Scotland’s Dobson to lead the home charge at Laser Radial Worlds

When she started squad training on the Clyde off Largs as a 12-year-old, little did Scotland’s Charlotte Dobson ever expect that she would race a crucial world championships event on the same stretch of water.

Over the subsequent years Dobson, now 24, spent many formative hours in the Largs Channel, sailing just some of the hard miles which became the foundations of a Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship bronze medal, last month’s silver medal in the Laser Radial European Championships in Tallin and her current ISAF ranking of third in the world.

So when the Laser Radial Women’s World Championships begin on Friday (9 July), no-one will be feeling more at home on the start lines than Dobson who grew up in Helensburgh some 15 miles up the river (as the seagull flies).

In her first full time season since leaving university she is on her best ever form. As well as her European championships second place, she finished runner-up at the season’s third ISAF World Cup event in Hyeres, France.

“In fact I am not so sure there is much advantage to be had on the water in terms of local knowledge,” smiles Dobson, “but certainly it is cool to walk around the dinghy park and the club and feel confident and relaxed in your surroundings. That makes a difference when you are used to travelling a lot and finding yourself adapting to what a venue is like, whether that is ashore or on the water. And from a purely practical point of view I have managed to do a good amount of training up here this season, looking to peak here and at August’s Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, and that has meant being at home, doing a bit less travelling and so the time feels like it has been well spent.”

As well as being in familiar surroundings, Dobson will be in good company in Largs, as the rest of the Skandia Team GBR Laser Radial squad will join her in fighting it out for their chance at the world title.

 Andrea Brewster delivered Britain’s last women’s Radial Worlds medal – a bronze in 2008 – while Ali Young will be looking for a second podium finish of the season to add to her Miami World Cup bronze from January this year.

Chloe Martin, fresh from her under 21 Laser European Championship title in Tallin, will also be one to watch.

 Dobson narrowly missed out on selection for the 2008 Olympic Games but feels she has made significant improvements to the way she sails during last winter and in the spring, and now being free of university commitments means she is totally focused on her sailing and her goal of a medal in 2012 in Weymouth & Portland, where she now lives.

 "Normally May to September I’d be trying to frantically catch up on what I’ve missed sailing, but now I am much more relaxed and confident.”

 The last few days of brisk winds of more than 20 knots have shown one side of the possible Largs conditions. Dobson is comfortable across the wind range, but would be happy to see some light, fickle winds at least some of the time on her native Clyde.

 “If anything my preference is for the light, fickle, tricky days you sometimes get here, when it is patchy and puffy, that would be good. But, meantime, I’ve been learning to love 20 knots.”
 

Article Author Andi Robertson 7/7/2010 16:59