By Alexander Smith
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) – From table tennis and petanque to games of chess or cards, sailors have found various ways to stay mentally as well as physically cool during long waits as Marseille’s fickle winds have shaken up the schedule for many of the Olympic events.
While they may be arch competitors on the race course, back on shore many of the sailors seem happy to hang out together.
“I feel like we are still pretty good friends on land … Even earlier today I was like playing card games with Lauriane (Nolot) and Ellie (Aldridge) and we were all hanging out in the shade together,” said U.S. kiteboarder Daniela Moroz.
Many of the sailors have established close friendships over many years competing on the global circuits, with some also practicing with training partners from other countries.
“Definitely hanging out with the rest of the team … all the other sailors,” U.S. windsurfer Noah Lyons said when asked how he was planning to relax after one race day.
“There’s a really nice pool in our village that I’ve been frequenting quite a bit, playing ping pong, playing a lot of chess, things to keep your mind occupied,” Lyons added.
Dutch duo Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz, gold medallists in the women’s skiff, said before their decisive medal final that they relaxed after races by watching TV.
“We have a favourite television show so we will watch that,” said Duetz, with Van Aanholt adding they always tried to get the Dutch men’s skiff sailors, including her fiance, to join them.
“It’s like a dating show and the boys pretend they are not interested but they do sort of look when we put it on, so it’s a good relaxing moment for them as well,” Van Aanholt added.
For others at the Games, the challenge has been different, with women’s dinghy sailor Marit Bouwmeester hanging out on her own because she has brought her toddler with her.
“It’s quite nice to be by myself, getting lots of sleep,” she said.
Men’s dinghy sailor Pavlos Kontides admits that it feels a bit like a “holiday” from his usual parenting duties, thanking his wife for the opportunity to be at his fifth Olympics.
“At the Games, we come, we sail and then all afternoon it’s free, but when I’m with them, it’s not like that,” he added.
(Reporting by Alexander Smith; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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