Does anyone remember a few years back the inspiring tale of the Jamaican bobsleigh team who made the Winter Olympics?
It was so inspiring they even made a film about their exploits.
There can be nothing as daft as a country better known for its sunshine, its cricket and its beaches, producing a bobsleigh team.
It is said that until they arrived at the Winter Olympics they hadn’t even seen a bobsleigh track. Or snow.
Now that is crazy.
Sometimes Captain Ahab thinks the same about a cruising association from Bromsgrove.
We couldn’t be further the sea from if we tried.
Or moved to Coton in the Elms in Derbyshire which Ordnance Survey calculate to be the furthest point from the sea in England.
Or even near Lichfield which is the furthest from high water mark which includes tidal rivers.
But let’s not let facts get in the way of a good story.
Truth is we are a bloody long way from the sea.
In any direction.
And not sure if anyone else has noticed the ‘Cool Running’-type looks when you mention you sail with a group of jolly boaters from Bromsgrove.
Now you know how it must have been for the Jamaican bobsleigh team when they turned up in the Olympic Village to compete.
And there must have been many a chuckle when their application form to compete was received by the organisers.
They must have checked the date to ensure it wasn’t April 1st.
It is not as if Jamaica has an alpine tradition.
Nor Bromsgrove a sailing one.
But then Switzerland, a totally land locked country, did win the America’s Cup.
So there is hope for Bromsgrove.
If nothing else it just goes to show that a lack of snow or water is no barrier to sporting success.
And look on the bright side.
By being in the heart of the country, or nearly, means we are equidistant from a choice of coasts and coastal challenges.
It must be really boring living on or close to one coast or another.
