Following the retirement of Sydney Olympic gold medalist Kerri-Ann Pottharst at the start of 2003 her former partner Natalie Cook paired up with Nicole Sanderson with one thing in mind – to repeat her gold-medal winning performance in Athens in 2004.

All the pressure was on Sanderson having stepped into the gold-plated shoes of Pottharst but she came through the season with all her colours intact as the two Australians completed an impressive debut season together finishing fourth on the 2003 Swatch-FIVB World Tour rankings.

Cook and Pottharst had been pioneers of women's Beach Volleyball, winning bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics before going two-places better at Sydney four years later. They also finished third on the 2002 World Tour rankings before Pottharst, at 37, announced her retirement in March.

The change in partnership marked a significant step in the six-year international beach career of Sanderson, whose best finish on the World Tour had been fifth (three times). Meanwhile Cook, a Beach Volleyball professional, had first played on the World Tour in the 1993-94 season and had amassed 92 tournament appearances prior to 2004.

But Cook and Sanderson still gelled superbly and look to be timing their run perfectly for the Athens Olympics. After a season of foundation building and developing on court communication, the two Antipodeans are now impressing as Australia’s number one pair.