Windsurfer Bryony Shaw has renewed passion following 2013 success

Bryony Shaw, RSX, GBR94 - Sail for Gold 2013 Paul Wyeth / RYA http://www.rya.org.uk

Bryony Shaw - RSX Women © Paul Wyeth / RYA http://www.rya.org.uk

The build up to 2013 was all about the rollercoaster of my 2012 Games disappointment, and then kitesurfing taking windsurfing’s spot in the Olympic programme, only for windsurfing to then be put back in again. I think being put back into the Games really gave a new spark to windsurfing. Everyone before who’d been so disappointed about the decision now had this whole new energy about the sport. It reinvigorated everyone – it certainly did for me and my coach Dom [Tidey] and everyone who then had their eyes on the 2013 World Championship. After the decision was made, we had a short period of time to really train up and really focus on that, which was quite an energetic and exciting period.

I definitely think that windsurfing being put back into the Olympics, coupled with my disappointment from the 2012 Games, gave me the drive to perform well last year. I really wanted to step up and prove myself and let myself know that I did still have it in me and that the illness before the 2012 Games was a bit of a one off and hopefully I still had the talent there to go forward into Rio. It was about proving that to myself and then going ‘OK, I’ve got the confidence to know that I can do it’ with all the main players there, and then take that confidence into the season.

Kitesurfing was great fun and the process has introduced me to a new sport which I continue to enjoy, but ultimately windsurfing is where my history is and where my passion is. That was definitely reignited, and to win silver at the Worlds was such a ‘wow’ start to the year. The rest of my results kind of flowed on from there really!

It was amazing to have been awarded the British Sailing Team and BOA Sailor of the Year for 2013 and was something which put a huge smile on my face. You have your head down for most of the year working on your little goals and you kind of forget about the big picture, so to reflect on the year and have my name on that trophy alongside Ben Ainslie and other gold medallists such as Paul [Goodison] and Sarah [Ayton] was fantastic and it was unexpected. I was sitting there on the night weighing up how good a year the Brits had had. There were so many people who had medals to their name – the 49er boys had a great year, Nick [Dempsey] had a great year, the Nacra team had good year, Ed Wright as well. It could have been any of us, so to be mentioned as the stand-out performer was pretty cool.

We’ve had a great winter in terms of trying to push on with the fitness and keeping things ticking over. It was a very long season in 2013 so recharging and getting that motivation back again is really important for the season ahead. In the summer I moved to Poole from Tunbridge Wells, and living by the coast again and having that easy access out on the water has meant I’ve been really active. I’ve been doing lots of wave sailing and SUPing so it’s been quite a fun and active winter.

Bryony Shaw with her coach and fellow award winner Dom Tidey © British Sailing Team

But I’m eager now to head out to Miami and get out on the RS:X and get racing. We’ve had a dry spell in terms of real competitive racing. The Miami World Cup is going to be our first battle out on the water again and we’ll see where we’re at. It will be a good measure – Palma as well tends to be a good turnout so that will be one we’re gunning for as well.

We went to Rio last summer and it was a stunning place to sail – it’s a really interesting coastline with Sugarloaf Mountain right there and really iconic places to be. When I was out there it was quite inspiring and you felt that kind of buzz about the place. We’re going to have ten days out there after Miami which will be about collecting venue-specific bits and bobs, keeping our eyes on the prize really and making sure that that Rio remains our focus. It’s really important to get as much time on the Olympic waters as possible and of course we’ll be looking to go back for the first Test Event in August.

It still seems like 2012 was only yesterday, but the Olympic cycle does come around again very fast and this year we’ll see that first steps towards qualification for Rio at the Santander Worlds in September where country qualifying spots are up for grabs in each of the classes. While the new classes are still establishing their pecking order, for us as windsurfers it’s the same crowd, but people have that renewed energy to really go for it given that windsurfing is back in the Olympics. You’ll still have the big names and the stars of the sport turning up and wanting to qualify their country and also try and make sure that they’re the top dog in their country. That’s important for me too, to try and gain that spot, but ultimately it would be fantastic to come from winning silver at last year’s Worlds to come away at the end of this year as World Champion.

Rio would be my third Olympics and although I am one of the older members of the team now, I’m really glad that I’ve still got such a love for the sport. It doesn’t feel old and I’m still learning and still improving and I still feel like I have a lot to prove and a lot to give. Looking around me everyone seems to be younger and have that energetic sense about them and I feel like it’s my role now to take on and give advice to the rest of the team. People come and ask me questions and that’s quite flattering – they see that I do have that experience and knowledge and how they can learn from that. That’s pretty nice and I’m absolutely pleased to give that and try and boost the younger members of the team. I certainly feel there were members of the team when I was in Beijing, Bart [Simpson] being one of them, who were always so friendly and approachable and wanted to give advice, so hopefully I can pass that on.

The Worlds in Santander excites me most about the year ahead. It’s all the classes together, and I think it will hopefully be a really good showcase of the sport. I think they will try and really get that element of spectators being able to see the sailing close up. There are not many competitions we attend where there’ll be the same kind of buzz and media interest around, so that is definitely something that I enjoy being involved in and try and make sure that we as a sport look cool and glamorous and try and make the most of the opportunity.

As a sailor, I think I’d like to become more ruthless with the way I race and I think this year we’ll see quite a few of those one on one rivalries among certain key players developing. I definitely want to stamp my place in the fleet this season, and hopefully that will be at the front and not budging! That’s the plan!

Bryony Shaw will be in RS:X windsurfing action at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami from 27 January-1 February British Sailing Team