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Superdocious!: Racing Insights and Revelations from Legendary Olympic Sailor Rodney Pattisson
The previously untold life story from world champion, Olympic medalist, and Britain's most successful Olympic sailor for three decades, Rodney Pattisson, with a foreword by Sir Ben Ainslie CBE.
Rodney Pattisson MBE, the three-time Olympic medalist and multi-world champion, is an iconic figure within the sailing world. A winner in dinghies, multihulls, and offshore, he has set race and speed records, and with Lawrie Smith led Britain's challenge for the America's Cup in 1983. They were beaten in the finals by Alan Bond's eventual winner, Australia II.
A perfectionist when it comes to race preparation, and passionate about speed on the water, Pattisson's successes stem from a selfless focus on the end goal, a ruthless desire to win, and an unquenchable thirst to succeed in everything he does. An intensely private individual, Pattisson has always kept his own counsel, keeping the media at arm's length and viewing press attention as an unwanted distraction from winning. His previously untold story not only charts his own trials and tribulations in becoming one of the best sailors in the world, but also reveals the double standards, deceit, political and sporting interference, and outright cheating he faced along the way.
Superdocius! is an explosive commentary, with a foreword by Sir Ben Ainslie, on a lifetime of remarkable achievements in an international sport that Pattisson made his own. His story will shock, amaze, and inspire not just today's young sailors looking to realize their own dreams, but every sportsman and -woman around the world. His narrative will also be essential reading for coaches, providing them with unique analogies that can be applied equally to sport and business.
Rodney Pattisson MBE, the three-time Olympic medalist and multi-world champion, is an iconic figure within the sailing world. A winner in dinghies, multihulls, and offshore, he has set race and speed records, and with Lawrie Smith led Britain's challenge for the America's Cup in 1983. They were beaten in the finals by Alan Bond's eventual winner, Australia II.
A perfectionist when it comes to race preparation, and passionate about speed on the water, Pattisson's successes stem from a selfless focus on the end goal, a ruthless desire to win, and an unquenchable thirst to succeed in everything he does. An intensely private individual, Pattisson has always kept his own counsel, keeping the media at arm's length and viewing press attention as an unwanted distraction from winning. His previously untold story not only charts his own trials and tribulations in becoming one of the best sailors in the world, but also reveals the double standards, deceit, political and sporting interference, and outright cheating he faced along the way.
Superdocius! is an explosive commentary, with a foreword by Sir Ben Ainslie, on a lifetime of remarkable achievements in an international sport that Pattisson made his own. His story will shock, amaze, and inspire not just today's young sailors looking to realize their own dreams, but every sportsman and -woman around the world. His narrative will also be essential reading for coaches, providing them with unique analogies that can be applied equally to sport and business.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published May 7, 2019
4 people want to read
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January 25, 2021
Written with Barry Pickthall, it is easy to hear Rodney's voice throughout the book. A Commander RN, Rodney stands no nonsense with his crews or competitors when racing.
A true perfectionist. Any reader of this book, non sailor or no, will immediately recognise this trait. From sailing 'Firefly' dinghies to gaining fighting for and winning Olympic Gold medals in the highly technical 'Flying Dutchman' heavyweight two man trapeze dinghy. His 'FD' was famously named Supercalifragilasticwxpialidocious' ... hence the book's title.
Rodney's career was full of success.
This included many types of offshore racing yachts, and one time helmsman aboard 'Morning Cloud', the Prime Minister of the day, RH Edward Heath's Admiral's Cup yacht.
I was fortunate to be around at the time Rodney was sailing his 'FD' at Hamble, and sailed with his Gold Medal winning crew Chris Davies, and so can testify as to the authenticity of the story, and to its subject's tenacity to win.
Read this. Yachtsman or not, and it will reveal how legends are made and the lengths they will go to to win.
Rodney Pattison, what a bloke, what a sailor ... and, yes, what a Goodread!
Fully illustrated too.
From Adlard Coles/Bloomsbury
A true perfectionist. Any reader of this book, non sailor or no, will immediately recognise this trait. From sailing 'Firefly' dinghies to gaining fighting for and winning Olympic Gold medals in the highly technical 'Flying Dutchman' heavyweight two man trapeze dinghy. His 'FD' was famously named Supercalifragilasticwxpialidocious' ... hence the book's title.
Rodney's career was full of success.
This included many types of offshore racing yachts, and one time helmsman aboard 'Morning Cloud', the Prime Minister of the day, RH Edward Heath's Admiral's Cup yacht.
I was fortunate to be around at the time Rodney was sailing his 'FD' at Hamble, and sailed with his Gold Medal winning crew Chris Davies, and so can testify as to the authenticity of the story, and to its subject's tenacity to win.
Read this. Yachtsman or not, and it will reveal how legends are made and the lengths they will go to to win.
Rodney Pattison, what a bloke, what a sailor ... and, yes, what a Goodread!
Fully illustrated too.
From Adlard Coles/Bloomsbury
Displaying 1 of 1 review