May

I have been very lazzy and not posted anything in almost a month. Haven't sailed as much as i would of liked to in the past few weeks, as once again theres been no wind! Winters one week away and i'm very please i bought myself a drysuit back in February! I've been using it for about the past month and let me tell you its makes sailing alot more enjoyable when its cold. Although its still hard to find the motivation to get out on the water when its raining, grey and cold.. Really i shouldn't be complaining because i know 15 degrees isnt really that bad compared to many others around the world.

21 days till boats leave...
27 days till we leave....

Its getting close...

Kiwi Land Sailing

3 days training with Rohan and 3 days racing! Once again the 3 days training was very helpful and i learnt heaps and most importantly light wind sailing. My light wind sailing was be shocking and needed lots of help but after one day training against 5 other boats and Rohan coaching us it seems that it help a lot. The other two days we had some decent wind allowing us to do some tuning and racing.



Racing day 1:

Just to make things interesting the weather decided to only give us about 3 knots wind. We drifted for 3 whole races making racing very tactical, close and boring.. But it was good practice for Weymouth. First race was a match between Browie and myself with us drifting very close and him just getting me at the finish line by about a boat length. Second race was very close between the whole fleet with Browie winning and Holly not far behind. Third race was close again Between Browie, Kevin, Stephen and myself but Browie pulled through again to win and i managed to drift faster than Kevin and Stephen up the last work. So with Browie winning all three races the results followed:
1st. Browie (3 points)
2nd. Sam England (9 points)
3rd. Kevin Hall (9 points)

Racing Day 2.

And again the weather decided to make it interesting giving us the total opposite with 20-25 knots and 2 m waves. Only Browie, Kevin, Darren and myself going out. Only had 2 races as the conditions got a bit rough. 1st race Kevin powered through managing to win followed by Browie with Myself and Darren not far behind, the conditions were testing for everyone with the run being who could survive the longest with out dropping the wrong way off a wave and ending upside down. The Second race Browie had push rod problems and didn't race and Kevin just powered through again to win, i was having trouble with foiling as i didn't realise that i had weed on my foils but i just kept going as i was still coming 3rd. Once i removed the weed i was having real trouble as i was so exhausted and didn't have the energy, managed to make it to the finish line and a few minutes later they sent us in. Lucky because i was going in either way.


Results after day 2:
1st. Kevin (11 points)
2nd. Andrew Brown (13 points)
3rd. Sam England (15 points)



Racing day 3:

Got up and I was still exhausted and the wind was still 20-25knots and the waves had increased ad the wind was still pumping from the day before. Wondered how I was going to make it through the day.. We were going to move the regatta down the road to a large lake but the wind dropped to 20 knots so we went and battled the waves. Got out there and it wasn't as bad as the wind had dropped. first race Kevin had problems as he broke a push rod and went in to fix before the 2nd race, Browie won followed by myself and then Darren behind. down wind was heaps easier to control. Second and third race, Kevin had returned but Darren had given up. Both races were similar with Kevin powering to win both with Browie following and me behind.

Final Results:
1st. Andrew Brown (10 points)
2nd Kevin Hall (13 points)
3rd. Samantha England (13points)




Well done to Andrew Brown for winning!

I'm happy with how I sailed over the week through training and racing epically in the light wind as its been my weakness, the heavier wind I didn't do as well but wasn't far behind. I think fitness is a major weakness for me at the moment with a few ankle injuries giving me a few problems. In the heavier wind I'm fine until i get tired and it all goes down hill from there. I have nice display for bruises to show for the week. Got home on Monday morning after a shit fight to get my large box of sails and foils home, to start with they were going to make me pay $350 to get the stupid thing on the plane as it was excess weight, but i managed to talk my way around it. I must of looked so strange looks pulling the box around the airport as I got so many strange looks with 2 other bags as well.. and of coarse customs had a field days with the box when i landed in Melbourne pulling the whole thing apart (i felt like i was on the TV show Board security). Had a day off sleeping and letting my ankles rest.. But with only 2 months left to world Ill be back out on the water this afternoon once I put my boat back together.

