Final day of racing. Was not looking so good (@ 9:30) with little wind & giving the impression of a dying breeze. But @ 10:30 the wind was up & the race was on.
Ken & I sailed a great race - we were up in the top/middle for the entire race - nice change from playing catch up. Coming into the final gate & reach to the finish line it could have easily been anyone of 3 boats (including us). We scored a 6th & we were happy with that - both of the other 2 boats have been World Champions before & awesome sailors.
11 Races & we left nothing on the table. Unfortunately for me & Ken it is over. Time on the water was the answer but we just ran out of time. I gave it my all & I am proud of that.
Now I am heading home!!! My mom is flying to Fort Myers on Tuesday & we are going the south route across the US & driving to Arizona. My folks are there for the winter - so I will stay a few days with them & then head north. If anyone wants to do a road trip with me from Phoenix (or Vegas) back the Kootenays drop me an email & we can make a plan.
Thanks to everyone over the last 6 months who have given me your ears & your support & being my cheering squad.
Monday 16 January 2012
Sunday 15 January 2012
RACE DAY #5
So it is day 5 of 6. Ken & I have really no hope of winning the Canadian spot. But heck - we gave it a good try. Leaving nothing on the table or the water, so to speak. As we were sailing out today we discussed that we need to have a good day - no stress - let's "get a bullet" (in racing terms - that means a first). Other option could be "take a bullet" - which you can all guess is not a good idea.
We go out for Race 1 of 2 for the day - good start - go right - whole fleet goes left. We keep right wind is good - then figure we should cover the fleet..... story goes on - we play catch up. Get to the reach mark - everyone is in front of us but they are having a hard time holding the reach - we go high & set so we don't have as tight of a reach & manage to keep "on our feet" & make some good speed - catch up to the back of the pack at the gibe mark & have a good downwind. Get to the leeward mark & go back up wind. Unfortunately we get into a "port-starboard" with another boat (happy to say we were starboard - therefore the "right-of-way" boat) BUT port boat who is trying to duck us are not going to make it!!!! Sarah - you will be happy to know we avoided a collision with a crash tack & kept a massive hole out of your port back 1/4 panel. We call protest & then continue to pull an 8th!!!! Man not only does that suck - but it wrecks our 7th place consistency streak.
Race 2 of 2.... we were having a good lineup for a good start, but a big left shift came in & we had to gibe around before hitting the pin boat - we take everyone's transom & go off to the right. After we go right - then tack back to the middle of the course & once again another LAST (can you say the "f" word) at the windward mark. Same thing on the reach mark - all boats in front are on a tight reach (maybe too tight) - we go high, set & have a faster more controlled reach to the mark. Good downwind - round at the bottom mark with the pack. All but one boat goes to the left gate - we take the right as it looks favoured to us & we are wanting to go left - as the left side of the course was filling in & the prediction all day was for the wind to go left. Well we get this awesome pressure band & get lifted & lifted & lifted (that's a good thing). As we are on starboard tack sailing fast we get this "auto tack" - the wind shifted so fast & so hard it caused the boat to tack. Personally - I think it was Nick's spirit - he was wanting to give us a helping hand. Nick owned/sailed the boat we have now for Beijing & who won Gold in 2008. Nick had final stages of ALS when he won Gold & subsequently passed away within 3.5 months of that win. He was an amazing man. So thanks Nick for the auto-tack. So following that we were on a port tack lift, lift, lift. By this time Kenny & I realize we could now possibly be leading the fleet - EVERYONE went right.
We get to the top mark FIRST!!!! wow the heart is pumping now. We round the mark - have a great set - spins up & flying.... we are going downwind fast & in front - oh what a feeling. Now just need to hold the lead - no way in the world do I want to lose that spot now. Ken is great - he keeps reminding me - Brenda we sail good downwind - that mellows me out a wee bit. We get to the gates - all we need to do is gibe & head for the finish & keep the next team from passing us. The Aussie team is hot on our heels but they don't have quite enough time & we cross FIRST!!!! YEE HAA. The race committee even cheered for us. I kind of felt like the "special team" - but really I think they were just really happy for us. We got lots of congrats from fellow competitors & coaches = that was really nice. We managed to get the third for the day standings.
