Snellgrove relishing chance to lay down Olympic marker
By Abi Curran, Sportsbeat
Hannah Snellgrove is in the condition of her life heading to the Semaine Olympique Francaise and knows the event will act as her biggest marker ahead of her Olympic debut.
The 33-year-old ILCA 6 sailor decided to opt out of the Trofeo Princesa Sofia event in Mallorca almost three weeks ago to focus on a consistent training block ahead of Hyeres.
Now competing at ‘French Olympic Week’, where sailors will race in two fleets as part of the ‘Last Chance Regatta’, Snellgrove will be part of the pack who have already qualified to compete in Marseille this summer.
She said: “We didn’t feel the need to put too many regattas into this time period.
“It’s been nice to have that consistent period of racing without two regattas disrupting that.
“This is the first check-in of where we’re at with the best in the world.
“We’ll be racing with the nations who have already qualified so it will feel more like the Olympics which is why we have chosen this one to do.
“Your whole programme and mentality changes once you’ve been selected and it’s all about performing in one week in August.
“It’s nice to get that confidence boost ahead of the summer and there are opportunities to learn, now is the time to go and do that.”
Snellgrove finished 11th at the World Sailing Championships to qualify Team GB a place last year and secured her spot in February.
The Lymington sailor admits her physical condition suffered during her selection campaign but, following a consistent training period since selection, she is now peaking at just the right time.
She said: “Last year, it felt like we got from event to event basically holding me together with tape.
“I had the long period out in 2022 with my back injury and was hanging on by a thread so that’s why we’re making the most of this period.
“I feel like I’m going into the summer in a much stronger place. I’ve been getting personal bests in the gym so I’m peaking at 33, defying the science.
“I’ve been getting much stronger since the worlds and getting selected, up until that point it was a case of hanging on. But since getting in, I’ve been able to put in the hours I’ve needed.”
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