Congratulations, Elliot, for your selection as the GBR Olympic representative for the Tokyo games. In your ILCA interview, you talked about team spirit and cooperation of the national squad during the selection process. What changes should be expected now?
Two-time world champion Nick Thompson has officially announced retirement from racing. Nick will now help me from a coach boat. Nick is also expected to continue and work with Lorenzo (Brando) and Mickey (Becket) as both sailors will be my training partners leading to the games. All in all, the team is staying together.
How do you stay in form during this unexpected period off the water?
I was lucky to be able to get gym equipment home just before the lockdown. My one and only goal is to end this quarantine fitter than I started it.
Laser sailors wondering what they can do at home on a yoga mat can watch Marit Bouwmeester’s in-home workout videos. All Laser sailors have very similar workout programs for the muscle groups we need.
Many master sailors who started sailing at a later age have a hard time keeping their chests open and shoulders out when hiking. In practice they hold the right posture, but once under pressure in a race the bad old habits seem to return. What do you recommend for improving hiking posture?
I realize that not all sailors have the benefit of sport scientists who work on the side effects of sailing under pressure. For the right hiking position I recommend training on a hiking bench. Set the phone in a fixed position at your side for video recording. After the hiking practice, analyse the footage. If you don’t have a way to fix the phone, position a mirror at your side, to help keep the correct posture. Remember that hiking on a bench is much harder than on a boat as there are no effort breaks after a wave for example.
It’s important not to get discouraged if the sequence is not as long as expected, just make sure that the next sequence will be a bit longer. It is important to note the length of each practice to assure progress.
Thank you, Elliot. We appreciate you sharing your insights.
Here are Doug Peckover’s how to build your own hiking bench.