THE Guernsey sailing team has gone with the old cliche of youth and experience for Rhodes. The squad is made up of 19-year-old Clare Chapple, her 17-year-old brother, James, Sophie Platts, who is also 17, and Darragh Lee, who is the senior member at 34.
But, said Lee, it was not a policy to go with youth at the expense of all others.
All three juniors earned their place during the three-month trial competitions, along with Lee who has five Games appearances under his belt.
‘They are star sailors. They are incredible,’ he said.
‘I’m double their age, but they are double my experience. They’ve been sailing all over the world.
‘Going on what the kids are like and going on what I know about the other teams, I think we’re in a good position to win the team gold and pretty strong for some individual medals.’
There is no doubting the calibre of the team.
When she turned 18, Chapple became too old for the British youth squad and last year won the English youth championship in Bristol.
The Sarnian was also selected to represent Great Britain at the Laser Radial class European Youth Championships in Riccione, Italy.
James Chapple and Platts are both current members of the British youth squad.
Lee is no slouch himself and has come agonisingly close to a medal a number of times before.
‘I’ve come fourth three times now,’ he said. ‘I got my hat-trick of fourth positions at the last Games. I’d say I’m feeling a lot better and I’m in better shape than I was. I feel good for a medal.’
While he is bullish about the team’s chances of picking up some medals, team manager Mike Chapple is not getting as carried away.
‘It’s in the lap of the gods,’ he said.
‘If it’s too windy, they [the three juniors] might not do as well as a stronger man. I hope we’re in for a team medal but with sailing you can never tell.
‘There’s three days of competition and if you have a bad day, you’re out of it.’
The main threat for the Sarnians will come from the hosts, Bermuda and Jersey, who won the team gold in Shetland two years ago. The conditions are also going to play a massive role in their medal chances.
‘It’s going to be pretty windy there,’ said Lee. ‘It’s a mistral wind. They’ve got thermal winds that pick up in the afternoon as the land heats up.
‘It will be hot and windy. The heat is going to be pretty challenging.’
Mike Chapple expanded on the issues arising from the conditions.
‘To keep hydrated on the water is going to be a problem,’ he said.
‘There’s the reflection off the water and the water will take the heat off the body and then you don’t realise you’re dehydrated.
‘Most people think that sailing is a sedate sport but competing in 20 knots of wind for three 90 minute races a day - it will be quite tiring.
‘It will be like running two marathons a day. It’s quite a demanding sport.’
Another group who will experience the same problems are the sailboarders.
The attention will be on Stewart Briggs as he attempts to match the gold medal he won in Shetland.
Although the 32-year-old will be looking to repeat his individual win, the emphasis will be on team success. He is joined by Simon Gregory, Daniel Harradine and Tim Laine.
‘I think that’s the thing we’re really aiming for,’ he said.
‘All four [of us] are good in different conditions and we’ve a fantastic cross section. We’re really trying for a team gold.’
The competitors also have to contend with a different type of board from the one they used in Shetland. The Rhodes organisers have decided to go with the light Olympic RSX board.
‘We were fortunate to find this board in France at the beginning of May,’ said Briggs.
‘So we were lucky to use it during the strong winds of May and the lighter winds of this month. We’re got to experience the whole set-up in varying conditions.
‘Training has been good so far and everyone has been on the water a fair amount.’
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