As he prepares to defend his Laser World Championship title in Mexico next week, Nick Thompson admits he has been getting a little help from a close friend and teammate.
Thompson is in Vallarta for the Championships which get underway tomorrow looking to add to his collection of five World medals.
While that experience will undoubtedly help him, the 30-year-old has also been making the most of gleaming some helpful tips from fellow British Sailing athlete Alison Young.
Laser sailor Young became the first Brit to win World gold in the solo Olympic dinghy class last month – crucially at the same Mexico venue.
And Thompson, who was among the first Team GB athletes to be named last September for this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio, admits he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask her advice.
“I’ve had a little discussion with Ali. I was so, so over the moon for her,” Thompson told British Sailing.
“She’s a fantastic sailor, works harder than anybody else I know and thoroughly deserves to have won that Worlds. I’m so pleased that she managed to do it, and do it in style winning the last race.
“Really the programme for me this year has been about what’s the right thing to do in the build up to Rio. If I’m honest, the build to the Worlds would have been a bit more time in Mexico if we didn’t have the Olympic Games.
“I’m raring to go and I think everything’s in shape for the Worlds, but certainly the focus more is about Rio.”
Sportsbeat 2016