Chatting to Andrew Tarboton - Olympic Hopeful

Pictured competing on Lake Garda, Graeme Wilcox and Andrew Tarboton glide through a tack as they compete on the European circuit recently. The team are competing in the 49er World Championships in the hope of qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Pic by Elena Giolai

Point Yacht Club

Interview with Andrew Tarboton

Currently competing in the biggest regatta of their lives, two South African’s are racing in the 2015 49er World Championships on the waters of Club Nautico in San Isidro, a province just north of Buenos Aires.

Graeme Willcox and home-grown talent, Andrew Tarboton, hope that over the remainder of this week, their dream of competing at the Rio 2016 will be realised. This is a tough ask, with only 20 teams getting the chance to compete in the 49er class at the Olympics, so far half of that allocation has been filled with two teams from Oceania and eight teams from Europe already qualifying in the 2014 World Champs.

The pair of Willcox and Tarboton has been campaigning for three years, “I personally have been trying for over five years, and after one failed partnering, I teamed up with Graeme to give it another go!” explained Pietermaritzburg’s Tarboton.

Continuing, “We started with a national ranking regatta in the UK, just for fun, we both felt we did fairly well, so I asked Graeme if he was keen to campaign. We have done more of the circuit each year and have competed at regattas in Spain, France, Italy, Holland, Germay, UK, Portugual, and now in Argentina.”

Having grown up on the waters at the Henley Midmar Yacht Club, 2015 is proving to be quite an auspicious year for Tarboton, having just recently gotten engaged to Lizzie Shawcroft, 2015 also marked him celebrating his 30^th birthday, with the conclusion to his year - sailing his heart out in South America in the hopes of representing South Africa next year at the Olympics.

“We have always been pushing the main pack, but due to our lack of time on the water, we generally fall just behind the pack by the finish. Our sailing has come a long way but the competition is relentless! To give you an idea of the competitiveness here, the London 2012 Gold medalists Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen didn’t make the medal race last week in the tune-up race.”

“The South American Champs gave us a chance to begin tuning the boat we have chartered and getting used to it, as well as learning the local conditions, so we were trying a lot of new things and experimenting with strategies and techniques. We finished 49^th out of 53 boats.”

“In the second day of racing at the Worlds, we notched up an eighth and 22^nd today so we are hoping to build on that, stretch our legs and move up the leaderboard. We pulled up to 46^th overall out of 61 teams, a good day on the water.”

Asked what is the most difficult thing about campaigning for Rio 2016; Tarboton states, “Lack of resources! We are competing at an amateur level in a professional world, many of the regattas we do, we are the only team without a coach, and have the least practice time of anyone there!”

“And the best thing about campaigning for Rio 2016 is that we have sailed in some amazing venues all over the world. Sailing with Graeme, when we really have the boat in the groove and going well, sailing is very addictive! Graeme is calm on the helm, always in good spirits, we make a formidable team.”

“I have always loved skiff sailing and have known since I was a boy, sailing on Midmar that I wanted to sail 49ers. Carving it up in 15-18knots of breeze, in big rolling swells on a 49er, the sort of conditions we experienced in Porto is what dreams are made of. I am most at peace in life when I am on the water; sailing is a fantastic experience for all your senses, so pure and so free!”

“When we were really young, my dad Rob would race his fireball at Midmar, and in the afternoon after racing, he would come back and take my brother, my mom and I out for a sail. These memories certainly moulded my life path. I was fortunate enough to sail the 2005 29er World Champs with my dad in San Francisco Bay and we won a race. And now a decade later here I am, striving towards competing at the Olympics.”

Residing in Hamble, near Southampton in the UK, Tarboton moved to England to be close to the competitive sailing circuit, “There are some stunning venues to go sailing in Europe, and you basically choose the conditions you want to sail in and there is a venue that provides those exact conditions! It is really easy to get anywhere in Europe, and the level of sailing is always high.”

The former Maritzburg College lad states, “If I had to give advice to anyone, I would really emphasise to follow your dreams and never give up! I have embarked on this campaign because I don’t want any regrets later in life, I want to look back and say that I gave it everything I had. I changed career, moved halfway around the world and took up the challenge I presented myself with. If I were to look at the challenge now, knowing what I have learned from it, I would be more hesitant, but ignorance is bliss and so plunge head first into your dreams and work it out as you go!”

