With just a few days to go before the first race of the Olympic Games in Sydney, the British sailing team are using what time they have left to prepare themselves and their boats for the biggest show on earth. Some of the teams having been living in Sydney for most of the summer experiencing the local conditions and tides, and working out how they can best pit themselves against the rest of the world's best sailors.

Unlike the 1996 sailing Olympics in Savannah (USA), where competitors were stationed miles away from the sailing site, competitors in Sydney are living in the city close to the marina. The boats are kept at Rushcutters Bay in the purpose built marina accommodating up to 250 dinghies. Racing will be held on six different courses; four set out in the harbour and two outside Sydney Heads.

Medal favourites:

Andy Rice takes a look into his crystal ball (re-printed from Yachting World) 49er two-man skiff         

Everything about this class is Australian. It was designed for Sydney Harbour by Julian Bethwaite, and three out of its first four world championships have been dominated by the same Australian team. That pair, Chris Nicholson and Daniel Philips, must start as favourites for winning the Gold, although victory for them is by no means as clear cut as it might have been two years ago. In fact, they are lucky to be at the Olympics at all, because Adam Beashel and Teague Czislowski beat them in the three-regatta Australian trials - only for the selectors to intervene and give the nod to Nicholson on the strength of his hat-trick of world championships.

There are also plenty of other likely contenders, proven by the fact that the top four places in the 2000 world championship in Mexico went to European teams. That time, Nicholson could manage only fifth, with the Spanish Olympic representatives Santiago Vazquez-Lopez and Javier de la Plata stealing his crown. However, they have not been consistent enough to rank among the medal favourites.

Along with the Aussies, Germany's Marcus Baur and Denmark's Michael Hestbaek have proven their mettle by winning the last two European championships. 1984 Gold Medallist in the Flying Dutchman, Jonathan McKee, is representing the USA with his Bronze medallist brother Charlie, and they too are a force to reckon with in high pressure events. Britain's Ian Barker and Simon Hiscocks are outside hopes for a medal.

470 Double-handed dinghy (men)         

Australia hasn't had a sniff of a medal in the highly competitive 470 since 1976, when Ian Brown won Bronze in this dinghy's first Olympic appearance in Montreal. In fact for two Olympiads - 1988 and 1992 - Australia refused to send a representative, so poor was the talent at the time.

Now there is an Aussie world champion, Tom King crewed by Mark Turnbull. They have only come on song in the past year, but they have dominated virtually every major event in 2000 and must rank as favourites.

Other medal potential comes in the form of the French team, past world champions Phillippe Gildas and Tanguy Cariou, and FD Silver Medallist Paul Foerster crewed by Bob Merrick from the USA. 1996 Olympic Champions Eugeniy Braslavets and Igor Matviyenko are still ranked number three in the world, but have not performed consistently. Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield have proven their medal potential in 2000 with a sixth at the worlds and fourth at the Europeans.

470 Double-handed dinghy (women)         

Sofia Bekatorou and Emilia Tsoulfa of Greece won this year's world championships, although the Ukraine's Ruslana Taran and Olena Pakholchyk have been the most consistent team during this Olympic cycle and remain top of the current Omega ISAF world rankings. However, it is again the fast-improving Aussies, in the form of Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell, who have proven their medal potential with their second at the 2000 world championship. Britain failed to qualify for place in this event.

Soling three-man keelboat (fleet and match racing)         

This event is wide open, such is the depth of talent and the vagaries of match racing, especially in the fluky breezes just off the Opera House. 1996 Bronze medallist Jeff Madrigali of the USA will go into these games as reigning world champion, but the list of contenders runs like a Who's Who of yachting: triple Olympic champion Jochen Schumann of Germany; 1992 Soling Olympic Champion Jesper Bank of Denmark; twice Finn Gold Cup winner Philippe Presti from France; Finn Bronze medallist Roy Heiner of the Netherlands; and 1984 Soling Olympic Champion Rod Davis of New Zealand. Then, of course, there is Britain's Andy Beadsworth who, with his front men Richard Sydenham and Barry Parkin, came fourth at the fleet-racing worlds and third at the match-racing worlds this year.

Star (two-man keelboat)         

Current world champions Mark Reynolds and Magnus Liljedahl of the USA know how to win Olympic medals. Reynolds already has a Gold and a Silver, and will be looking to make amends for 1996, when he failed to win a medal in home waters. However, he has a tough task on his hands. Brazil's Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira are current Olympic champions and are back to do it again. Colin Beashel and David Giles are past world champions and 1996 Bronze medallists, and grew up on Sydney Harbour, which could be a massive advantage. Ross Macdonald and Kai Bjorn of Canada have won a Silver medal before, and Spain's Jose van der Ploeg has won a Finn Gold medal, so he has what it takes too. Ian Walker, a 470 Silver Medallist, has done incredible things in his brief time in the Star, coming fifth at the Worlds with crew Mark Covell. With this crew having lost two close friends and sailing partners in John Merricks and Glyn Charles, there is a lot of emotional energy here, which, combined with enormous talent, could lift them to a podium finish.