So one more race to go - today. Again - Ken & I are going to give it our all.
Keep well & thanks for tuning in.
We go out for Race 1 of 2 for the day - good start - go right - whole fleet goes left. We keep right wind is good - then figure we should cover the fleet..... story goes on - we play catch up. Get to the reach mark - everyone is in front of us but they are having a hard time holding the reach - we go high & set so we don't have as tight of a reach & manage to keep "on our feet" & make some good speed - catch up to the back of the pack at the gibe mark & have a good downwind. Get to the leeward mark & go back up wind. Unfortunately we get into a "port-starboard" with another boat (happy to say we were starboard - therefore the "right-of-way" boat) BUT port boat who is trying to duck us are not going to make it!!!! Sarah - you will be happy to know we avoided a collision with a crash tack & kept a massive hole out of your port back 1/4 panel. We call protest & then continue to pull an 8th!!!! Man not only does that suck - but it wrecks our 7th place consistency streak.
Race 2 of 2.... we were having a good lineup for a good start, but a big left shift came in & we had to gibe around before hitting the pin boat - we take everyone's transom & go off to the right. After we go right - then tack back to the middle of the course & once again another LAST (can you say the "f" word) at the windward mark. Same thing on the reach mark - all boats in front are on a tight reach (maybe too tight) - we go high, set & have a faster more controlled reach to the mark. Good downwind - round at the bottom mark with the pack. All but one boat goes to the left gate - we take the right as it looks favoured to us & we are wanting to go left - as the left side of the course was filling in & the prediction all day was for the wind to go left. Well we get this awesome pressure band & get lifted & lifted & lifted (that's a good thing). As we are on starboard tack sailing fast we get this "auto tack" - the wind shifted so fast & so hard it caused the boat to tack. Personally - I think it was Nick's spirit - he was wanting to give us a helping hand. Nick owned/sailed the boat we have now for Beijing & who won Gold in 2008. Nick had final stages of ALS when he won Gold & subsequently passed away within 3.5 months of that win. He was an amazing man. So thanks Nick for the auto-tack. So following that we were on a port tack lift, lift, lift. By this time Kenny & I realize we could now possibly be leading the fleet - EVERYONE went right.
We get to the top mark FIRST!!!! wow the heart is pumping now. We round the mark - have a great set - spins up & flying.... we are going downwind fast & in front - oh what a feeling. Now just need to hold the lead - no way in the world do I want to lose that spot now. Ken is great - he keeps reminding me - Brenda we sail good downwind - that mellows me out a wee bit. We get to the gates - all we need to do is gibe & head for the finish & keep the next team from passing us. The Aussie team is hot on our heels but they don't have quite enough time & we cross FIRST!!!! YEE HAA. The race committee even cheered for us. I kind of felt like the "special team" - but really I think they were just really happy for us. We got lots of congrats from fellow competitors & coaches = that was really nice. We managed to get the third for the day standings.
So one more race to go - today. Again - Ken & I are going to give it our all.
Keep well & thanks for tuning in.
Saturday 14 January 2012
RACE DAY #4
Well - consistancy is the name of the game for our team - two more 7! We sailed well today but the fleet is good. We were well up in the mix (more so than in the other races). We had some great downwinds (AGAIN) making up distance but not enough to move up the ladder. Results
Our first race we had a very poor start.... so we gave our selves a disadvantage right of the get go. Weird racing the whole day. Wind was out of the northwest - started in the 10 - 12 knot range & steadying went right & decreasing pressure. CRAZY shifts - usually 15-20 degrees. We has some shifts on the course of 40 degrees on one tack. One time we were on a port lift & looked up wind & saw boats to the left on starboard lift. It really was crazy racing from that stand point.