Full results found at: http://www.bladerider.com.au/news/results/2008-nzl-nationals/2008-nzl-nationals-results.html

Photos from training, day 1 and 3: http://www.chriscameron.co.nz/index.html

Photos from day 2: http://www.oceanphotography.co.nz/

Big Thank You to Darren, Holly and little Sam for having me to stay, organising a boat to sail and making the week lots of fun! Watch out guys Sam's only 13 year old, 55kg and already sailing a Bladerider and hes good!

No Wind AGAIN

Friday, Saturday and Sunday we have had 4 knots at most .. Off to New Zealand tomorrow for 7 days to do a week of training and Nationals over the weekend.

Blue sky and sun shine

Blue sky, sun shine, 15 knots and flat water, what more could I ask for a Wednesday afternoon on the water. although another boat would of been nice. Foiling tacks are this weeks goal... some how i don't think I'm going to get there tho.. I'm close but not close enough. spent the afternoon doing short windward leewards practicing mark rounding, gybes, tacks and basic boat handling. Started to see small improvements by the end especially with my tacks. Might sail Friday and race Saturday but will keep it pretty laid back before next week.

Finally some sailing

Finally got some sailing in over the weekend with 2 sessions both days! Went up to Blackrock to sail against Amac, Martin and Jimmy.

Saturday morning I went out on my own for an hour or so and practiced some gybes and tacks and worked on some upwind speed and then tackled the waves down wind. Still getting use to sailing in waves down wind as at home we don't get waves so the whole experience is new to me. Went in for lunch and returned to the water to find the wind had dropped from 12 knots to about 5 limiting the foiling. Only Locky and I managed to make the start as Amac, Martin and Jimmy were still messing around on the beach with their boats. Attempted to foil up the first work and wasn't very successful only jumping out once or twice. By the bottom mark Amac and Jimmy joined in and by now were were down to about 3 knots wind and it became a low riding race. I haven't been very good at the low riding and always struggled for speed, but this time I was ok and managed to round not far behind Amac with Jimmy and Locky behind. Finally drifted across the finish line and we made the decision not to do the second race because drifting isn't anyone idea of fun.

Sunday Rohan came down to give us all some much needed coaching. Really enjoyed this doing lots of drills, starts and upwind tuning. Felt like I got heaps out of it and was happy with my speed against the boys.

Hopfully get some more sailing in this week before I'm off to New Zealand next week for a week of coaching with Rohan and the New Zealand Nationals.

No Wind

No sailing this week, it seems to be that every time I go to get out on the water theres no wind but as soon as I'm busy the wind comes in. Hopefully get some sailing in over the weekend up at Blackrock with some of the others.

Training

Photo: Russell Bates

Didn't get out sailing much this week as we had a nice 5 knots on Tuesday in which I floated around frustrated and bored, 65 knots on Wednesday and 35 knots on Thursday! Finally by Friday and Saturday we had a nice 10 knots, Friday practiced gybing and tacking and Saturday I raced in the club race against another 29er. That's about it apart from training, training and more training. Just under 3 months to Worlds!

Vic States

Vic States down at Geelong over the weekend with 13 boats. Some good racing in some solid wind. Well done to Amac who won.

Results:

1st. Amac (Vic)
2nd. Matt Becher (Qld)
3rd. Rob Gough (Tas)
4th. James Owen Smith (Vic) ( Junior)
5th. Me (Vic) (Junior)

Happy with how I sailed (getting closer to the front of the fleet) , made a few mistakes that shouldn't of happened but generally just happy to be in the top half of the fleet. Won the Females but as a should as I was the only one out there. Some how I'm still a Junior and came 2nd behind James. Body took a few thumps over the weekend, having trouble moving this morning. Lots of work to do before worlds and motivated more than ever now to kick the boys arse.

Results/photos : http://www.moth.asn.au/moth/

BOATS HOME!

So I got my boat home finally after a whole week of stressing and millions of phone calls chasing it up! Arrived no damage, smelt little funky cause Rohan and I put our wet sailing gear in there over two weeks ago now... Ready for some serious training in the next two days before we start States in Geelong over the weekend! Should be good fast close racing and we shall see what happens.

Baberider goes i14

While my boat is still stuck somewhere in Dubai airport i thought i'd take up skippering i14's with a mate! Not much wind to release our campaign but still some laughs and me sailing in very little! My photographer Russell thinks hes going to do a calendar with me in nothing more than a bikini sailing a range of boats including my bladerider.