Media centre roof collapses as Aussie sailors finish preparations for gold medal defence
IT’S not quite true to say Australia is hoping to sail the house down at the stunning Olympic course on Tuesday because the house is down already.
IT’S not quite true to say Australia is hoping to sail the house down at the stunning Olympic course on Tuesday because the house is down already.
Curious sailors looked up at the disturbance when the roof of the main media centre collapsed yesterday, prompting an instant evacuation.
Following the collapse of a launching platform at the venue recently it was the last thing organisers needed before the start of the sailing program in the early hours of Tuesday (AEST).
The Australian sailors saved Australia’s medal table bacon in the London Games winning three of the nation’s eight gold and of the seven boats entered in Rio four have strong medal chances.
The Brazilian government is so keen to stay onside with the sailors that it has banned major airlines from flying over the course between 10am-4pm to minimise the turbulence.
It’s a nice thought but the choppy water, tricky currents and fluky winds of Guanabara Bay will have their own say.
“It is a difficult venue compared to London – it is challenging with its current and wind patterns,’’ said London gold medallist Nathan Outteridge who will defend his title with Iain Jensen.
“You can scratch your head as to what is going on but we have a good meteorology team.’’
Games organisers are aware of all the horror stories about sailors running into submerged debris in a harbour, which has been described as a giant bowl of minestrone soup so each morning for a week a group of boats have been delegated to “scoop’’ the harbour.
Gold medal favourite Mat Belcher has been here ten times and claimed this is the cleanest he has seen the bay.
On his last visit here though he was sick for five days so there are many challenges.
Outteridge has recently had his first week off in three years and after arriving here five weeks ago feels ready for the regatta – if not as ready as he was when he won the gold medal in London.
“This is the longest we have been in a country for three years,” he said.
“We are not as prepared as we were for London. We had everything mapped out.
“In China we were not ready for the Games and it showed. The Olympics are very special and we will call on all our experience.’’
Originally published as Media centre roof collapses as Aussie sailors finish preparations for gold medal defence