Newsletter July 2014
ON OUR WAY TO RIO
 Dear Friends and Supporters,
Our summer will take an Olympic Taste this week with our first visit to Rio! With our first opportunity for Olympic Qualificiation this September with 50% of the country quota being up for grabs - this makes an important few months! A new top 10 result at the Europeans rewards our hardwork and reinforces our training and preparations!Thanks to our super coach Sebbe Godefroid. We look forward to continuing with your support, and hope for Good Winds. We hope you are enjoying being part of our journey!
Matias & Nathalie
Image © Guilain Grenier
9th at the EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Image © Laurens Morel
As is so often the case.. we were once again met in Grand Motte with conditions "that are never normally like this" Although we enjoyed a beautiful 10 days of training in light seabreeze and sunshine, the mistral arrived with other ideas in mind and played some games for the real competition. The event began first waiting for wind, then delayed by too much wind.. however by day 3 the racing began with vengance and we raced the remainder of the days between 15 and 35knots!
The event scoring did not start particularly well for our team as we recorded a premature start (BFD), but it was onwards and upwards from there as we were rewarded for our consistency (6,5,7,3) and we moved our way up the scoring sheet to qualify for Gold Fleet and be in a good position to attack the final series. The first day of finals the local "Mistral wind" again played havoc with gusts up to 35knots resulting in the day being cancelled. Now behind the planned racing schedule, the pressure was on for the final day! The fleet was met with survival conditions gusting 20-32knots for 3 races! With no capsizes, we recorded 3 solid results and secured our position in the top 10 for the Medal Race. The Medal Race was played out only a few metres from the Grand Motte seafront providing an obstacle course for racing with many gusts and lulls providing a snakes and ladders course! We again confirmed our status in the national A-Level team for Swiss Sailing with a 6th place in the medal race and placing 9th overall.
TAKE OFF FOR RIO
 Image (c) Sebbe Godefroid SST
July 27th will mark the beginning of our preparations on the actually waters of the 2016 Olympic Games. The Team will travel to take part in the first Pre-Olympic regatta held from Marina de Gloria from 3-9th of August. This opportunity is unique in allowing us to get our first observations of the wind and currents to allow us to have a good understanding before the Games. Rio provides a very challenging environment and race course and we will work to spend as much time as possible there in the build up to the Olympics.
SAVE THE DATE: PRESENTATION DAY by SWISS SAILING TEAM
 On the 31st of August the athletes comprising the National A-Level squad will partake in a presentation by the Swiss Sailing Team at the Museum of Swiss Transport in Lucerne. The presentation will take place at 11:15am, 1:30pm and 3:15pm in the Hans Emi Centre. It would be great to be able to use this chance to share our project as we move towards the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.. and especially to be able to share a drink from 12:15pm onwards at the Alingh Beach Bar! :)
It is possible to register for your tickets using the email below and make the most of a special discounted rate office@swiss-sailing-team.ch
More information is also available online at http://www.verkerhaus.ch/
image (c) Juerg Kaufmann SST
FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR OLYMPIC SELECTION
 Image (c) Guilain Grenier
From the 14th to 21st of September the ISAF World Championships will be held in Santander, Spain. This Event will determine the first 50% of nations selected to compete, with only 1 national team (per category) eligible to compete per nation at the Games in 2016.
This will be the first selection for teams to qualify, with the top 10 nations selected from the Worlds in Spain ... HOP SUISSE !
A BIG THANK YOU TOO ...
Without all of our long-term supporters nothing would have been possible for our challenge to Rio!
Teamwork / Gstaad Y.C / WPMC / Team TILT / H20 Sensation / SwissSailingTeam / Loterie Romande Sport / Aide Sportive Suisse / Etat de Fribourg / Weru et Sodibat / Groupe E / Kaenon / SUI46°16 Sailing solutions / Zhik /C.V.Estavayer and our fan's club & private donators.
We still hope to find a Gold-Level partner as we move into the business end of our journey... High visibility is on offer on our 2 Hulls and 3 Sails !
Image (c) Laurens Morel
Share the emotions of thejourney online at www.buhlerbrugger2016.ch
And be sure to "like" our NEW Facebook page FACEBOOK BühlerBruggerRio2016
Fair Winds and Best Regards, Mati et Nat
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