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SARAH BLANCK

SAILING
MORE ABOUT THIS SPORT 

Sarah Blanck of Australia competes in the women's single handed dinghy Europe race at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

QUIRKY STUFF
Proudest Moment Seeing my sister get married
Favourite Food Icecream at the moment
Childhood ambition I wanted to be a hairdresser, an airhostess, a champion netballer and a swimmer
Perfect holiday Camping & waterskiing on the Murray River with my family and friends
Dream car Hybrid
Best sport team Essendon Football Club (Aussie Rules)
Inspiration My gran (who has now passed away) because of her strong character
Motto Follow my instincts
Star sign Capricorn
Tattooes/Piercings Ears pierced (one hole in each ear)
I began this sport . . . at 10 years old because my next door neighbours were always down at the Yacht club on our summer holidays
Participation in other sports Swimming, water skiing, running, riding, participating in triathlons and mixed netball
When I am not training/competing I am . . . visiting friends & family, studying, eating, daydreaming...
Greatest band My Friend the Chocolate Cake
Finest sportsperson Currently it's Petria Thomas...I just finished her book
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EventLaser Radial - Women's One Person Dinghy
Date of Birth18 Jan 1977
Age at start of Games31
BornMelbourne, VIC
LivesSandringham, VIC
Height175cm
Weight63kg
Institute/sVictorian Institute of Sport
ClubRBYC, SSCBC & BYS, VIC
Coach(es)Michael Blackburn (2007 - present)
Erik Stibbe (1998 - 2004)
Olympic Games2004 Athens
Olympic Results2004 Athens - 4th, Europe

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

Education
Secondary Education
Luther College, VIC
Tertiary Education
Bachelor of Design
Swinburne Universtity, VIC
Career Highlights
Finishing fourth in the Europe single-hand dinghy class at my first Olympic Games (2004, Athens)
Winning the Europe single-hand dinghy class at the World Championships after a very long break (Canada, 2002)
Recent Performances
1st - 2008 ISAF Regatta Laser Radial (Holland
1st - 2008 Hyeres Regatta Laser Radial (Hyeres, France)
5th - 2008 Laser Radial World Championships (Wellington, NZ)
1st - Sydney International Regatta
3rd - 2007 Kiel Week (Kiel, Germany)
8th - 2007 Semaine Olympique Française (Hyeres, France)
Interesting Facts
Sarah switched to the Europe class in 1998 and in 2002 won the World Championships. After finishing 4th in the Europe class at the Athens Olympic Games Sarah switched to the Laser Radial class.
In 1995, Sarah won her first world title in the Laser Radial at the Youth World Championships then went on to win the Radial Open World Championships in 1997
Sarah believes that being told "treat the Olympic Games like any other regatta" isn't the way to go. It misleads you to thinking it's the same, when really there's so much hype compared to any other regatta we'd normally compete in. “If you haven’t been there you really don’t know what to expect,” said Sarah. “I didn’t sail anywhere near my potential. I can see now why people want to go to the Olympics – I learnt a lot about myself in Athens – self-belief.”
Sarah learnt alot from her experience at athens and concedes the hype makes it unlike any other regatta. She is more prepared mentally this time around and is looking to better her 4th at Athens
In June 2008 Sarah was named Victorian Female Sailor of the Year.

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