Nothing less than first will do for Patience

SAILING: Ahead of today’s start to the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Fremantle, Western Australia, Scotland’s Luke Patience, who sails with Stuart Bithell, stressed that their only focus is to finish first. “There is nothing else on the radar. We are here to be world champions,” said Patience.

The duo have medalled at more than half of their 15 Olympic circuit regattas in the last year, but if they are to win a 2012 Olympic medal they must beat the selection challenge from Britain’s double silver Medallist Nick Rogers, who sails with Chris Grube. “If we are world champions, they would have no excuse not to select us,” he added.

Patience and Laser Radial contender Charlotte Dobson have sailed parallel Olympic courses since they started out as youngsters on the Gareloch. Dobson has a dogfight for selection in an evenly matched trial for the Laser Radial slot.

Meantime Ben Ainslie, secure in advance selection to bid for his fifth Olympic medal, is in pole position to lift the Finn Gold Cup for the fifth time.