For many years, both Lenka Smidova and Elizabeth Kratzig have tried to win a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in sailing. Lenka came close in Athens 2004 when she won a Silver Medal in the Europe Dinghy class. Elizabeth held top ten spots in the World Ranking in two different Olympic Classes, the Yngling and the 470 

Lenka and Elizabeth have known each other for several years. Last spring Elizabeth jumped in the 470 sailboat with Lenka for some informal training in Miami, FL. (The 470 is the women’s doublehanded boat in the Olympic Games.) 

The first event Lenka and Elizabeth raced was the 2005 Rolex Women's Match Race series in St Petersburg, USA which they won easily. Then, after only a week of training, they finished 5th in the ISAF Grade 1 Holland Regatta in May in the 470 division. It was after the Holland Regatta that Lenka and Elizabeth began to think seriously about teaming up in the 470 for the Olympic Games. They knew that with some training they had the potential to win a Gold Medal in 2008. 

In a short time, Lenka and Elizabeth have shown that they can win a Gold Medal. The pair finished in 4th place overall in the 470 Women’s World Championship this summer, beating the 2004 Olympic Silver and Bronze Medalists – things unheard of in a team’s first World Championship. The combination of Lenka’s natural talent for driving and Elizabeth’s experience in fast, planing trapeze boats is proving to be a strong combination. 

Over the next three years, they will be training, racing, and managing their Team as they work toward the 2008 summer Olympic Games. Check out their website for the latest news and events in their quest to win Gold at Beijing 2008. 

More info on the International 470 class.