Our second race of the day - we right up with the big kids. It was some great downwind racing. We were in front of our Canadian competitors both up wind & down wind or a bit. Coming into the last gate & off to the finish line we had them behind us - wind dying & coming into the gate with the spinnakers up - great racing. Unfortunately for us they went high (slightly risky move for them) got speed - took our wind & managed to roll us in the last 50 feet. VERY Exciting.
THERE IS A GREAT 9 MINUTE VIDEO - shows life in Paralympic sailing. Check it out
Video This is one the home page but you need to scroll a wee bit.
Three races left in the regatta - scheduled to be 2 for Saturday & 1 on Sunday. Breeze is not forecasted to be good on Sunday - so they might race us all 3 today. Well I am off to get ready for today's racing.
Our first race we had a very poor start.... so we gave our selves a disadvantage right of the get go. Weird racing the whole day. Wind was out of the northwest - started in the 10 - 12 knot range & steadying went right & decreasing pressure. CRAZY shifts - usually 15-20 degrees. We has some shifts on the course of 40 degrees on one tack. One time we were on a port lift & looked up wind & saw boats to the left on starboard lift. It really was crazy racing from that stand point.
Our second race of the day - we right up with the big kids. It was some great downwind racing. We were in front of our Canadian competitors both up wind & down wind or a bit. Coming into the last gate & off to the finish line we had them behind us - wind dying & coming into the gate with the spinnakers up - great racing. Unfortunately for us they went high (slightly risky move for them) got speed - took our wind & managed to roll us in the last 50 feet. VERY Exciting.
THERE IS A GREAT 9 MINUTE VIDEO - shows life in Paralympic sailing. Check it out
Video This is one the home page but you need to scroll a wee bit.
Three races left in the regatta - scheduled to be 2 for Saturday & 1 on Sunday. Breeze is not forecasted to be good on Sunday - so they might race us all 3 today. Well I am off to get ready for today's racing.
Thursday 12 January 2012
RACE DAY #3
I really got to get some pictures up - it was a stellar day on the water today!!! I need to show you how great it is!
So onto the racing.... unfortunately Ken & I forgot to bring our brains. We did not sail smart today - although our mechanics of sailing were pretty good. Just did not make the best decisions & had (again) upwind height problems.... We remained consistent with our 7th place finishes until we unfortunately had a bad start in our last race & were continually playing catch up. So we took "8th" which is LAST. We are sitting tied on points with another team but due to the number of places - we are sitting at the bottom of the tie.
Lesson learned today - time on the water pays off. We are sailing against some really good teams - all of which have been together for longer than us.
Best part of the day - we had a dolphin playing off our bow for about 10 minutes while sailing in.
Tomorrow is another day - we are only 1/2 through the regatta - so we can still have some good days!!!!
So onto the racing.... unfortunately Ken & I forgot to bring our brains. We did not sail smart today - although our mechanics of sailing were pretty good. Just did not make the best decisions & had (again) upwind height problems.... We remained consistent with our 7th place finishes until we unfortunately had a bad start in our last race & were continually playing catch up. So we took "8th" which is LAST. We are sitting tied on points with another team but due to the number of places - we are sitting at the bottom of the tie.
Lesson learned today - time on the water pays off. We are sailing against some really good teams - all of which have been together for longer than us.
Best part of the day - we had a dolphin playing off our bow for about 10 minutes while sailing in.
Tomorrow is another day - we are only 1/2 through the regatta - so we can still have some good days!!!!
Wednesday 11 January 2012
RACE DAY #2
Hi All
So officially it is Day 2 of racing - but was our first day of racing. Since we did not get any racing yesterday - we had 3 races today. The Race Committee can only do 3 races maximum a day so... means tomorrow to catch up - we need to do 3 more races.
Today was quite different from yesterday - it was forcasted big winds, chop, rain & thunderstorms. We go the first two but thank goodness not the last two. Nothing worse then being out on the water with thunderstorms!!!!!
