British Sailing Team unveils lineup for Olympic test event
Tokyo 2020 sailors John Gimson, Anna Burnet and Emma Wilson will headline the group of athletes picked to represent Great Britain at the Paris 2024 Olympic test event.
The medal-winning trio are part of a 14-strong squad that will compete in Marseille, the host city of the sailing competition at next summer’s Olympics, in July this year.
The test event is a dress rehearsal for the games, with only one entry per nation in each of the ten classes.
Mark Robinson, the RYA’s performance director, says: “Attending the Olympic test event is always a key milestone in one’s Olympic campaign journey. These 14 athletes, through their recent performances, thoroughly deserve that opportunity. With a number of equipment and class changes for Paris 2024 we have selected a great mix of up-and-coming performers alongside seasoned campaigners at the highest level.”
Gimson and Burnett were Nacra 17 silver medallists at Tokyo 2020 and have won the Princess Sofia Trophy and Semaine Olympique Française regattas.
Other squad members include windsurfer Emma Wilson on the iQFOiL, one of two new sailing classes making their Olympic debut in Paris, will be Sam Sills, who won bronze at the Lanzarote International Regatta before earning the top spot at the Princess Sofia Trophy.
With Formula Kite also set to debut in Paris, Connor Bainbridge and Ellie Aldridge have been chosen to compete at the test event off the back of bronze medals at the Princess Sofia Trophy and another for Bainbridge at Semaine Olympique Française.
Other sailors include bronze winner at Semaine Olympique Française, Micky Beckett in the ILCA 7, and 2022 Princess Sofia silver medallist Hannah Snellgrove in the ILCA 6.
James Peters and Fynn Sterritt will take on the 49er fleet while two-time Olympian Saskia Tidey and Freya Black will contest the 49erFX class. Finally, in the mixed 470 will be Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris.
Selection for the test event was made by the RYA’s Olympic Selection Committee. However, there is no guarantee that these athletes will be picked to represent Team GB at Paris 2024.
The Paris 2024 test event runs from 9-16 July 2023. Follow Marine Industry News to stay up-to-date on the results.
