Good training, new friends and tough news from Australia

Aabenraa from above

Hi all,

Just arrived in the lovely Aabenraa and will be competing here in the Laser Euro Cup from the 12 – 14th June. There is about 50 entries and this is my warm up regatta for Kiel Week which starts on the 20th.

The last week after Delta Lloyd regatta I was training in Medemblik with Tom Burton, Ian Hall (JPN) and Jeemin Ha (KOR). We spent a solid 5 days on the water and thats always tough to stick around straight after a regatta. The weather was mainly good but actually got colder and windier for the most part. We saw plenty of 10 – 20 knot days and a few 5 knotters.

Lots of straight lining, a bit of downwind free sailing and a whole lot of small races. I started to knock in a new sail and found after a while it started stretching into a nicer shape. Good stuff!

Compared to the other guys I was quicker in general in all but under 5 knots which I really need to work on. I just miss a few waves downwind or get blanketed and it screws things up big time when I get out of phase. Something to work on here in the next few days.

Anyway I really enjoyed my training in Medemblik (and thought it would suck initially but ended happy). Met some top blokes in Ian and Jeemin and had a good talk to both guys (and stayed with Ian). Went to Amsterdam for a look around and made some new mates. Always good to meet guys walking the same path and adds some interest and different competencies in training.

Anyway back to the tagline I got some pretty damn tough news this morning from home. Yep you guessed it, girl problems. I’m away too much, I don’t have a stable job and I guess i’m not conventional enough. Parents get involved and suddenly I become a 23 yr old too young and no good for their daughter … I get it, traveling sailor, no job, away 5 months from home … looks like its all over and pretty sadly so, really tried my best for this girl … This is the plight of the self funded laser sailor and the sacrifices that happen just get harder and harder. No regular working means a tough spartan lifestyle of training and budgeting. Not much time for the luxuries, more needs then wants. I understand how a girl doesn’t really parallel with this lifestyle.  Thing is if you don’t spend and get over here to do the regattas you’ll never get up amongst it. Been feeling pretty down today and its taken alot of self control to keep my chin up. Probably a good thing to be single and focused and many people say that but still hard you know.

Don’t mean to write all this stuff out but I guess its all part of what this is about and being mentally tough will carry the day. Will keep the site updated with pre Euro Cup training.