Balerno’s David Kohler hopes to continue a tradition of fine Scottish sailors that stretches back generations.  In the 1960s we saw the emergence of Chay Blyth – a sea farer extraordinaire who not only was the first man to row the Atlantic Ocean, he was also the first man to sail around the world against the prevailing winds, earning him the nickname ‘Wrong Way Chay’.

Then came the great Rodney Pattison – a sailor who, until Chris Hoy performed his miracles in Beijing last year, was Scotland’s most successful Olympian ever, winning two golds and a silver across three Games, stretching from 1968 to 1976 in the Flying Dutchman class.

And of course, there’s our very own Shirley Robertson, Scottish sailing’s pin-up girl who is the country’s most decorated female Olympian, with two gold medals to her name. 

Finally, hot on the heels of Robertson is the emerging talent Luke Patience, who bagged his first major medal in convincing style when he formed one half of the 470 team that took silver at this year’s world championships.

So young Mr Kohler, who studies business accounting at Edinburgh University, has a few tough acts to follow if he wants to bag a spot in the Scottish sailing hall of fame.  But at just 19, he is already considered a major prospect for British sailing in the 470 class, and along with his sailing partner Ben Saxton, spends several days every week in full-time training at the British Olympic Sailing Centre in Weymouth.  In The Winning Zone met with David to find out more...

WZ: How did you get into sailing?

DK: I started when I was five, on a little lake by Linlithgow, at Low Port.  My Dad got me into it – he used to race against Shirley Robertson when he was younger!  She also learned how to sail at Low Port.

It was just for fun until I was 13, then my parents bought me a topper, which is a single-handed, junior-class racing boat.  I got into the East of Scotland squad at Port Edgar, and learned to race there.   Then I got into the topper international squad.

I took up double-handed sailing at 15, which means I form one-half of a two man-team.  I started helming, but quickly realised I would be too big, so I switched to crewing.  Crewing means I’m on a wire, so we have to balance the power of the wind, so the further out and longer lever you have, the lighter you have to be.  So I’m about the right size and weight for that.

So I did some 420 racing, and we qualified for the junior world championships in 2006 in New Zealand.  That was over Christmas.

WZ: How do you get a boat to New Zealand without actually sailing it there yourself?

DK: It actually takes a very long time.  We had to get the boat packed up in a container in October, then it got sent half way around the world and we picked it up in New Zealand in December.

Fortunately RYA Scotland has two boats they can provide us with, so we could still train and use the other boat while our one was in the container!  There’s a lot of logistics!

New Zealand was just one-off, we’re not down that way much in our programme at the moment.  This year we were seeking to go abroad over the winter, maybe somewhere like Melbourne.  But unfortunately being at uni means I can’t do that, so I’m stuck here!  Though we do get to spend the spring in Palma, which will be very pleasant.

WZ: When did you realise you were good at sailing?

DK: Quite recently.  When I was doing youth racing, I won the Youth Nationals at 17.  It was only after that I realised that I wanted to go to the Olympics.  I just got the idea in my head and I’ve gone from there.

WZ: Tell us about the Olympic support you receive.

I receive Olympic development funding.  It’s just below what Luke Patience is on, and it’s how they started out a few years ago. That covers most of our sailing expenses, travelling up and down for training, events and equipment costs too.  It wouldn’t buy a complete boat but it gives us money for sails and other parts we use.

WZ: What kind of commitment is it?

DK: It’s a huge commitment, but I don’t notice it because I love it so much.  The drive is there.  Training is enjoyable and it’s nice to do something every day and know you’re always improving.

Last year I spent almost half my time down south, training. So a typical week would be Monday to Wednesday in Edinburgh, then Thursday to Sunday in Weymouth at the Olympic Centre. That’s where all the coaches are, and where the Games are going to be!

We get to work with the best people every week, which is amazing, a huge thing for us.  Realistically, London is probably too soon for us, it takes quite a while to build up that experience.  But now the best people in the world are landing in Weymouth, so we can see what it takes by watching them.