Anyhow we got out to the race course @ 9:30 - winds coming out of 170 deg (i.e. south) and about 6 knots. By the time we got started racing (@10:30) it clocked more to the south & picked up to about 10 knots with the wind continuing to go right. By the end of the racing we had seen upto 15-18 knots, big seas & 225 degrees.
Ken and I were overall fine with our day - would have liked better results - but hey we were consistent. 7-7-7. We had some up wind speed & pointing issues so we were loosing out upwind. We had GREAT downwind speed!!!! We surfed a number of waves today & managed to catch up to the fleet downwind. Problem is we had to go back upwind..... so you see how this is going. In our races we have 2 upwind, 2 downwind & 2 reaching legs.
So this is how my day at the sailing center ends.... one of the race officers came to find me... "Hey Brenda - do you remember crossing the finish line in that last race?" - Seriously that's the question to me. "Of course", I answer...... "it was an epic finish (in my mind) we squeaked passed a boat right at the finish line on an incredibly tight reach". Turns out the race committee had some confusion and scored us DNC (did not complete) that would have meant we would score last +1. Whew managed to get it all straight - hence our 7th.
Had a great post race debrief with our coach - we think we worked out a few things & looking forward to being back on the water tomorrow & more in the mix!!! Tomorrow is more of the same.... big winds (18 knots), chop & out of the south. No rain or thunderstorms - so that is good.
Results
Well thanks again for reading my blog & the support I have been getting.
So officially it is Day 2 of racing - but was our first day of racing. Since we did not get any racing yesterday - we had 3 races today. The Race Committee can only do 3 races maximum a day so... means tomorrow to catch up - we need to do 3 more races.
Today was quite different from yesterday - it was forcasted big winds, chop, rain & thunderstorms. We go the first two but thank goodness not the last two. Nothing worse then being out on the water with thunderstorms!!!!!
Anyhow we got out to the race course @ 9:30 - winds coming out of 170 deg (i.e. south) and about 6 knots. By the time we got started racing (@10:30) it clocked more to the south & picked up to about 10 knots with the wind continuing to go right. By the end of the racing we had seen upto 15-18 knots, big seas & 225 degrees.
Ken and I were overall fine with our day - would have liked better results - but hey we were consistent. 7-7-7. We had some up wind speed & pointing issues so we were loosing out upwind. We had GREAT downwind speed!!!! We surfed a number of waves today & managed to catch up to the fleet downwind. Problem is we had to go back upwind..... so you see how this is going. In our races we have 2 upwind, 2 downwind & 2 reaching legs.
So this is how my day at the sailing center ends.... one of the race officers came to find me... "Hey Brenda - do you remember crossing the finish line in that last race?" - Seriously that's the question to me. "Of course", I answer...... "it was an epic finish (in my mind) we squeaked passed a boat right at the finish line on an incredibly tight reach". Turns out the race committee had some confusion and scored us DNC (did not complete) that would have meant we would score last +1. Whew managed to get it all straight - hence our 7th.
Had a great post race debrief with our coach - we think we worked out a few things & looking forward to being back on the water tomorrow & more in the mix!!! Tomorrow is more of the same.... big winds (18 knots), chop & out of the south. No rain or thunderstorms - so that is good.
Results
Well thanks again for reading my blog & the support I have been getting.
Tuesday 10 January 2012
RACE DAY #1
Okay here is my day
7:00 - up, breakie, make lunch & stuff
8:00 - at the boat - rig the boat - load & go
9:00 - 9:30 - towed off the dock to race course - FIRST OFF THE DOCK!!!!!
9:30 - 10:30 - pre-race warm-up which includes sailing up & down the race course getting #, trends, effects of tide, etc - WindWard Mark (where we are sailing too) is at 070 degrees & we still have a fair amount of ebb current (which is against us).
