Books by Robert Deaves

Between a Rock and a Hard Race takes the reader on a four-year journey through the eyes of the Finn class athletes who campaigned for and took part in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It begins on a hill in Weymouth and follows the highs and lows of most of the sailors as they journey towards Rio.It offers some fascinating analysis of managing an Olympic campaign, with extensive comments from many sailors, including all three medalists, as well as the coach of the eventual gold medalist.Much of the content is adapted from the hundreds of Finn Class press releases and interviews that were issued between 2012 and 2016, but these have been woven into a tight narrative with exclusive extra content and insight.It is probably the most in-depth book ever released about an Olympic sailing competition, and the challenges the athletes faced to stand on the top of the podium.

From start to finish, the Rio 2016 Olympic sailing competition was a feast for the eyes, with some of the most dramatic sailing ever photographed, all set against some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere in the world.In this collection of photos, the remarkable backdrops of Corcovado, sugarloaf, Copacabana, Niterói and Rio de Janeiro provide some magnificent backgrounds to the epic struggle being played out on the water by the 23 Finn sailors competing for the ultimate prize of Olympic gold.This new edition is hardback and printed on matt paper.This unique book covers the entire Rio 2016 competition for the Finn class in a race by race analysis in photos, complemented by the daily thoughts of the sailors.