Adam's Updates.

I try and do an email update out to my friends every now and then to say hello and update them on what I'm up to. I'm going to start collecting them here as a bit of a diary entry.

17th Feb, 2002, Bristol [908 Days to Athens 2004]

Hello everyone, well it has been a while since I did one of my random updates as I've been rather busy with working and training, but I've got plenty of news and the season is about to start so it is time to get back on the emails.

In my big news I shall be finishing at Airbus UK on the 1st of March, to campaign the Tornado full time for Athens 2004. Few people get the chance to go to two Olympics, let alone with a medal chance, so I shall be concentrating on dominating the Tornado fleet over the next few years.

I'd spoken to the Human Resources dept, about the fact that it would necessary for me to undertake a considerable number of events and training periods throughout Europe & the US during the period of March 2002 - Sept 2002, and I'd really need to go full time again. Originally though the HR department were very supportive of this and had agreed to give me a 'leave of absence'. I was then informed that due to the companies current economic position this offer was no longer valid, and therefore I must consider my options. So I have officially handed in my notice. I am fortunate in that all the managers I've got offers for work should I wish to go back, and I'd positioned myself within the company as one of a small group of  people specialising in a new CAD package that will be used by Airbus in the next few years. I'm actually quite happy with the arrangement because I will not be obliged to return to Airbus, but I know I've got work there if I want it.

My plan following the Games was to work for long enough to ensure I had a career within the Aerospace industry if I wanted it, and to invest in my Masters a bit really. I've had a great year and a half working at Airbus, learning lots, and being involved in some interesting projects, and I think I'm better for it - the life on the Olympic trail is slightly separated from normal life! I think many of the squad members miss out by never having a normal job - or that's what I told myself whenever I rode to work just after 7:00 in the morning in torrential rain!

Hugh has been great while I've been working, keeping the campaign running along, and even finding time to study again, starting a part time Masters degree in Marketing & ECommerce. Even though we only sailed on a part time basis in 2001, we still managed a 3rd in the Worlds, and a 2nd in the Europeans to take us to 2nd overall in the World rankings.(And I even sneaked in the National title to finish off the year!) The year has been hard though. Fitting an Olympic campaign in with work takes a lot out of you. Combining sailing every weekend & major events, mid week gym sessions, sponsorship chasing, technical projects, a lot of driving around the South coast and an day job doesn't leave you with much time for anything else.

I'm looking forward to the 2002 season, we've had a bit of a break effectively and so go into this season hungry for better results. We'll up the amount of training, and I've still got loads of ideas on how to make a Tornado faster that we'll have to play with!

We've started the season well, with a win in our first regatta of the year. Although only a small event in Portugal, the International Vilamoura Carnival regatta, was attended by the entire British squad and two local Portugese teams. We won with a consistant scoreline in light and tricky conditions. Although we never won a race, we lead round the windward mark first in every race, and sailed a solid series. Second was the Portugese helm, Hugo Roche, with Rob Wilson & Will Howden third, on equal points with two other British teams. We've been training out in Portugal as it is to be the venue of our European Championships later this year.

So what is next for us?

A few days after I finish work we'll fly out to Portugal to undertake some more training out there. Then we'll drive to Valencia and get a ferry over to Palma for some more training there before competing in the Princess Sophia Regatta. We then head over to Hyeres in the South of France where we have a regatta a week later. As soon as that event is finished we go straight back to Portugal for the European Championships. The season doesn't stop there though, as we have SPA regatta in Holland a week or so later, followed by Kiel Eurolymp in Germany, the Formula 18 Worlds and the Pre Pre Olympics in Athens in the summer sometime. Then we are getting near to September when we have our World Championships out in Massachusetts, USA.

So its a busy year!

I hope everybody is well, and I look forward to hearing everyone else's news.

On a final note be warned - I now have a little webcam linked to my laptop, so you may be getting some little movies from some events! I'm also running MSN Messenger so anybody who wants to chat online, please let me know.

Best regards

Adam