Back in May, VB were lucky enough to talk to four Team GB Olympic Sailors. Our intern at the time, Charlotte Stockdale, joined us in meeting Saskia Clark and Hannah Mills as well as Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell, who have just achieved a silver medal in the Men’s 470 class. Ed
Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell were looking forward to the Olympics and chatted to us about the mental state of becoming an Olympian.
We were at the Cowes Week launch and whilst most people were sipping champagne, Luke and Stuart were sticking to water. “It’s just common sense; we’re not rowers or sprinters, our game is largely in the head but a good mental state comes from being physically on top.”
Together since 2009
“We’ve got to read the wind with the clouds and notice the tide.” It appears you cannot learn sailing in a short period of time. Luke has a photograph of himself in a boat at the age of three, but he didn’t get into competitive sailing until he was about seven.
Team Bithell – Patience have been together since 2009 and have been constantly working towards the Olympics since 2000.
In such a competitive sport tensions could run high but Luke and Stuart never argue on the water. “We have a massive amount of mutual respect for each other.”
Team work
Luke says that “me and Stuart are the definition of the word team.” They realise that if you take up time arguing you are not concentrating on the race. When they hear competitors arguing is when they realise they have an upper hand.
When deciding to try for an Olympic place they say that “it’s taking the leap of faith, putting all your eggs in one basket and saying ‘this is what I will do.'”
“You will make mistakes and you will fail but that is OK because one day we want to be stood on the highest level of the podium. Hopefully we will be doing that in August.”
Congratulation to Stuart and Luke, who will be collecting their Olympic Silver Medals today after an outstanding performance in the 470 class racing. [audio:http://onthewight.com/m/a/luke-patience-and-stuart-bithell-male-olympic-sailors.mp3]
