Olympians drop anchor

New training base for sailing to be located on Coast

OLYMPIC sailing champion Mathew Belcher is planning another crack at glory in 2020 thanks to a new national training base on the Gold Coast.

Australian Sailing will today launch its first base outside of Sydney at Hollywell to be called the Gold Coast Training Centre.

It is a partnership with Southport Yacht Club and is specifically for 470 class sailing crews in the build-up to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Coast-based Belcher, who won gold in the 470 class in London before snaring silver last year in Rio de Janeiro, said the new local training base had been a big factor in his decision to push for the 2020 Games.

Not only will it help his quest for another gold, he plans to mentor up-and-coming sailors too. “It’s pretty exciting,” he said.

“It has been a bit of a dream of mine for a while to get the support.

“It will add another level of support to the pathway for our class. I can spend a lot more time with the juniors and make it easier for myself to train.

“It’s a win-win for me and the continuity of 470 sailing past Tokyo.”

The 34-year-old father of two – aged 18 months and three-and-a-half – said it would make it much easier for him to be able to train at home.

“It’s hard in a sense being closer to the end of your career. I don’t want to travel as much as I did 16 yeas ago.”

Australian Sailing spokesman Jane Gordon said the Gold Coast’s Hollywell site was selected for the new base because of the similarity in sailing conditions here to those anticipated in Tokyo.

The site consisted of several shipping containers enabling sailing boats to be stored and already rigged up, saving time and transport costs.

It would also have an office and workshop.

The locality was close to gym and physical therapy facilities at the nearby Queensland Academy Sport, Ms Gordon added.

About eight two-person 470 sailing crews were expected to train regularly at the venue.

Ms Gordon said the location and similarity of conditions were really important in the Olympics build-up.

“And it gives us the chance to have a base on the Gold Coast where there is so much excitement and enthusiasm.”

Belcher recently won the Sailing World Champs in southern France. of