean Yachts l Then…disappeared l Vanished…ker-zoom, whoosh, gone into thin air l Welcome back…Oyster Yachts will soon be building l Big…sighs of relief l 26…paid-up Oyster customers ‘will get exactly what they ordered’ l So…claims the new owner l Champagne…all round l A great deal…of champagne l Given…they were staring down a very nasty barrel l Big bill…paid l Big boat…none l Roll up roll up…to RaceBoatsOnly l Catch up catch up…ScuttlebuttEurope l There will be…questions later
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98
