Sought-after guru appointed head coach to steer S'pore's medal hunt at Beijing Games

SIMPLY, THE BEST: Ferris (right), who helped groom world champions, was on hand to help the
Singapore sailing team in their five-medal gold haul at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

CURRENT Laser world champion Tom Slingsby, triple 470 world champion Nathan Wilmot and triple world youth champion Nathan Outteridge are just some of Craig Ferris' numerous proteges.

Now, the Australian sailing guru, who played a part in Singapore's five-gold medal haul at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, is now leading the Republic's charge towards Olympic success.

SingaporeSailing have appointed the much sought-after Ferris as head coach of its national Olympic programme.

While his contract runs until just after this August's Olympic Games, there are already plans to retain him as the national head coach beyond it.

Ferris will work with the other coaches in the national Olympic programme: 2007 Coach of the Year Zhang Yongqiang (470s) and five-time Laser world champion Brett Beyer (Laser), as well as Dr Peter Logan, who is in charge of sports medicine and sports science.

Speaking from Melbourne, Ferris told Today his main responsibilities would be to help build a long-term structure at SingaporeSailing to ensure future success and to monitor its youth development with a view to the 2012 London Olympics.

The 46-year-old said his immediate priority will be the Olympics and the key to Singapore's medal hopes lies within the sailors themselves.

"Realistically speaking, they have a better chance in 2012," said Ferris, 46, yesterday. "But I wouldn't rule them out for 2008. That is why a lot will depend on them when they're out there on the water. That is why mental fitness will be the key.

"They must be able to cope with all conditions and to deal with the pressure and expectation on them."

Ferris, who has worked with SingaporeSailing in various coaching capacities for the past 18 months, comes with a impressive curriculum vitae.

The former head coach of the Italian Olympic team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics is also a former world 420 champion (1981), three-time Australian 470 champion, and three-time 18 foot Skiff world champion.

Some of his other proteges also include current Australian Laser Radial champion Sarah Blanck and double world youth champion Elise Rechichi.

For the 2012 London Olympics, SingaporeSailing is looking to compete in three to four additional classes — the keelboat, men's and women's windsurfing, and the 49er — and chief executive officer Andrew Sanders believes Ferris can help usher the Republic to the next level.

"Craig is the ideal candidate for this, and we started speaking to him as soon as we heard of Project 0812," he said.

Project 0812, a $7 million initiative of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, and Singapore National Olympic Council, was launched in January last year to help select elite athletes win medals at the 2008 and/or 2012 Olympic Games.

Thirteen out of the 24 athletes currently in the project are sailors.

"He is a fantastic coach, especially with the younger sailors, and the breath and depth of his knowledge and experience across all classes is phenomenal," said Sanders.

"Being an all-rounder, he knows all the little tricks for each class that can make that difference.

"However, because of his work, he travels all the time and to be national head coach, he has to be based here. We will look into this after the Beijing Olympics when things are not so hectic."

Ferris has expressed interest to remain with SingaporeSailing.

"I would certainly relish the challenge," he said. "I've seen the tremendous progress made by Singapore in sailing over the past few years, but it frustrates me a lot every time I see one of them come so close, but not quite there.

"I also want to help further develop the youth system, so that four years down the line, we have a new generation of sailors coming through."