Cecilia Wollmann had been looking forward to a well-deserved break from education after graduating from Saltus Grammar School this summer.

Little did she know she had enrolled in the toughest course of her sailing career when she qualified for the Olympic Games.

For the past few days Guanabara Bay has been the Wollmann’s new classroom, a school of hard knocks where the teachers do not have her best interests at heart and even the slightest mistake is severely punished.

“The difference in the quality of sailors here to what I’ve been used to is huge!” said Wollmann, who finished 33rd and 35th in the fleet of 37 in yesterday’s races to sit 34th overall after two days of competition. “These guys are at the top of the world and the Europeans are really good and lots of the other sailors.

“At most meets you can get away with small mistakes but here it ends up being huge. I’m just trying to soak up the experience and learn as much as I can.”

The Rio Games have certainly been an accelerated form of learning for the 18-year-old who originally believed Tokyo 2020 was a more realistic aim.

She qualified by placing 40th at the World Cup in Miami in January and the lessons she experiences this week will provide her with a wealth of knowledge for her next Olympic assignment.

“I’ve think I’ve learnt Lasers quite fast as I’ve only been in the boat for a couple of years,” said Wollmann, who did online school during her final year at Saltus to allow her to compete overseas.

“I still think I’ve got lots to learn and I’m having a great time here.

“It’s the second day and I’m getting used to it, but occasionally you have a moment like, ‘Oh my God, I’m at the Olympics!”

The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club sailor said she preferred the conditions the previous day when she came 32nd and 28th.

“I was caught on the wrong side of the shifts a lot of the time today,” she added.

“It’s been annoying that I’ve up there and then dropped back on the second upwind and downwind. I like the shorter wind shifts and today they were much longer.”

Xu Lijia of China leads the way going into today’s two races with seven points. Annalise Murphy of Ireland is second with 12 points and Tuula Tenkanen is third with 13.3 points.