This season I’m hoping for a break through. This will now be my fifth season competing full time and my fifth time racing in World Cup Hyeres. Father time is ticking but I’m well aware you can’t force success the same way you can’t force a race win. It has to be earnt with hard work, good decision making and a clear head. Everything has to be just right to even earn a seat at the table of success and even then only a select few will achieve what so many want.
This years campaign was precluded with two months preparation in Sydney with the rest of the Australian Laser Team and sometimes the New Zealand Laser Team as well. With plenty of in house racing and training against some of the worlds best, including the current Gold and Bronze medallists, I felt good about the season ahead. I flew straight from Sydney into Hamburg to collect the team car and trailer before doing the long haul drive down to the south of France.
I was on accommodation duties this year as I was staying with fellow team mates Mitchell and Jeremy so I booked a nice Airbnb a couple of km’s out of Le Port De Hyeres on the southern peninsular. We had four really good days on the water in bright sun with good wind but as usual it wouldn’t last with some cold northerly winds coming for the regatta.
With a 60 boat fleet and closed entry only the best of the best get the chance to compete in World Cup Hyeres which makes the racing of the highest caliber. The winds always throw up a mix with anything from windy and wavy to light and flat. This year was no exception with some really slow moving shifts making strategy a nightmare. I really didn’t race well and had a tough time getting myself off the start line. I finally got myself sorted on the last day and started to race well but it was way too little too late. Hopefully it’s a sign of better things to come. I write this now from the back of the team van driving to my favourite place in the world, Riva Del Garda in Northern Italy, so it’s hard to stay down. Hopefully two weeks of good training on the bike and in the boat will put me in good stead for the racing in Holland at the end of the month.
See you on the water,
Swifto