The Australian Sailing Team flew to Hong Kong today for a three day assembly and preparation camp before they move into the athletes’ village at the Olympic sailing venue of Qingdao, 500km south east of Beijing, on the 28 July 2008.

The team, which is ranked number one in the world and includes three current World Champions and three world number one ranked athletes, has had a highly successful twelve months leading up to the Olympic Games and is keen to reverse the situation of no medals won in Athens four years ago.   

Australia is considered medal favorites in several classes including Laser, Tornado, 49er and Men’s 470 and the team is hopeful of emulating the sport’s best ever Olympic result achieved in Sydney with two Gold, one Silver and one Bronze.

Australian Sailing Team Director Michael Jones said the team of 17 athletes, nine coaches and four support staff is the best prepared ever for an Olympic Games and is confident the athletes are going into competition as ready as they can be.

“The team has spent a lot of time in Qingdao over the past two years and we have planned and utilised that time very efficiently,” said Jones.

“In addition to becoming comfortable in the challenging conditions, we have worked very hard on specific preparation for these games and our form in other competitions has shown the value and success of this preparation.

“The team are all well, their boats have been meticulously prepared for the Olympic competition and now it’s just a matter of doing the job on the course.

“No other Australian Olympic sailing team has had the degree of structured preparation, scientific analysis, venue specific training and support provided to this team.

“They’ve shown what they can do – we’ve had numerous ISAF Grade One event wins across most classes and seven world championship wins in the lead up to these Games.

“Now it’s a matter of coping with the pressure of Olympic competition, dealing with the weather handed to us each day and ensuring everything comes together out on the water when it matters most.

“They’re hungry, they’re nervous, but justifiably confident that they’ll do their very best and that will bring results.”

Australian Laser sailor and Olympic debutant Tom Slingsby joined the team fresh from his victories at the 2008 Laser European Championships last weekend and Germany’s Kiel Week in June.  The 23 year old from the NSW Central Coast is a dual World Champion, ranked number one in the world and a firm favourite to medal at the Olympic Games.

Slingsby said he’s aware of the pressure of expectation but is putting it aside to focus on the job at hand.

“It’s a cross between nerves and excitement at the moment,” said Slingsby.

“I know a lot of people are expecting me to come away with a really good result and I know as long as I do everything I can and prepare as best I can, I have a chance of delivering.

“There is a lot of pressure around and I’m not used to the atmosphere of an Olympic Games, so I need to pretend it’s another major regatta and get used to it early in the piece and just do what I always do.”