UKLA Chair blog #15
While we are delighted to have so many elite sailors sailing with us on a regular basis, regular readers of this blog will know that they make up just one part of the many constituents of the UKLA. But as the ILCA Senior Europeans start this week, I wanted to pay tribute to the GBR sailors in Hyeres.
To complete near the top in our two Olympic events takes sustained effort over many years. Training on and off the water, out of sight, it can be a lonely pursuit. Some don’t achieve what they set out to but that makes it all the more admirable, reminding me of the Theo Roosevelt quote
“It is not the critic who counts, not the person who points out how the strong person stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena: whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly: who errs and comes short again and again; who knows great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spends themselves in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if they fail, at least fail while daring, knowing their place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat”
UK Lottery and UK Sport have of course transformed the money available to elite athletes but the challenge in most sports is how to bridge the gap between talented /committed athletes and the elite level without outside funding. As a sport / class we probably don’t do enough to support those starting this journey and we need to consider how to do more. But this theme transcends elite sailors and raises the question of accessibility to our sport at a grassroots level. We have said in our recent strategy document (see website) that we would look at some initiatives in this area, but the answers aren’t easy.
We will continue to encourage the link between grassroots and the top sailors. We are privileged to have these sailors in our fleet while they challenge to compete in the Olympics but also welcome the way they give something back to the class.
Best of luck to the over 30 GBR sailors competing this week.
All the best
Mark
Check our UKLA website and calendar of events