On a Friday afternoon, Rob Dickson was a figure of disappointment, wandering the empty dinghy park at the Roucas Blanc Marina in Marseille. His path was repeatedly interrupted by fellow athletes and coaches who offered consolatory handshakes and fist-bumps because they were not participating in sea events. His destination: The Irish team tent, a haven where support staff strived to make heads or tails of the situation.
Behind him lay the beach from which the finalists of the medal race launched. Despite the hill and official structures blocking his sight, the spectators’ cheer, a stark reminder of his failure to secure an Olympic medal, echoed in his ears. The difference was glaring as he docked next to the Spanish victors, whose joyous laughter and playful dunking in the water was a tradition to release years of built-up pressure.
Dickson, teamed with Sean Waddilove, had the unenviable task of de-rigging beside the jubilant Spaniards. Their only consolation was the crowd of Irish fans behind the nearby fence, where their loved ones rallied around to provide both solace and praise.
Indeed, managing to settle for the fourth spot, or the “leather medal” as it is wryly known, wasn’t easy – given their consistent second place finishes each day of the fleet series which held significant promise for a medal.
So, what went wrong?
The medal race’s design is not only to test skills in an abridged format that suits TV viewership. Although originally planned for Thursday, unfavorable winds led to a necessary postponement of the race.
The next day, conditions were more promising, and the women’s skiff race proceeded without a hitch. Hopes remained high as the men’s event began counting down to the kick-off of the succinct, two-lap race. With both the Irish and the Croatian crew keen on a strong start position, there was a customary struggle while attempting to avoid collisions.
The objective of any yachting competition is to secure a prime position at the starting line for the aptly termed “clear air”, which facilitates optimal boat speed. Being situated behind the pack subjects competitors to the “dirty air” trailing from the sails in front, disrupting their momentum.
A minute before the race commenced, the majority of the boats finalised their spots and geared up to cross the starting line precisely on time. The starting horn rang out, soon followed by a secondary signal indicating an “individual recall”, as the race committee identified that several boats had broken ranks too soon.
One peculiar characteristic of sailing is the absence of technological solutions for notifying the participants of any infractions at the starting line, leaving it to the individual’s honour to rectify their mistake. Such is the nature of sports that require strategic bending of rules in the pursuit of victory.
Three competing boats, including the one operated by Dickson and Waddilove, acknowledged their mistake and reversed to the starting line. However, the Croatian boat failed to do so initially. It was only after two minutes that the race umpires notified them of their false start, leading to their withdrawal from the competition.
Following the corrective manoeuvre at the starting line, the Irish team pursued the other competitors from the right side of the racecourse. Although the possibility of a silver medal was slipping away, the hope of a bronze was still flickering if they could overtake a couple of boats. Unfortunately, the fleet had advanced too far, and the winds on the right were less than favourable.
Finishing in ninth place, Dickson and Waddilove secured fourth place overall, falling three points short of the coveted bronze medal position. Their participation has rightfully earned them the title of dual Olympians, a feat that the Spanish pair Diego Botin le Chever and Florian Trittel Paul have achieved only after three attempts. The Spanish team’s persistent effort finally paid off with a well-earned gold medal.