TOM SLINGSBY

Recent Performances

• 1st (Laser) - 2012 Sail for Gold Regatta (Weymouth, Great Britain)
• 1st (laser) - 2012 Laser World Championships (Boltenhagen, Germany)
• 1st (laser) - 2011 World Championships (Perth, Australia)
• 1st (laser) - 2011 Olympic Test Event (Weymouth, Great Britain)
• 1st (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Weymouth, Great Britain)
• 1st (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Medemblik, The Netherlands)
• 3rd (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Hyeres, France)
• 2nd (laser) - 2011 Sailing World Cup (Palma, Spain)

Career Highlights

• Winning Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2010
• World Champion laser singlehanded dinghy - 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012

Interesting Facts

• Tom Slingsby, from the NSW Central Coast, started sailing when he was eight-years-old. He was a full time tennis player until the age of 16 when he suffered burn- out, so turned his focus to sailing.
• Slingsby went into the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as the number one ranked sailor and world champion in his class, however his Olympic campaign did not go as planned, finishing 22nd.
• In 2010, Slingsby was named World Sailor of the Year - the first Australian to do so. The award came after an incredible year of racing where Slingsby reclaimed the world number one ranking, won the 2010 Laser World Championship (his third in four years) and also took out the 2010 Etchells World Championship. He also won three rounds of the 2010 World Cup including one at the Olympic venue of Weymouth.
• Slingsby shed weight down to 81kg to contest the Olympic Test Event in Weymouth in 2011, testing himself to see if being lighter would gain him an advantage. He won the event, albeit only by three points but preferred competing with a bigger and stronger build so returned to his gym regime to bulk back up. Back to his preferred racing weight, Slingsby aslo took out the 2011 World Championships in Perth.
• He finalised his preparations with a fifth World Championship title in six years as he took out the Laser World Championship in Boltenhagen, Germany. He will compete with the Oracle Racing Team that will defend the America's Cup in San Francisco in 2013 however achieving Olympic gold remains his priority for 2012, with America's Cup sailing fitting into his Laser schedule.

Years on national team

7

Coach

Michael Blackburn (2009 - current)
Arthur Brett (2004 - 2008)

Primary Training Base

Sydney, Australia

Club

Gosford Sailing Club (NSW, Australia)

Institute/Academy

Primary

St John the Baptist Woy Woy (NSW, Australia)

Secondary

St Edwards College, East Gosford (NSW, Australia)