Different path of every sailor

by World Sailing on 29 Jun 2016 The path of every sailor is different with sailors chopping and changing classes and disciplines throughout their life at sea. But for the majority of people, the start is usually the same. The Optimist.

The 2016 Optimist World Championships is currently on in Vilamoura, Portugal and the worldwide class has been the starting place for many a sailor. One of those is Hungary's Maria Erdi.

Starting her sailing adventure and the focus of this week's #MyRoadToRio, Erdi graduated through the ranks to gain a place at the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the tender age of just 18 years old. Delving in to the Hungarian's family life, it's easy to see how Erdi has risen to the heights of the Olympics at a young age. Join us as we look inside the life and home of the Erdi family.

Another example of the pathway to greatness is New Zealand's current World Sailor of the Year, Peter Burling. His first ever regatta was the NZL Opti Nationals in 2000, a regatta that he went on to win in 2003, competing in the Worlds that same year. Burling and 49er crew Blair Tuke have an air of invincibility going in to Rio 2016 as they took their 27th regatta win, without a single loss in the quad, at Kieler Woche this past week.

At the age of eight Vasilij Zbogar took up sailing, and yes, it was the Optimist. The Slovenian talks us through his best Olympic race this week as he goes back to Athens 2004 to reminisce about the race that won him an Olympic medal.

In a continuation of the weekly #ThrowbackThursday feature, we go back in time to Los Angeles 1984 when the Rio de Janiero's very own Grael family announced themselves on the sailing scene. There is also news about the Extreme Sailing Series as the next stop on the world tour hit Cardiff Bay in Wales for another thrilling installment.