UKLA Chair blog #39
Short blog today as I am just back from the ETs at Rutland where some of the ILCA4s were racing.
Ihave discussed recently how hard work and a systematic approach to training can help improve your ILCA sailing but often you want to translate that into performance at a target event, a regatta you have been building up to. What’s the best approach?
The hard work happens in the months before an event not in the final week or two and certainly not in the few days before. Learning doesn’t just happen, it is about acquiring skills that can be put into practice without thinking on the race course and takes place over a period of time. Many athletes practise a taper period before an event, where they ease off on their physical training to ensure they are fully recovered and ready. ILCA sailors are certainly in this category and over a longer regatta of (say) six days with long days on the water, it is just not possible to recover fully after each day and there is a continual drop-off as the week progresses. So of course it is better to start the week fully recovered from any training.
I personally believe it is important to use any pre-regatta training to build confidence and ensure you start the regatta in the right mental state. Non-sailing distractions need to be avoided in the build up to allow the mind time to visualise a good performance. Doing a “training” regatta before often works well for me so long as I have set clear expectations for outcomes as I want it to build, not knock confidence.
Some training before a regatta at an unfamiliar venue can be very helpful to understand geographical features on the race course and get used to wave patterns. As we know though, conditions change all the time so I wouldn’t over-emphasise it. At one end of the scale, if you sail at Weymouth a lot, then this is just not needed while travelling to the Pacific coast of Mexico as we did for the Masters Worlds last year, a few days familiarisation with the venue (and time zone) is obvious.
Sometimes a short sail before a big event at a known venue makes sure equipment is ready and allows you to sharpen up on boat handling but don’t tire yourself or try to learn new things.
A final piece of advice, never try new sailing gear and equipment for the first time as I have learnt to my disadvantage many times - a new mainsheet that is slippy for first few sails, a new kicker not tied in quite the right place, a brand new sail that feels and sounds different……
Finally members will have just got an update by email, but just to flag a few items.
ILCA Masters Nationals - LOOK & BOOK. All are welcome - if you are a ILCA6 Women Master - see this post from Jo West
ILCA Open & National Championships - LOOK & BOOK
Super Grand Prix - LOOK & BOOK (Bookings not open yet)
Grand Prix Series - LOOK (Book with individual clubs)
Training Calendar - LOOK & BOOK