The upbeat and optimistic character enthused, “After this it is back to winter training back in the UK, before heading out to Palma, Spain, in April for the opening event of the 2016 Summer Season. Lizzie and I will get a bit of downtime which typically allows us to explore with our puppy, Roxy. We love seeing new places and learning about people, past, present and future.”

Endeavouring in the present, the determined team of Graeme Willcox and Andrew Tarboton are pushing hard in day three of the 2015 49er World Championships taking place in Argentina where they hope to reach their ultimate goal of being qualifying and competing in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

For more info, visit http://49er.org/willcoxtarboton/ or https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/RSA49er

Chatting to Umpire Tarryn Woodroffe

SPAR KZN Regional Hockey Tournament

Umpire Profile: Tarryn Woodroffe

“I love all sports and love being involved in any way I can whether it is in the organisational side, playing, umpiring or even just watching.”

These are the passionate words of Pietermaritzburg’s Tarryn Woodroffe as she sits on the side of the hockey pitch observing the unfoldings of the gold silver game at the SPAR KZN Regional Hockey Tournament.

A minute into the game, Durban Girls College slot a well-crafted goal into St Anne’s net, “I play sweeper or centre half and a while back I saved a shot at goal by Henna du Buisson at an IPT off the line, behind the keeper. That moment is still one of the best moments that I have had on a pitch.” she claims impressed by the attack that just occurred!

The young umpire representing Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School in the grand finals was selected as the Most Promising Umpire of the ‘Maritzburg Central Regional, displaying a level head and superb knowledge of the game during the tournament, she was given the honour of looking after the bronze game that had her school take on newcomers Westville Girls’ High.

“The game was pretty intense with both teams playing extremely well but my girls managed to score two goals so we got a third place after a hard weekend of hockey!” the smiling official shares.

Talking about her experience, she said, “I umpired a semi-final in the South African Women’s Country Districts Tournament not so long ago. That was also really exciting.” she adds, “I was playing in the final so I couldn’t umpire that!”

“I was very nervous but I was surprised at how much I actually knew.” Woodroffe admits when she chats about her first time she had picked up the whistle. “I started umpiring when I left school but would say that I have been umpiring proper teams for about three years.” She states proudly.

“With all the international games that are taking place, our girls participating in the Commonwealth Games at the moment, I would love to take to the field to officiate our girls when they take on Australia. To be a part of that must be such an adrenaline rush.”

Continuing, she says, “Playing hockey actually is an adrenaline rush for me, I just love the game! Hockey is in my blood I guess. My whole family plays hockey! Both my aunts played for South Africa and my cousin, Jade Mayne, is currently playing in the South African Women’s team.”

With a twinkle in her eye, she enthuses, “I want to go and watch my cousin Jade Mayne play in Brazil at the next Olympics. I am working towards ticking that off my bucket list. That and going and watching Wimbledon.”

Her determination shines through as she comments, “There is no such word as can’t! I had a back operation or fusion a few years back and was told I would never play hockey or squash again BUT I refused to take no for an answer and have since played even better and at a higher level.” 

Chipping into the conversation, coach for Girls High Taryn de Winnaar sitting near contributes, “Tarryn started with us this year but her and I have played hockey together for a while. She is a close friend and I really value what she has to offer. She has a super work ethic, always prepared to work hard and always willing to learn. She has the potential to do very well not only with her umpiring but also in her profession!”

Bashful, Woodroffe picks up, “Coach Div and I are involved in the U16 basketball team this term. Under Div’s guidance, I have been very fortunate to learn so much in the short time I have worked at Girls’ High. It always helps working with someone so talented and passionate.”

“I am helping every now and then with off season hockey training but we have now switched to basketball as our main focus.”

In her scarce free time, Woodroffe enjoys running, a game or two of squash, swimming and cycling. “I am playing at the women’s IPT in three weeks’ time in the B section for South African Country Districts and am very proud to be the Captain of the team.”

“I have been out of action for a couple of years owing to having my two little boys, Zac and Rory and have been recovering from a groin repair operation from last year but am going to give it my all and see if I still have what it takes with the stick as opposed to with the whistle.”