Dream becomes reality as Fletcher and Bithell surge to 49er victory
Dylan Fletcher had a dream just three days before the Olympic sailing regatta began that he would leave Japan with a gold medal hanging around his neck.
“I was like, ‘Don’t engage with it, don’t tell anyone that’,” he admitted.
This included even his fiancee Charlotte Dobson, who, with Saskia Tidey, was finishing seventh in the 49er FX class just as he and sailing partner Stu Bithell were beginning one of the most dramatic races in Olympic history.
Fletcher and Bithell had started the 49er race four points adrift of the New Zealanders Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, who were not just the defending champions but also double America’s Cup winners.
It left the formidable task of needing to finish two places clear of arguably the best sailing duo in the world but, undaunted, Fletcher and Bithell immediately surged into a clear lead not just of New Zealand but a Germany team who, crucially, had sailed into second. It was a double-edged sword. The Germans were also on a charge and then moved past Britain as the race passed halfway, an order which would have returned New Zealand to gold and pushed Fletcher and Bithell back in silver.
It left a simple task. Catch Germany and, with the lead then changing hands constantly during an extraordinary grandstand finish, the British pair held their nerve to edge back in front as the boats crossed the finishing line from opposite directions.
Bithell, a 34-year-old from Rochdale who previously won silver in London in the 470 class with Luke Patience, said that it was like nothing he had experienced. “I’ve certainly never seen that in the Olympics,” he said. “The exact moment I knew was the very last gybe. We gybed almost simultaneously and I could just see the bow coming out – we were on a little bit of a wave and we got a little bit of a surge – and it popped us over.”
There were then joyous scenes in the Enoshima Yacht Harbour, with Fletcher met off the boat by Dobson before he was even out of the sea. The couple are getting married in Pennsylvania Castle in Portland this month and, with this Olympic cycle now at an end, admitted that they return home with most of the wedby
ding still to organise. “Time pressure will make us organised – we’ll be decisive,” said Dobson, who is planning a big white wedding.
The invites and the suits, said Fletcher, would be the first priority. “There are so many things that most people sort out that hopefully, Charlotte will do,” he said, smiling.
Of the dramatic finish to her partner’s race, she said: “It was amazing to watch – very, very stressful. That will be one of the sailing moments of the Games.
“It epitomises the yin and yang of sport. You risk feeling terrible to feel like that. I am sure the medal will be on our dining room table for the foreseeable future. I am really proud of him – it’s a precious moment to be here together.” Fletcher’s father, Graham, was a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet while his mother, Jane, was in the English National Ballet and, although he never wanted to follow his parents’ passion, he believes that he has benefited from their genetics. His helm role requires a high degree of power and flexibility. Fletcher had beaten Bithell to a place in the 49er boat at Rio but, after finishing sixth with Alain Sign, they decided to form their team after a day sailing together on small moth boats.
“We gelled well,” Bithell said. “Dylan’s very technical, he likes the numbers, I’m more of a feel man. He’s a bit more fiery in the boat and I’m more calming.”
Fletcher said that the way in which they could enjoy the pressure was critical and, with a camera microphone on their boat, you could sense the fun they were having even during such an exhilarating and tense medal race.
As they celebrated in the boat, Fletcher told Bithell of his premonition. “It was amazing to feel that dream come true – even if the finish wasn’t quite that close,” he said.