After almost 1,000 miles to sailing events last month this was a slightly quieter month with only 500 miles - for a total of just under 2,000 miles for the year.
WPNSA Fitness Camp
the Paralympic Podium Potential Squad who weren’t competing at the Trofeo Princess Sofia in Spain were at WPNSA to work on boat upgrades and team fitness and I blagged an invite to their camp. En-route we had an text message SOS for clotted cream, mayo and cheese - still trying to work out how clotted cream and a fitness camp go hand in hand!
Overnight the winds were gusting 50mph but I slept through most of it even though the van took a hammering in the night.
It was still blowing 40mph for our cycle ride in the morning - into a headwind equals going backwards on a bike! We made the most of the times tidy up Carol’s new storage unit and apply stickers to Carol and Alex’s SKUD. We met Carols’ Helm Alex and his carer Rob for the first time, Alex made me jump whilst I was applying the stickers as he came to ask for my assistance and I suddenly realised he was at my height … but his wheelchair moves at 100mph and it raises Alex 4 foot up into the air!! We finished the day with several sessions of very active football as our aerobic exercise.
I helped with craning the Skud in on Wednesday, whilst Alex operated the crane controls from above. There was a gust of wind which mum thought was going to see me going for an impromptu swim as I was holding onto the bow tether!
The light winds on Thursday meant after all that we craned the SKUD out and put her back in the boat park followed by yet more sessions of applying Team GBR stickers to the sails and boat hull before we headed home for Easter. Thank you to everyone for a great week.
SW Topper Training and Traveller at Castle Cove
I had the RYA National Head Coach, Natalie for the day and we practiced hard on double tacking, mark rounding and had a few practice races of which I won 3. I think that the fitness week I spent with the Paralympic team has helped me to be able to hike for longer periods in the racing on Sunday - with 4 races back-to-back out near the edge of the harbour in challenging wind strengths of 20 gusting 28.
SW Topper Zone Squad Camp 6
Our last training weekend was at the Mount Batten Centre in Plymouth. On Saturday we didn’t go out because it was far too windy to launch in gusts of up to 40 so we spent the day on theory and reviews.
On the Sunday we had some really good wind so we launched as soon as possible. One of my friends launched without their kicker (!) but luckily we had stayed in the Catt Water so it wasn’t too far to return to shore. By the time we sailed out to Drake’s Island I realised that I didn’t have my bung in properly, so we had some fun trying to drain my boat with the support boats out on the water.
With the wind at 13 gusting 16 it was perfect to blast around in our races once my hull was emptied.
Thank you to Duncan and Lynn our coaches plus the various assistants we had over the winter.
New VR Kit
Neil Pride Hiking Shorts fit me really well and are brilliant for hiking in hard wind sailing; my feet are now toasty warm with the combo of Gill Neoprene Socks and Gul Evotherm Hiking Boots; and a pair of Forward Sailing Gloves rounded off the kit purchases. Thank you to everyone at VR for my sponsorship and all of your hard work.
