Podesta aims for London 2012

Youth is such an exhilarating phase of life. At this tender age, one could lack knowledge, practice and expertise, but such constraints are outshone by the youngsters’ spirit of adventure. Such go-go characteristics are blended in the qualities of sailing enthusiast Maya Podesta who has been chosen to participate in the Emerging Nations Programme (ENP), organised by the Perth 2011 ISAF World Championships Organising Committee.

The ENP is an exciting initiative to boost the chances of developing sailing nations to qualify for the Olympic Games as its focus is that of developing athletes for elite competition.

This intense training and racing development project, being held between March 27 and April 12, will be held on the same waters where the World Championships will be raced later this year.

“I am extremely lucky to have been invited as a Maltese sailor to attend for such an interesting training and racing programme which, I’m confident, will help me to attain my ultimate goal – to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics in the Laser Radial Class,” Podesta said.

Her inspiration to embark on an Olympic campaign matured after Podesa won a silver medal for Malta at the 2009 Cyprus GSSE.

The Down Under invitation is undoubtedly a most rewarding opportunity where the organisers will fund every aspect of the Maltese sailor’s trip to Australia.

But, how does qualifying to the 2012 Olympics work?

“At the Olympic Games, the Laser Radial Class is limited to 39 sailors, all of different nationalities. There are two qualifying events – the World Championships of 2011 and 2012. Seventy five per cent of the 39 nations will be decided at the 2011 in Perth next December,” Podesta ex-plained.

“This event will be the climax of my training programme, where my aim will be to gain a place in the top 26. However, the unsuccessful nations in Australia can challenge for the remaining 13 slots at the World Championships in Germany in May 2012.”

Eleven years ago, Podesta, 27, was one of the two Maltese Olympic Youth Camp participants at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, where the fantastic atmosphere of the opening ceremony fuelled her dream to become a true Olympian.

In September 2010, she was awarded an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship by the International Olympic Committee.

This scholarship covers part of Podesta’s training and regatta expenses in her bid to qualify for the Olympics.

This is, in itself, already a big achievement, as it means that even beyond our shores, the IOC and International Sailing Federation believed in the Maltese sailor’s aptitude, and that her qualification was possible.

Podesta, a medical doctor by profession, is a true ‘sailoress’ who, at the age of 13, decided that, if her brothers could join their father when he goes sailing, so could she.

And so she sailed initially on keel boats and eventually on to dinghies.

During her university days, Podesta coached optimist dinghy beginners before she even got her own laser dinghy.

Training camps

How important are training camps abroad and what makes training in Malta different?

“The pool of sailors here is rather small with a limited number as training partners or in competitions. Because of this, having a full-time coach is not feasible. In fact, I am only able to sail with my coach Mario Aquilina once or twice a week over the weekends,” Podesta said.

“This is nowhere near enough training for me to compete against full-timers who sail five or six times a week.

“When I go abroad on training camps I am able to concentrate just on sailing. We spend three to four hours a day on the water and fit in cycling, cardio and gym workouts as well.

“Every day we have a briefing session where we analyse video footage taken by the coach during training. This way we can learn from our own as well as others’ mistakes.”

Podesta has just returned from three weeks in the south of France where her training group consisted of Irish, Austrian and German sailors.

There were also other teams training there, and on a number of occasions, they had short races altogether, where she could gauge her progress with Swiss, British and Irish sailors.

On her last weekend in France, she participated in the Interleague Mediterranean Laser Championship – a two-day regatta where her best result was a 22nd out of the 89 entrants in the class, a valuable experience and a good regatta to start the season.

Podesta’s favourite training venues are France (Ile des Embiez) and Italy (Lago di Garda) where she is always sure to find experienced and qualified coaches as well as several training partners of a certain calibre.

Attaining objectives demands hard work, sacrifices, determination and, of course, expenses.

Indeed, on returning from her Australian trip, Podesta has a full series of major regattas on her plate, presenting a most demanding time-table including three events from the ISAF Sailing World Cup.

Her calendar includes: Semaine Olympique Francaise, in Hyeres, France, Expert Olympic Eurolymp Garda, in Riva del Garda, Italy, Delta Lloyd Regatta, in Medemblik, Netherlands, Kiel Week, in Germany, and the Laser Radial European Championship, in Hel-sinki, Finland.

You’ll Never Walk Alone is a classic song which Podesta relates to her efforts – She’ll Never Sail Alone – because besides her family and close friends, there are others who support and encourage her, the likes of the Malta Young Sailors Club, the Royal Malta Yacht Club, the Malta Sailing Federation and the Maltese Olympic Committee.

Other backing comes from the Ministry for Health, the Elderly and Community Care, under whose auspices she works, as well as from the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth and Sport.

“I am very appreciative of this support. Attaining my objective is not going to be easy but it is possible and achievable with enough determination,” a resolute Podesta declared.