News from Coté and José

AN OLYMPIC DREAM COMES TRUE FOR COTÉ

DBSC member Coté Poncell has been selected to represent Chile at the Paris Olympics in the women’s ILCA 6 Class. It was excitement plus for her family, as her parents are both previous Olympic sailors, and it was a tough process for her country, and herself to win selection against the odds.

Coté spent a season at our club last year, sailing against our top females, and with limited money, living at the iconic Bondi, with husband, José. They both took on a multitude of casual jobs to survive and live her dream: plenty of hills to improve her fitness as she pedalled her bike around the hilly terrain of Sydney delivering pizzas and living frugally. Along the path to qualify, she had to compete in a similar boat to a Laser, called a Sunfish, coming 2nd in last year’s Pan American Championship. She then did Laser training in South America in freezing winter, often surrounded by snow in the rigging area.  More international regattas followed and plenty of practise in extreme conditions of wind and cold. 

The point score from 4 major world regattas would determine who was selected to represent Chile and, in each regatta, Coté beat her rival by just a few places. To cap it off, her ‘official’ wedding to José was last May in Chile. On top of her sailing program, she rarely saw him as he started on his Masters law degree in London. Leaving no stone unturned, Coté also had both her eyes operated on to avoid wearing glasses, just to make sure she had good vision of the windward mark!

The whole of the DBSC membership give you a mighty cheer, Coté, and wish you the very best of luck in your forthcoming Olympic competition.

- Ian Tudball