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From ISAF Youth Worlds Gold to Olympic glory in four years

16
Jul 2011

Tessa Parkinson and Elise Rechichi (AUS) sailed the 420 at the 2004 ISAF Youth Worlds in Gdynia, Poland. The girls won gold and just four years later they were on the Olympic podium receiving their Women's 470 gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

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2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships
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Tessa Parkinson and Elise Rechichi (AUS) at the 2004 ISAF Youth Worlds

Tessa Parkinson and Elise Rechichi (AUS) sailed the 420 at the 2004 ISAF Youth Worlds in Gdynia, Poland. The girls won gold and just four years later they were on the Olympic podium receiving their Women's 470 gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Parkinson, who is training with Belinda Stowell for her second Women's 470 Olympic campaign and will be representing Australia at the 2011 Olympic Test Event, said, "The youth worlds is an amazing event. That was my first Australian team regatta and it was great to come away with a gold medal."

With a 40 year history the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship has seen some of the worlds best sailors compete. Previous gold medallists have gone on to achieve great accolades and Parkinson is one of them as it helped her progress into senior competition, "It is hard when you're 17 to be thrown into senior atmosphere so going to the Youth Worlds is a nice stepping stone and a lead in to that high level competition.

And the Australian also offered advice to the 349 sailors comprising 247 teams who will sail in Zadar, Croatia from 7-16 July, "The biggest thing is to have fun and enjoy it. Go in there to learn as much as you can and perform to the best of your ability.

"It is a big regatta and means a lot and it's the stepping stone to getting funding from the federation and entering into the Olympic team.

"I think all you can do is make sure you're well prepared and learn what you can from the racing because it is a great experience."


Watch the following interview with Tessa Parkinson here as she talks about her experience of sailing at the 2004 ISAF Youth Worlds in Gdynia, Poland, the progress sailors make from competing at the ISAF Youth Worlds and gives advice and tips to the 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds' sailors.