10:30 - 10:55 - continue getting numbers & waiting for the start (which is scheduled for 10:55)
10:55 - get ready for the start & the Race Committed postpones the race as the wind is clocking to the right - 85 - 100 - 120 - 100 - POSTPONE
11 - 1 PM - this continues the wind drops in velocity & ends up at 170 deg - patchy & light
The clock keeps ticking.... so the trick is to stay keyed up & ready to race but to remain mellow & relaxed at the same time. Now I know I am not going to get any sympathy from those in colder temperatures.... but hanging around on the water for a number of hours in the direct sun, no wind & warm temps (not going to tell you the temperature as you will probably be mad) - not as good as it sounds.
Finally the Race Committee calls the racing for the day - now the race home under tow. Second home - so round out the day with a first & second (not that it counts).
Day 2 - it is expecting to be big winds leading the cold front. So no wind one day & then the next day it is blowing dogs off chains.
Brenda
7:00 - up, breakie, make lunch & stuff
8:00 - at the boat - rig the boat - load & go
9:00 - 9:30 - towed off the dock to race course - FIRST OFF THE DOCK!!!!!
9:30 - 10:30 - pre-race warm-up which includes sailing up & down the race course getting #, trends, effects of tide, etc - WindWard Mark (where we are sailing too) is at 070 degrees & we still have a fair amount of ebb current (which is against us).
10:30 - 10:55 - continue getting numbers & waiting for the start (which is scheduled for 10:55)
10:55 - get ready for the start & the Race Committed postpones the race as the wind is clocking to the right - 85 - 100 - 120 - 100 - POSTPONE
11 - 1 PM - this continues the wind drops in velocity & ends up at 170 deg - patchy & light
 |
| Ken & Brenda - hanging out on the Race Day 1 |
The clock keeps ticking.... so the trick is to stay keyed up & ready to race but to remain mellow & relaxed at the same time. Now I know I am not going to get any sympathy from those in colder temperatures.... but hanging around on the water for a number of hours in the direct sun, no wind & warm temps (not going to tell you the temperature as you will probably be mad) - not as good as it sounds.
Finally the Race Committee calls the racing for the day - now the race home under tow. Second home - so round out the day with a first & second (not that it counts).
Day 2 - it is expecting to be big winds leading the cold front. So no wind one day & then the next day it is blowing dogs off chains.
Brenda
Practice Day
Hi All
Monday Jan. 9 was the "practice day" - mostly this is the practice for the Race Committee to see the boats & get set up on the race area, set a course & allow the Race Committee a day to work out some kicks.
The forecast was to be wind in the morning & light in the afternoon. We decided to go out with Coach Steve (as we have not had a lot of time to work with him) for the morning then come back in for lunch. Then the plan WAS to go back out for the practice race @ 2 PM.
Well unfortunately on our tow in, we ran into something - something hard - below. It made a hard crunching sound & we definitely smoked something. So we hauled the boat up to have a look. Unfortunately for us it was a good sized divot out of the front part of the bulb - about the diameter of a loonie & about 2 loonies thick. So at 1 PM on the last day we had to haul & fix our boat. Racing rules require all boats to be in the water by 6 PM.
Although one might think Ken & I were stressed out - not really - I am fast coming to realize that "it is what it is".... So one more challenge under our belt -
Now it is race time!!!!!
Thanks for the support.
Monday Jan. 9 was the "practice day" - mostly this is the practice for the Race Committee to see the boats & get set up on the race area, set a course & allow the Race Committee a day to work out some kicks.
The forecast was to be wind in the morning & light in the afternoon. We decided to go out with Coach Steve (as we have not had a lot of time to work with him) for the morning then come back in for lunch. Then the plan WAS to go back out for the practice race @ 2 PM.
Well unfortunately on our tow in, we ran into something - something hard - below. It made a hard crunching sound & we definitely smoked something. So we hauled the boat up to have a look. Unfortunately for us it was a good sized divot out of the front part of the bulb - about the diameter of a loonie & about 2 loonies thick. So at 1 PM on the last day we had to haul & fix our boat. Racing rules require all boats to be in the water by 6 PM.
Although one might think Ken & I were stressed out - not really - I am fast coming to realize that "it is what it is".... So one more challenge under our belt -
Now it is race time!!!!!
Thanks for the support.
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