Irish Olympic Sailing Squad
Laser Rory Fitzpatrick
Name: Rory Fitzpatrick
Date of birth: 21/6/80
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 79 kilos
Born: Dublin
Lives: Glenageary
Work/study background: Did a degree in economics and politics in UCD. Started sailing full time in 2001, as soon as he finished college
Years sailing: 16
Clubs: Royal Irish Yacht Club, Dún Laoghaire
Current class: Laser
Length of time racing current class: Seven years
Coach: Trevor Millar
Current sponsors: Backed mainly by the Irish Sports Council
How started: Started sailing during school holidays, then ended up on Irish under 15 Optimist team and went on from there
Influences: Atlanta Olympic sailor Mark Lyttle, a fellow Laser competitor who acts as a mentor. Also John Lasenby
Best result in class: Tenth in some Grade one regattas, including this year¹s Sail Melbourne
Current world ranking: 42
Best world ranking: 42
Prev. Olympics: Making debut this year
Goal at Athens 2004: Would be happy with a top 10 or top 12 result
Biggest rivals for Olympics: Robert Scheidt, the Brazilian, who has won six World Championships. Michael Blackburn, the Australian. Also Vasilij Zbogar of Slovenia
2004 results to date:
Tenth in Sail Melbourne, tenth in the Australian Nationals. 18th in the Miami Olympic class regatta. Gold fleet in the World Championships (was 70th).
Memorable moments of career:
Qualifying for the Olympics. Also, his first time qualifying for the Gold Fleet in the European Championships, in 2001.
What he considers chief sailing achievements:
Is very happy with world ranking in May, was ranked 42 of 800. Also making the gold fleet at this year’s World Championships
Rory Fitzpatrick was the last of the nine-sailor squad to earn his place for Athens 2004, getting the nod in the Laser class in late May. The Dubliner finished in the gold fleet at the Laser World Championships in Bodrum, Turkey as did Roger Craig and so secured the Olympic slot for Ireland. It was the first time that Ireland had two sailors in the gold fleet of the Laser Worlds since 1983.
With one place for Athens on offer, Fitzpatrick and Craig and Gavin Jones of HYC had to battle between themselves to determine who would travel. In the end Fitzpatrick won out under the Irish Sailing Association¹s ranking selection procedure, ensuring he will be the one to make his Olympic debut this summer.
"I was pretty confident before the Worlds," he says. "I always believed that Ireland would get the Olympic place. I had two main objectives at the World Championship regatta to qualify for Ireland and to finish in front of the Irish contenders. I always believed that I would get there and achieve the objectives that I had."
The Royal Irish Yacht Club sailor got into the sport in 1988, transferring to the Laser class seven years ago. "I was always attracted to the fact that in the class the boats are all the same," he said. "Everything is down to the sailor one hundred per cent, it is he who achieves the result. It is the most physical of the classes as well you have to be pretty fit."
Fitzpatrick has had some solid results, taking tenth in some grade one regattas including this year¹s Sail Melbourne and the Australian National Championships. His plan in the build-up to the Games is to initially take a short break, and then build fitness and form as the Olympics near.
"As soon as the trials are officially over I will take a small bit of time off to recover from doing the trials, as it’s been a pretty draining ordeal," he said. "Then I will spend quite a lot of time training in Athens in the same venue where we are going to be racing, getting used to the wind conditions and the climate there as well. I will spend a lot of time doing off-the-water physical stuff too, like cycling and rowing. The NCTC have been a great help with that as well."
The thoughts of the Games spark enthusiasm. "I’m very excited, I can’t wait. I’m delighted. I can’t wait to race, to be there and part of it all. It’s a chance to really grasp as much as I can do in one regatta and get the best possible performance out of myself.
"I think I can do well over there," he continues. "Looking at my results from the pre-Olympics last year, I had a lot of good races and I finished third in one of the races. Everything should be the same this year, I’m more or less the same sailor. I think if I have a good regatta, I can get a top ten or top 12 result."
Making it to Athens is important to Fitzpatrick, and not just for his own personal satisfaction. Also on his mind are those who helped him over the years, who gave encouragement and support when times were tough. "The people I know have been delighted by the news, they seem to be even happier than I am. I’m really pleased to be able to tell people that I have made it. A lot of people supported me for a long time so to give something back to them is really satisfying."