RS:X Focus at Qingdao - Andi Robertson talks to Nick Dempsey
by Andi Robertson 13 Aug 2008 18:56 BST
9-21 August 2008
Nick Dempsey has been enjoying his vital day off today after sailing Tuesday one of his best Olympic days ever when he recorded a 2,3 to pull himself back up to fifth place after two days of racing.
Dempsey opened rather modestly with a 11th and 9th but admitted that he knew he would have to up his game if he is to better the bronze medal he won on the last race of his last day in Athens.
"I just had a steady day on the opening day but I needed a good day if I want to be in the medals at the end of the week and so you have to put in the scores, but a second and a third is brilliant." Said Dempsey. He maintains that some of the big names, alluding to Greece's Niklas
Kakalamanakis perhaps, have already blown up.
"People are starting to fall apart already and it is only our second day of the Games, some people are already struggling. A few of what I would call the favourites are already down the pan."
Dempsey, who has become an accomplished regional time trials cyclist when he is at home, said that the hardest day was the opening day and that some people had blown up on the opening day and so struggled on the second day:
"They are not fit enough maybe and they have not done the work over the winter, I don't know but I feel OK and that is the main thing."
"Mentally it is so hard to keep doing it year on year, to do every world championship, but here at least you know the conditions we were going to get 5-8 knots and so it is one to peak for, so my preparation has been perfect. It is all about peaking for the Olympics and I feel like I have
done it quite well."
"You wake up every day and you hurt, your back hurts and you are tired constantly. The difference here is that for once in your life you can taper down here, you have a full month to taper down."
Bryony Shaw has made a bright start too and lies in fifth place in the Women's RS:X which is lead by the Chinese favourite Jian Yin who won the first three races and finished third in the fourth.