The Irish sailing squad has added a third boat to its line-up for the Sydney Olympics. The SPA Olympic classes regatta could see a fourth or even fifth boat joining the other three disciplines if the first of two qualifying results is achieved.

In the 1996 Atlanta games, team managers were celebrating no less than six boats - three single-handers and three crewed boats - reaching the nomination standard for the regatta at Savannah.

This time around the emphasis has switched from quantity to quality and a range of new support services has come into play. The Sports Council's carding system has also brought the problem of funding onto a level basis between all sports.

One individual who has been keeping a careful eye on the progress of the sailing squad is Giles Warrington of the National Coaching and Training Centre based at the University of Limerick. A Sports Physiologist, his focus for the last seven years has been on Ireland's elite athletes, developing the support services to suit each campaign.

"When we come in and take on a new sport, we sit down with the athletes and coaches and work out what are the issues and demands of the sport and more especially the needs of individuals," he said. Comparing sailing to other sports highlights the strong technical component necessary to succeed plus the need for access to good quality equipment whereas in other sports the emphasis is almost totally physical.

"Take middle-distance running for example: competing around the track involves physical ability but also tactics are important and some technical skill," says Warrington. "However, they wouldn't spend the amount of time that the sailors would do in terms of their technical training, development of the boat, improving the mast and other technology that they must focus on to get faster."

According to Warrington, both David Burrows and Maria Coleman would compare favourably with other athletes in other sports in terms of physical training. One of the scientific measurements carried out involved monitoring Burrows on a rowing ergometer and he produced scores on a par with a national-level heavy-weight rower.