It’s been a productive last few months. I was back on the bike the day after I got back from Japan and back in the Laser a day after that. My time in Perth which was supposed to be down time qucikly turned into an all out training camp! I just couldn’t help myself and if things aren’t going my way the only thing that makes me feel better is working harder. I had a lot of meetings at WAIS seeing the team, debriefing the season and meeting some new staff. Most of my time was spent catching up with my coaches in WA, thinking of ways I can get better and what needs to change to bridge the gap. I also went through a lot of fitness testing which was good. I set a bunch of new PB’s on the bike and my strength training is all on track which is great 🙂
After Perth I flew to Melbourne for an all classes team camp. This was the second one I had done this year and was again really successful. I got to meet a lot of the new staff and the new PD Ian Murry. We also got a few days on the water in our own boats which was the first time that’s ever happened. This camp rolled into Sail Melbourne happening the following week, the first summer regatta of the season. We had a good mix of conditions with a different type of breeze blowing every day. I started safely and built as the regatta went on with a really good last day in some epic conditions. I finished up 4th but got to play around at the front a lot which was the goal of the week. Unfortunately we didn’t race on the last day of competition due to too much wind so I didn’t get a shot at third.
The day after we finished I was in the car on my way up to Sydney with all the teams boats in tow and Connor in the passenger seat. The Sydney International Regatta was the second regatta of the summer and it was starting next week. Lucky for us we had our friends in the NZL National Team coming over to train and compete with us for this part of the summer which was great. They are some of the best sailors in the world so we had both the Gold and Bronze medallists racing in our fleet 😀
We did a really good four days of training with 11 boats out on the water which was amazing. After this kind of quality training and racing you feel pretty confident going into a regatta. Sail Sydney turned it on weather wise with sun and seabreezes every day. I had a good start and kept that flow going through the regatta. On the last day of racing it was all there for the taking with the top four guys all within 2 points of each other. I didn’t sail a great first race but on the second race I lead around the top mark by quite a bit and was a great shot at the podium. Things weren’t to be though as the wind got a bit difficult and I got sucked back into the pack. I finished 4th again, a bit disappointing but I beat Tom for the first time in a regatta which is nice.
The next week I joined in with the Finn squad who were training and as I’ve decided to do the Finn Nationals for a bit of fun I decided to get out on the water with them. It’s a very different beast to the Laser but it was a lot of fun to learn the ways of the class and see some of the best at work.
Now after a quick holiday in Queenstown, NZL I’m on my way to Brisbane for the Laser Nationals. I’m actually writing this from the lounge in Sydney waiting for my flight. All’s going to plan, I just have to trust the process.
/Swifto