Laser (open dinghy)         

This looks set to be a repeat of the 1996 showdown between Robert Scheidt of Brazil and Britain's Ben Ainslie. This Olympic cycle has been a fascinating duel between the Brazilian who, having won the world championships four times, has become the Pete Sampras of Laser racing. Only Ainslie has taken the world title from him in the past four years, and Ainslie reckons he can do the same at the games.

Other names to consider include Australia's Michael Blackburn, who beat Ainslie for the runner-up slot at this year's world championships, Karl Suneson of Sweden and Serge Kats of the Netherlands.

Finn (men's singlehander)         

The Finn scenario looks very similar to that of the Lasers: the reigning Olympic champion versus the British representative. Four years ago, Mateusz Kusznierewicz came from nowhere to win the Gold medal. The Pole, just 21 at the time, dominated the event despite losing his watch after the first couple of races and relying on the big countdown display on the start boat for his cue to sheet on and go. But since upsetting the form book he has dominated this tough single-hander, most recently winning the class world championship in Weymouth, the Finn Gold Cup.

Iain Percy is the young pretender, having been in the class for just three years. Weymouth was a frustrating event for him, and he alternated race wins with black flag disqualifications for breaking the start. If he can control his starting then his pre-Olympic victory proves he has the tools for Sydney. Fredrik Loof of Sweden and 1996 Silver medallist Sebastien Godefroid of Belgium will also be tough to beat.

Europe (women's singlehander)       

With wingmasts banned a year ago, the world's top Europe sailors have been trying all manner of mast and sail combinations in a quest for that elusive extra speed. 1996 Gold medallist Kristine Roug of Denmark dominated this year's world championship, so must start as favourite despite Shirley Robertson's number one ranking.

Olympic Silver medallist Margriet Matthijsse is a class act, but was absent from this year's worlds. Rumour has it that she stayed away because she was not going quickly at the time. Australia's Melanie Dennison has home advantage, but the telling factor is likely to be who is most comfortable with their rig selection.

Tornado (catamaran)        

Current German world champions Roland Gaebler and Rene Schwall pose the biggest threat to past world champions Darren Bundock and John Forbes of Australia. World number ones and European champions Roman Hagara and Hans Steinacher of Austria also look likely podium candidates, but the steep learning curve of Britain's Hugh Styles and Adam May could yet carry them to a medal.

Mistral board (men)         

The race for Gold could be an all antipodean affair between world number one Lars Kleppich of Australia and Kiwi Aaron McIntosh. However, there is strong European talent in Joao Rodrigues of Portugal and 1996 Olympic Champion and 2000 world champion Nikolaos Kaklamanakis of Greece. Fitness plays an enormous role in this class, where unlimited pumping and body movement is permitted. This is where Britain's young Nick Dempsey is working hard to make up ground on the world's best, and recent performances in Europe suggest he could just make it to the podium.

Mistral board (women)         

Lisa Vidal came out on top of a strong French squad to win selection for the games. This puts her as favourite ahead of 2000 World Champion Alessandra Sensini of Italy, Jessica Crisp of Australia and current Olympic champion Lai Shan Lee of Hong Kong. Britain's Christine Johnstone is amongst the best in a breeze and is working hard on a fitness deficit to improve her chances in lighter airs, where racing acumen plays second fiddle to pure aerobic fitness.

The British team         

(name and age)

British support team         

Logistics and statistics         

• Shirley Robertson has five boats - two owned by the Scottish Sports Council
  

• Over the four years leading up to the Olympics, the RYA has shipped a total of 19 containers to Australia for the various world championships, pre-Olympic and winter competitions. By the end of the Paralympics - a few weeks after the Olympics - there will be eight containers making their way back to the UK, including a specialist workshop container for mast and hull repairs.
  

• Among the inventory for customs to sift through will be:
  The Games boats - 10 Olympic and two Paralympic
  Tune-up boats - nine Olympic and two Paralympic
  Seven rigid inflatable coach boats
  One vehicle
  Two TVs for video playback
  Two physiotherapy benches
  Meteorology equipment including associated computers
  Assorted racing equipment including buoys and ground tackle spares for RIBs

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