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9:05 PM Mon 15 Dec 2008 GMT
Easy going Beijing Olympian Jessica Crisp surprised Sail Melbourne organizers today with a late entry into the RS:X class for the first leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup starting tomorrow.
Crisp, who finished fifth in Beijing hasn't spent a lot of time on her board since then, however regained some enthusiasm in Sydney last week and popped up in Melbourne today ready to begin her campaign at Sandringham Yacht Club.
Jesting that there was no one else flying the Australian flag in her class at Sail Melbourne and that is the only reason she is here, Crisp admitted she had been too busy working and coaching to enter.
'I'm hopeless . I have been really busy working in my sister's business - Parker's Organic Juices - which started off as a part time thing and then developed into fulltime work - I really haven't had a lot of downtime since the Olympics,' Crisp said.
'Not that it's a bad thing, it just means I haven't had time to think about why I didn't win that gold medal,' she added with a smile.
Crisp's entry is the first and only Australian entry in the RS:X class, something she's personally trying to rectify. While wind surfing is clearly still very popular in New Zealand, with Kiwi's making up the majority of the men's and women's fleet, Crisp is worried it's not enjoying the same sort of popularity here in Australia.
'I've also been busy trying to get people interested in wind surfing again, so I am working with a development squad and that takes a lot of my time.'
Buoyed by her second place finish at SIR's last week, one point behind Kiwi Richard Ellis, Crisp is keen to go one better this week.
'I just love being here (Melbourne), it is always good racing, the regatta is in Australia and is always good fun .and besides, I have decided to head to the Worlds (in Weymouth GBR) in 2009, so I am keen to be back on my board,' Crisp said.
Crisp, will be joined by fellow Olympians Malcolm Page (AUS), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) and Rachael Cox (AUS) this week.
Racing is scheduled to begin at 1pm tomorrow. For full results see www.sailmelbourne.com.au.
by Jodi Kelly
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