Luke Patience insists he and fellow Olympic silver medallist Joe Glanfield are in Santander to win not just simply gather information for next year’s ISAF Sailing World Championships.
Patience, who won Olympic silver in the 470 at London 2012, and Glanfield, a two-time Games runner-up from Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, lie equal first after the opening day of the test regatta.
Next year’s multi-class ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander mark the first qualifying event for the Rio 2016 Olympics with Patience and Glanfield placing fourth and first from their first two races.
In the women’s 470 Olympic silver medallists from London 2012 Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark are fourth and Sophie Weguelin and Eilidh McIntyre eighth with Patience not just in Spain for a recce.
“Fundamentally the reason we’re here is to gather as much information as we can about the venue, to put us in a better place to execute a good regatta next year,” said Patience.
“That being said, we’re not here practising, we are here on the race course and ultimately we’re pushing as hard as we can to win the races and try and race as immaculately as we can.
“It’s an interesting place. I actually really like it. I really enjoy west of Europe sailing – it means we’re on the ocean, it means the waves are big and I think that’s probably what most Brits were brought up to do.”
© Sportsbeat 2013
Photo Thom Touw Photography