WZ: So is it tough going?

DK: It can be pretty rough in February, when there are horizontal hailstones battering you.  You get accustomed to it, a bit, but it’s worth it!

WZ: What is 420 or 470, the classes you have been sailing in?

DK: 420 is a youth class, it’s double-handed, so two people sail it.  Then the senior version of that is 470.  It just means 4.2 or 4.7 metres.

WZ: Who is your partner?

DK: His name is Ben Saxton. We have only been racing together for 12 months.  Before that we were actually opposition! He helmed a 420 and I sailed with another Scot.  A strong established team is a real strength, so we’ll be sticking together and build our relationship.

We obviously spend a lot of time together.  We both realise that and respect each other.  We get on well and can have a laugh, which is very important.  We spend a lot of time staying in camper vans at different venues, which is a lot of fun.

WZ: How does your day unfold in Weymouth?

DK: We start with a circuit or a fitness programme at 7.30am, for two hours, every day.  We do quite a lot of core stability, anything to avoid injury.  Two days will be aerobic and the other day is a physio session.

Then we have breakfast and a briefing for the day.  We will then go on the water for four or five hours, depending on how cold it is.  Then in the evening we have a debriefing and a lecture – something technical like the rules.  Then off to bed!  We stay in a house which is a bit like a youth hostel.  We get on very well and it’s good fun.  Mealtimes are easy for us.  We get given breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Good food too – not like most students!

WZ: So do you live the normal student life?

DK: Not really.  I had 9 o’clock lectures all last year so that means I’m always up early.  And business accounting is a tough degree, but it’s a textbook subject, so I can do the course without being here all the time. I would like to have my own business some day. 

WZ: Do you feel you could transfer what you know from sport into business?

DK: A lot of our training is target based so I’m good at working to goals, and also knowing when things can be done a lot better.  And the communication aspect is very important too, which I have to do a lot in sport.

WZ: So how is student life in Edinburgh?

DK: Well I just moved into my flat in Edinburgh –with a friend from uni and another one from school.  I went to Balerno High School.

I do as much work as I can when I’m in Edinburgh, and by coincidence Ben does a similar course so we have the same textbooks and can compare notes!

I got a sport scholarship this year from Edinburgh.  It helps with gym access at St Leonards gym, it has all the equipment I could possibly want.  I get physio, and I think we actually get some grants too.

I get support from ESIS (East of Scotland Institute of Sport) too.  They offer similar stuff to the scholarship, but that has been very useful.  They offer great advice on nutrition and lifestyle as well.

WZ: What’s the step up from junior to senior sailing like – is it much more difficult?

DK: The tactics are important.  You have to consider the wind obviously, so a lot of sailing is down to spotting the right wind.  And it seems obvious, but the faster you can go, all the time, the better.  That’s one thing we noticed at the world championships, was the ability of the guys to never slow down. 

When the wind changes you have to change controls, like gears, and the top guys are so smooth at making the transition that they barely slow down.  It’s second nature to them, and I’m sure it will come to us as we become more experienced.

It was frustrating not to be quite as fast as them, but it’s a learning curve. We know what we need to do to get up there.

WZ: What is the key to top class sailing?

DK: For me, it is teamwork, and the mental side of things.  Everyone out there can do it, they can sail, so it is down to the decision you make on the day and how well you can work together to make the boat go as quickly as possible.

WZ: What is your long-term plan?

DK: I want to carry on at uni until 2011, then spend a full year as full-time athlete in the build up to 2012, and see if we can mix it with the big boys.  Then I will go back to uni and do my last year, and then it will be three years full-time preparation for the 2016 Olympics, wherever they are!

WZ: Who inspires you down in Weymouth?

DK:  I look at the Olympians, and I want what they have, and that’s inspiration enough.  Nic Asher and Nick Rogers are there, Olympic medallists, so I really look up to them.  And of course there’s Luke Patience, who just took silver in the worlds.  It’s fantastic to have those guys around.

RO
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