UKLA Chair Blog #78
I was in Weymouth this weekend for some UKLA training with my son and while the weather was perhaps unseasonably warm, I didn’t really compare with my racing the previous Saturday in Adelaide on the last day of the Masters World Championship. Let me share some thoughts on the event.
222 masters from 20 countries gathered a couple of days after the Seniors finished at the same venue and my overall feeling was one of privilege. Of course, having the opportunity to do an event like this is super but it is mostly the opportunity to compete against sailors of a similar age on the world stage in my fifth decade of sailing. When I tell that the ILCA6 Legends (that’s 75 and older) had a fleet of 19 of whom around ten were 80 or older, it is really amazing. Of course there is a mental and physical benefit of racing at those ages especially given the conditions. We may not get there but we can aspire to it!
And the conditions were brilliant with a strong sea breeze getting up to 25 knots most days combined with steep waves, making for exhilarating conditions. There were plenty of capsizes in those conditions and one of my abiding memories will be approaching the last leeward gate in fourth but vying for second. As I was on the outside I knew a good gybe would take me past the other two but that’s not easy in 30knots. As I went for it, I stared down the face of a monster wave and while the surfing speed means hardly any pressure on the sail, turning sidewards on a steep wave just flips the boat over. So I had to surf down the wave and execute the gybe once it was a bit flatter. I was proud of what I had done until I realised I had surfed 10 boat lengths past the gate and was consigned to fourth. I think we will all keep memories of those downwinds for years to come.
In a six day regatta in those conditions is it also a game managing the attrition. I was nursing a back strain during the regatta and had to visit a chiropractor twice during the event. For me, there was lots of stretching early and late in the day and before and after sailing. Surprisingly, My back, along with my results (not necessarily connected) improved as the week went on but it needed constant attention. Even without that, recovery when you combine the wind with the sun is key. Arriving in the boat park at 11am, allows for maximum recovery in an air-conditioned room before that, followed by minimal time in the boat park. After racing it is about quick food and drink and some socialising, followed by a quick nap, before dinner with fellow sailors and in bed well before 10pm – it makes for quite a therapeutic week – sail, eat, sleep, repeat with some social activities thrown in. But it is needed as it is impossible to recover fully each day and it is about slowing the decline during the week as much as possible.
As for the racing, it is hard against southern hemisphere sailors at the end of their summer and we are just not race fit in the same way. As the start OF the week my starting was awful, second row on the first day and then first row on second day but no lane. At 85kg or so, I am normally as quick as any master upwind in a breeze, but a lot of the ILCA7 sailors were 90kg and more which meant they were very quick off the line (quite of few of the ILCA6 sailors were over 80kg anticipating the strong winds) and once you lose your line, the flexibility to tack on shifts goes too. So I started adjusting my starting strategy to start nearer the committee boat so making it easier to tack on the first shift even if I lost my lane. Also that speed off the line is essential in a southern hemisphere sea breeze that clocks left later in the day (the opposite to us). My downwind speed keep me competitive as in the first eight races, I didn’t have a first mark rounding in the top six yet had seven top six finishes (lucky for those big waves 😉). Generally though that sort of starting and first beats will limit your results.
Although I would say it wasn’t a hugely tactical regatta (more boat speed) , the sea breeze was very interesting. You could not see land to upwind but 20km or more away, there was land which caused shifts in the sea breeze you would not normally see. On one of the windy sea-breeze days when it blew 25 knots all day, you didn’t expect regular shifts but on the second beat I was tacking perhaps 5 or 6 times in response to shifts. Other beats you could head hard left and not worry about shifts.
Brett Bayer, who some of you will remember from our Master Nationals in Hayling Island last summer, won easily (much more easily than last summer). Why? He was just a bit quicker upwind and very fast downwind. I got close to him at the end of the first downwind of the last race after I managed to get to the windward mark in second but he generally used his boat speed very wisely – conservative starts in the middle, tacking ahead and to leeward of the fleet, never in a corner. Here are some quotes in the blog from last summer.
Anyway that’s a snapshot of the event for you. We were also lucky to be there for the medal race in the seniors where Micky was third overall. That race was in 25 knots too and those sailors are true athletes!
To close out though I did talk to some of you younger masters in Weymouth this weekend, with the Europeans in Hayling Island in June 2025, it is time to start planning and getting on the water. What could be better than a European Championship in home waters.
Snippets
UKLA Events
Q1 Brightlingsea SC 2nd/3rd March - open - closing date 29/02/2024
ILCA 4 International Event Support - open
UKLA Training
UKLA Open Training 23/24th March - entry open
UKLA National Training 23/24th March - entry open
RYA Dinghy Show 2024 (24-25th February)
Dinghy Show is coming up at the end of this month. As every year, there are some great talks and events lined up for the the weekend.
Need some downwind speed tips? You can find British Sailing Team Sam Whaley in the knowledge zone talking about this very subject on both days (15:30).
Stick Daring will be talking about his round Britain adventure in a £50 laser at a main stage (14:15) followed by book signing at our stand afterwards. You will have an opportunity to buy his book at a show or you can get it ahead of the show here.
Our stand will be located near “the clubhouse” and immediately next to Sailingfast. Pop in to see us! Come to find out more about our world class racing and training events, Grand Prix circuit & club training, get tips on what to look for when buying a new or second-hand boat and how to rig it for speed and performance.
Several of our sponsors will also be at the show - be sure to visit them and grab a bargain or two. Visit Sailingfast, Ovington, Rooster & Fernhurst Books stands and see us to see Southeast Sailboats rigging up close and find out more about Wildwind Holidays.
Buy Tickets HERE
Full Schedule HERE
See you there