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She's off to Beijing

KATIE ABBOTT TO COMPETE IN SAILING AT THE OLYMPICS

Posted By BY SHAWN JEFFORDS, THE OBSERVER

Katie Abbott is getting a second chance at Olympic glory.

The 21-year-old Sarnia woman and her two teammates just missed qualifying for the Beijing games following an equipment failure during a their first sailing race together in February.  But thanks to an invitation issued by the International Sailing Federation, the Canadian women's team will fill a vacant spot at the August games.

"It's really come as a breath of fresh air for all of us," she said of the news, which came last week.

It's a chance to prove what they can do and overcome the frustrating turn of events in Miami when the upper shroud on the main mast broke 10 minutes before the start.

"It was a bit of a shocker for us," Abbott said. "Sailing is a mental game and that was something we had to deal with the best we could."

The three-woman crew of Abbott, Jen Provan and Martha Henderson came together just days before the Miami event. But they have a few races under their belts now, including a 7th place finish at an Olympic regatta in Holland in May.

"We're the dark horse that everyone is wondering about," she said. "We're very confident in our abilities."

The team competes in the Yngling class in a 20-foot keel boat made by Abbott's father Bill, who is also the team's coach. Sailing has been a labour of love for the whole family for decades, she said, starting when her grandfather opened a boatworks in Sarnia.  Both of Abbott's parents and her uncle have competed in the Olympics, and they've have shared some advice.

"Communication is the key," she said. "You have to know your crew well, what their strengths are and what sets them off."

Abbott said she isn't worried by reports of algae growth at the site in Qingdao, the city hosting sail events. Chinese officials are working overtime to clear the bloom, which is threatening to slow the competition.

"If it's a problem, it's something we'll all have to face," she said. "I'm not too worried. Our course is the furthest out in the water so I think we'll be fine."

The team, which has been training in Sarnia recently, is leaving for an international event in Denmark this week before heading to China.

Abbott, a student at Queen's University, said she's ready for the experience.

"I think when I get to the (Athletes) Village I'm just going to be in awe," she said. "I mean, it's the Olympics."