Dear Tom, Steve, Peter and Andy

I’ve wanted to write for some time a letter to express fully my hopes for the race tomorrow and try to explain properly what I think you have ahead of you. We have spoken many times over the past four years, but it is always with a camera pointing over my shoulder or a tape recorder in my hand.

First, let me put on record just how proud I am of what you have achieved. You will need no explanation from me about how difficult it is to take the baton from one crew and carry it forward to another Olympic Games. The British public now expect the men’s four to win all the time and win comfortably, and you are constantly pestered by references to Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000. As of tomorrow those stop — at long last you will be free of what has gone before and can be in charge of your destiny.

You have all weathered the four-year Olympiad admirably. I know only too well that the training has been hard, the sacrifices immense and you wouldn’t have been human were you not to have said from time to time: “Why am I doing this?” That question will be answered fully tomorrow with about 600 metres to go, when suddenly you know for sure and beyond all doubt that you will be Olympic champions.

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Why didn't they ring me up before they decided to hold the Olympic Games in Beijing in August? Don't do it, I'd have said

Simon Barnes

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Andy

Your crew need one thing and one thing alone — just under six minutes of your best rhythm. It’s that simple. The heat looked ordinary at best, but the semi-final was majestic — smooth, long and confident. Replicate that in the final right from the first stroke and once you have it, don’t let it go. Make sure that the stroke is the same whether you are up, down or level and think “let it happen” more than “make it happen”. Good rhythm and bad rhythm are like a virus — they can spread quickly and infect the next man, so make sure that you, as the instigator, are sending off the right sort to emanate behind you.

Peter

Get right on Andy’s case, back him up in everything he does. Trust him to do the right job and encourage him verbally as he does it. A quick “yes” under your breath in the first 300 or 400 metres can do wonders for a strokeman and make sure you tell him that you’ve always got more to give. A growl is invigorating, a whimper isn’t. You two are the strongest oarsmen in the race, so make sure you unleash the power in the right direction.

Steve

You’re the only one who has been in an Olympic final, but the least likely to tell anyone how to do it. Don’t suddenly change in the boathouse and stand on a box with a speech from Churchill. Conversely, you are the only one talking out on the water and the only one to be gauging the race tactically. Stay cool. It’s going to be frantic early on, so don’t play all your cards too early. Make the orders quick and clear and be ready with a response if something unexpected is thrown into the mix. It’s the Olympic final — someone is going to try something. Take confidence in the fact that you are the only Olympic champion in the field.

Tom

You’ve had an amazing year and have won your place in this boat by right. To be honest, I wasn’t sure until I saw the semi-final. It was a revelation — you were technically better than anyone else in the crew. You simply rowed like a champion right there and then. Do it again. In the bow seat it’s easy to feel disjointed and separated from the rest of the boat. Drive it forward and take you and your crew inexorably away.