Tuesday, September 29, 2009

National Qualifying Regatta

I am in Victoria for the National Qualifying Regatta. This regatta will qualify sailors to the Canadian National Team. Follow results here. Click read more for daily reports.

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Sunday, September 27
I sailed the second day of the Fall Dinghy Championships at Royal Victoria Yacht Club today. It was very valuable to get some actual racing experience here before the NQRs. I was able to sort out starting in the current and I got a good look at racing here in a northerly wind. It is a very tricky place to sail so any extra time I have here before the event is valuable.
Weather: 16 degrees, sunny, 5-10 knots, N

Monday, September 28
Today was our first day of structured training. Rob Fox led the training, assisted by Tommy Wharton. Today it was a westerly wind, which swung southward towards the end of the session. Evan Lewis and I did some splits to try to figure out what was favoured on the course. It seemed like the wind was the deciding factor, but the current also had a noticeable effect.
Weather: 12 degrees, cloudy, 6-14 knots, W

Tuesday, September 29
I decided to take today off to make sure I'll be fully rested and healthy before racing starts on Thursday. I will do a short session tomorrow to make sure everything is in order with my boat.

Wednesday, September 30
Today I sailed for an hour and a half to do a little more start practice in the current and to make sure all my gear was ready to go. Racing begins at noon tomorrow.
Weather: 15 degrees, sunny, 6, S

Thursday, October 1
Today was the first day of racing. In the first race I was near the pin end but bailed at the last minute when it looked like the boats ahead of me were going to be over. I stalled and started on port behind several boats, but was able to get a clear lane to the left, and came back on port tack in a clear lane the whole way to the mark and rounded around 8. I passed one boat downwind and another 3 on the second beat to finish 4th. In the second race I started late at the boat but was able to use my speed to round the weather mark around 8th. I passed boats on the first run but lost a couple of boats on the second beat and two more on the last run to finish 9th. In the last race I had an okay start down towards the pin and stayed patient in a marginal lane. I rounded the weather mark around 8 again, but made a good move on the first run and rounded ahead of a big pack of boats. I had hooked into current course left on the run, so I headed right on the next beat to get out of the current. This payed off, and the boats that went left into the current lost big. I lost two boats on the last run and finished 7th. After three races I'm in 3rd, but that picture will change with drops. I am happy with sailing three counters today, but I should have been able to have a few less points in the 2nd and 3rd race.
Weather: 12 degrees, cloudy, 4-8 knots, SE-SW

Friday, October 2
The fleets were sent out today after a 3 hour postponement due to a lack of wind. We raced in very light wind and a very tricky current situation. I had a poor start, and was not able to flip onto port in the front line, and was forced to duck some sterns off the start. I ended up fighting the current up the left side of the course hoping for more pressure, but it never came. I found myself well back in the fleet at the first weather mark and did not manage to make any ground throughout the race and finished 20th. Racing continues tomorrow with more wind in the forecast.
Weather: 14 degrees, partly cloudy, 3-5 knots, SW