Australia Day … Let the randomness begin !!!

Australia day, lets get it straight what an AWESOME day …

 Started with me getting up at 10am jumping on my motorbike and riding to Rose Bay for some sun and sales … Sold my old boat ‘Mirth’ which was sad as I actually had a bit of an emotional attachment to it. It did me 5 years service and still goes fast for its new owner.

Now I have Mirth 2 which has done me proud in recent world ranking events so life isnt so bad. The added bonus of selling my training boat is that now I can buy what I always wanted … A kite board !!! Kiteboarding has always been my little side project to my olympics dream and I want to be able to pull some big air and freestyle by the end of the year. Unfortuantely Kiteboarding is banned in the harbour so ill have to get over to Pittwater (jump on the yacht after and sleep before kiting it again the next day) or the Central Coast to make the best of it. When the worlds is finished, ill buy one from San Souci, head out with my coasty mates and let them teach me how … awesome times ahead in late feb\march …

 Other good news is that I heard from Phil Guest, the managing director of Michael Page Australia that I am told of the results of my sponsorship proposal next week on tuesday or wednesday !!! could be $1500 worth of equipment, could be $12,000 with time off for a European Season. Exiciting news obviously as sponsorship could mean a European Tour this year.

Anyway after finishing up at the sailing club I went home for a quick gym session, squats and deadlifts and shoulders (including squating on the swiss ball standing !!! my new fav … Then I progressed to spend a lovely day on the yacht with my family and celebrated Australia Day with a BBQ and a swim and a sail … perfection up at Palm Beach !!!

 Life is good

 After that I proceeded to go home where I got a random call from none other then KALE BALBI … Kale sits next to me at work and is the sole reason for much of my laughter and is my training partner at the gym in the CBD. Absolute champion and very much a ladies man …

Turns out he was in Cherrybrook for Aus Day recovering with limited voice from Big Day Out … Went over and low and behold knew half the crowd anyway … small world … proceeded to get drunk and rolled along till I somehow ended up at the mean fiddler dancing to ‘GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUNN, THATS ALL THEY REALLY WANNNNNNNNTTT, JUSTTT FUNNNNNNNN, JUST WANAAAA’ … i think you get my drift (70s, 80s and 90s)

As you can see I was hungover as hell today but sweated out the vodka at the gym and feel awesome today …

In other news my foot which was worrying me with the nasty sore i developed in Sail Melbourne is finally starting to heal and is loosing its swelling … this was worrying me alot as I want to be in absolute peak form for the worlds which starts in earnest next Saturday 3rd.

Ill be in Terrigal for 10 days i think and dont know the place very well. Hopefully ill have parking for my motorbike and find a few good places to eat on the beach area. Budget is at an all time high though so relaxed and worry free going in … Just one more week of work to go …

Back at work …

Well im back at work till the 2nd of feb but am very pleased to hear there is a long weekend coming up. Will try and get up to Terrigal for some training on the weekend. However I hear some interesting reports from local gurus and also training partners that Terrigal is been quite light (in terms of breeze). Average being about 8 knots !!!

 Been going to the gym twice a day for the last 4 days and im acheing but its all part of the plan to be super fit to hike it out. However in light of new reports from my competitors I may be looking to lighten down before the event and will thus most likely do cardio one session and weights the next. I want to be 84kgs for the event and am currently around 85.5.

 Work was terrible when I arrived back. Backout of a candidate, $10,000 in arrears now to make up so im kicking myself and trying to make placements before the month is out next Wednesday. Things are on the up again after some hard work and now im involved with training some graduates as well. Funny business recruitment, ive been there 7 months ive seen a fair few people leave my division and am now part of training graduates?!?! (one of them a friend of an ex-gf who I recruited internally is doing smashingly). I guess its a simple case of survival and outlasting the rest that keeps you in the game … its a dog eat dog world … lucky the money is decent cause the hours are tough …

My review went great though and i guess thats what matters. Management has faith in me but I still havent heard back on my sponsorship proposal … I want to go to Europe this year most importantly so I need to hear ASAP … a new boat would be nice too come on Guesty, support the cause on the road to 2012 !!!

Downunder series 2007\2008

Hi all,

Finally time to update my blog after 3 major world ranking regattas held in Australia as part of the Downunder series, leading into a world titles this year in Terrigal.

Its been a great season and id like to say thanks to Kev Lim for transporting my boat, Mike Leigh for looking after our accomodation and hire car and also Oscar Dannstrom for being my Finnish Brother from another mother. Cant forget Kristian and Stian for making me laugh at their Norwegian Antics …

Anyway down to results so far!!!

ISAF Grade 1 – Sydney International Regatta – 14th international from 90 competitors, 2nd Australian

ISAF Grade 1 – Australian National Titles – Silver Medal (2nd) Australian Open (18-35 years)

ISAF Grade 1 (regional) – Asia Pacific Games – 4th in Asia Pacific Region and 23rd international from some 13o competitors with teams from 24 countries

These events have all been raced and completed in Melbourne and Sydney during December and January. After the first regatta in Sydney my world ranking has moved to 60th from 90th and will continue to improve after some great results.

The most exciting thing is that the worlds is still to come from the 3rd feb to the 14th and I will be staying in my own apartment in Terrigal for my first open world titles. Anyone want to come and be my cheer squad?

Im currently weighing in at 86kgs after some windy regattas and will need to lose 2kgs before the event in 2 weeks. Time to slow down on the protein shakes and weights and eat the high protein salads and hit the road on foot or the bike for some cardio.

Going back to work is tough too … sitting down at my desk is a little depressing after racing professionally, only if i was born in almost any other country … Its ok I guess, come mid 2009 with some savings it will be time to launch a full professional campaign for the London Olympics in 2012 and more importantly get on the funding payroll so I can do the regattas 6 months a year in Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific to be top 10 in the world. Who knows whats in store ?

Good times ahead in some beautiful locations and ill be sure to take my camera to the Worlds.