Jake,

On reflection, perhaps you are right, I think my previous statement that it is 99% training is overstepping the mark a little. There are a bunch of talents that can make smeone a good sailor, and those talents may not be immediatly obvious. Sailing requires a good combination of physical and mental skills. Like so many sports and pastimes the skills that make you good at sailing could equally have made you good at another activity if you applied yourself to that instead.

I recall Ellen Macarthurs drive on top gear, a lady that does not normally drive a car scored the fatsest ever lap time, perhaps if she had applied herself to motor racing instead of sailing she would have been the first female F1 champion.

Gareth