Penny Clark’s back and on track for the Olympics

by Lynn Fitzpatrick on 24 Jan 2008 It’s hard to say who is happier or prouder, Penny or Russell Clark. Both have careers with the Royal Navy and both are spending a lot of time on the warm waters on the other side of the Pond, in Biscayne Bay. Both sailors since they were wee nippers have Topper, Laser, F18 and keelboat victories on their resumes.

Russell, a Lieutenant Commander and Flight Commander in the Royal Navy has also added “personal trainer” and “Mr. Incredible” to his list of titles. When he is not off on long deployments, he tries to spend as much time as he can with Penny, his wife.

Penny’s list of national titles includes the 1996 Europe Dinghy championship. Despite her win, Penny was not selected to represent her country at the 1996 Olympics. Putting the disappointment behind her, she shifted her focus to her career with the Royal Navy School of Marine Engineering. She continued to sail, but not with the intensity of an Olympic athlete.

In 2003, Penny returned to the scene as the sparring partner for Shirley Robertson and GBR’s number one Yngling team, the ultimate winners of the Olympic Gold Medal in the women’s keelboat event in Athens.

The gods must have felt that it was time to reward Penny for her great attitude and sportsmanship, when they selected the Laser Radial as the women’s singlehanded dinghy for the 2008 Olympic Regatta. Penny hopped back into the saddle of the Laser Radial and won her first national ranking event in the UK in 2005. Since then, Penny has done well on the international sailing circuit and sailed herself to podium positions at the 2006 Laser Radial European Championships and the Olympic Test Event in Qingdao, China where she took home the bronze medal in both competitions.

Penny and Russell are kindred spirits. Both view competing in the Olympics as the “ultimate dinghy achievement and the pinnacle of our sport.” They take pride and satisfaction from the years of work that they have put in while trying to reach the Olympics.

Their exuberance is infectious and they have made a lot of friends in boat yards and on race courses around the world. The Olympic Trials are not over yet for Penny. GBR has qualified for the Laser Radial event in Qingdao, China, but the team selection process won’t be finalized until April. With her great attitude, Russell’s backing, the support of the Royal Navy and team coach, Ian Clingan, Penny has a lot of fans routing for her to have her chance to Go for the Olympic Gold.