Sam Sills is enjoying the Olympic atmosphere despite the frustrating lack of action

Light winds in Marseille put a pause on Sam Sill’s eagerly awaited Olympic campaign as the men’s and women’s iQFoils were postponed with no further updates.

Crowds had gathered at Marina Roucas-Blanc on the Mediterranean and so were Britain’s medal hopes. “The first day of the Olympics for us was a bit of an anticlimax,” Sills said. “You start the day thinking this is the Olympics, this is what we’ve been preparing for for a long, long time, but then obviously the forecast changed things.

“In Marseille you never know what the wind is going to do, so you always have to keep an open mind. You have to be ready to wait, ready for howling winds, ready for anything.”

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Sills’ eagerness to start can be explained by his long journey to the Olympic start line, having missed out on making the British team for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics on the old RS:X boards.

The introduction of the iQFoil class for Paris 2024 proved timely, so while he’s keen to hit the water, he’s also happy to soak up the endorphins that come from the lively crowd of spectators.

“When we launched, oh my God, it was incredible,” he said. “Just the roar of everyone cheering and shouting was something I’ve never seen before in surfing.

“It’s a shame we didn’t get to compete, it would have been an amazing start to the Olympics, but I’m sure we will and I hope it will be a good show.

“I saw my family, sponsors and friends on the shore as I walked along the shore – it was very special to see them all. It gives me a lot of energy so big shout out to everyone who came down.”

The Launceston surfer has waited 20 years for the chance to compete in a Team GB vest and has no intention of letting weather conditions or delays hamper his hopes of putting in the best performance of his life in Paris.

“The delay definitely puts more pressure on the athletes who are itching to go. It will be interesting to see how everyone responds, but as far as Team GB and I are concerned, it will be all about staying in the moment, sticking to our processes and letting the results come and go.

“The delay means we have one less throw, so it puts pressure on the fleet, but I have a few strategies I use so I’m ready to go when I have to.”

Follow the British Sailing Team at Paris 2024 on Instagram at @britishsailing and www.britishsailingteam.com