On the 24th-27th of March I sailed in a clinic with team Cert, a team build of great sailors. They were in San Francisco to train and learn how the venue works for Team Trials. The reason why I was sailing with such a amazing team is because I was the "the local" so I could share my knowledge of local conditions, I knew about the current,wind, and the wake. I was actually sailing with some of the best sailors in the US, and most of all the number one sailor. This sailor won Team Trials last year and went to Worlds the year before, so he has been in the last two years twice to Worlds, last year he won race number 4. I was so amazed to hear that I was also sailing with the winner of the 2015 USODA PCC. The conditions were kind of light but they got heavier and heavier, towards the end of day #4. We were towing back when the wind picked up, some of the sailors were screaming "this is the beginning of San Andreas!". I had this great opportunity to sail with Cert thanks to my old coach Dan, who is friend with coach Clay. Thanks to Clay I improved my roll-tacks, my pumping on the downwind, and my starts.
A big thank you to coach Clay Johnson for taking me with the team.
Overall I had a great time sailing with one of the best sailing team in the country and improving my Opti skills.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Monday, April 4, 2016
2016 USODA Gulf Coast Champs at PCYC, MS
On March 19th and 20th, 2016 I attended the Gulf Coast Champs, in Pass Christian, MS.
My goal was to qualify for the USODA Team Trials that are going to be held at SFYC, CA, this April. The conditions were just amazing, 15-20 knots and little waves, the sailing took place on the Gulf of Mexico.
There were 61 boats on the starting line, I finished 18th and 5th of the Blue Fleet. To qualify you needed to be 17th, although I missed the qualification I had a great time finishing 6th at one of the races.
I was sailing with team SYC the same team as my last USODA regatta (USODA Midwinters at New Orleans). Before I left, my coach Nico told to me about some key points I had to work on, downwind sailing and my starts. I tried my best to sail downwind as fast as I could and minimize my lost on the downwind and maximize my gains on the upwind. Sadly the race committee was tough and we sailed all the races under the U flag, which means that if you are over the line one minute before the start or under, you are disqualified. We even sailed the last one under the black flag which is the same thing as the U flag except that even after a general recall you are disqualified. It took me a couple of starts to push the line, so I had to make up for the bad starts by, surfing the waves downwind and maximize my speed upwind.
I would like to thank my Dad for this very special trip and to all my friends, in particular from SFYC and my family for their support.
Special thanks to Belvedere Cove foundation for their grant that helped to found my trip.
Here are some pictures:
My goal was to qualify for the USODA Team Trials that are going to be held at SFYC, CA, this April. The conditions were just amazing, 15-20 knots and little waves, the sailing took place on the Gulf of Mexico.
There were 61 boats on the starting line, I finished 18th and 5th of the Blue Fleet. To qualify you needed to be 17th, although I missed the qualification I had a great time finishing 6th at one of the races.
I was sailing with team SYC the same team as my last USODA regatta (USODA Midwinters at New Orleans). Before I left, my coach Nico told to me about some key points I had to work on, downwind sailing and my starts. I tried my best to sail downwind as fast as I could and minimize my lost on the downwind and maximize my gains on the upwind. Sadly the race committee was tough and we sailed all the races under the U flag, which means that if you are over the line one minute before the start or under, you are disqualified. We even sailed the last one under the black flag which is the same thing as the U flag except that even after a general recall you are disqualified. It took me a couple of starts to push the line, so I had to make up for the bad starts by, surfing the waves downwind and maximize my speed upwind.
I would like to thank my Dad for this very special trip and to all my friends, in particular from SFYC and my family for their support.
Special thanks to Belvedere Cove foundation for their grant that helped to found my trip.
Here are some pictures:
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