Absence of wind hits HD viewing

7:44am Friday 15th August 2008

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AS Britain's sailors get set for medal races to begin in China, members of the sailing community gathered for a morning of high-definition Olympic viewing.

Weymouth-based Paralympic sailor Alexandra Rickham, Britain's gold medal hopeful in the Skud-18 class with team-mate Niki Birrell, was among those who attended the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

Alexandra, 26, will fly out to the games' sailing venue Qingdao next Thursday ready for racing to begin on September 8.

She said: "Of course I've been following the Olympic Games. It's a team sport and we're supporting the Olympics hugely.

"We won the test event last May and whatever happens out in China we'll come out knowing we put our all into it.

"I'm hoping that 'all' turns into a gold medal."

Chief executive of the academy Mark Stubbings greeted the dozen people who attended the viewing and had hoped to cheer on Weymouth's sailors and the rest of Team GB, but a lack of wind in Qingdao meant races were cancelled yesterday.

The Beijing Olympics is the first to be broadcast in the United Kingdom in high-definition and a new 50-inch flat-screen television has been installed at the academy, donated by Panasonic with Freesat high-definition built in.

Mr Stubbings said: "Unfortunately unlike the magnificent weather sailing conditions we have here in Weymouth, Qingdao is bereft of wind.

"It was always part of the worry we had for Qingdao, which was always going to be a light wind event.

"However we're here celebrating the fact the Olympics is now on. It brings it a little bit closer for us. All of a sudden we can see what's going to be happening here in four year's time."

Building work at the sailing academy will be completed by the end of this year and Mr Stubbings said the academy would be the first Olympic venue ready.

Chief executive of the Royal Yachting Association Rod Carr also attended, as did Portland youngster Adam Greaves, who completed the Sail for a Fiver initiative run at the academy, courtesy of The Chesil Trust and SailLaser.

Adam, 11, of Southwell said: "I've been watching the Olympic Games and it's a bit of a shame there's hardly any wind as it's obviously not going to be as exciting as if there was loads of wind.

"I'm really looking forward to it coming to Weymouth and hopefully it will create a lot of opportunities for other young people in the area."