Another awesome weekend Optimist sailing

Last weekend started with another ferry crossing from the Isle of Wight to the mainland, thanks to Wight Link ferries, for another wet, wild and windy Optimist sailing weekend in Poole where I was training in the RYA South Zone Squad (weekend 4 of 7 over the Winter). I learnt loads, such as a new sailing and bailing technique and a better hiking position for my feet. In the practice races on Sunday I had a good set of results with a 1st, 2nd and 4th (just missed out on a 3rd due to a clumsy mistake). The main exercises over the weekend were tacking on the whistle and gybing on the whistle. It was a super fast sailing weekend especially downwind and reaching. You should have seen us - we were screaming along and the coaches had to go really fast in the ribs to keep up! On Sunday my amazing coach, Clare Hall, pushed me really hard and I had to do a lot of 360's to put me at the back of the group to practice overtaking every time I was in the lead. I got pretty hot in my dry-suit but that was OK because it was such a cold weekend. This is my first Winter using a dry-suit which I was able to buy because of the support I got from Gurit when I received one of their Excellence Awards. I can't imagine sailing in the Winter now without one.

Saturday morning the wind was 12 to 15 knots gusting 22 knots and in the afternoon it picked up a bit. The temperature was about 4 Celsius so it felt freezing cold in the wind but it was sunny and we had an amazing sunset at the end of the day. On Sunday we had similar wind conditions in the morning but the wind dropped loads in the afternoon.  

We live on the Isle of Wight but thankfully my grandparents live near Poole so we stayed with them on Friday and Saturday night. Roast Beef on Friday then "posh" fish fingers and delicious herby potatoes on Saturday plus croissants and smoked salmon sandwiches for breakfast. Perfect sailing food. 

Dad had agreed to go out on the rib on Saturday which was a bad idea as he was moaning on and on about missing the rugby and about how cold it was! I also asked him to video me. BIG MISTAKE! Typically the only video he got of me was when I fell into the boat and when I wasn't doing so well! However he caught my good start (See if you can spot me. My number is 5877 so you might be able to see 77 at the front of the fleet) and he caught my good quick tack in front of 5700. Just managed to get away with the tack without breaking any rules! I really really need to save up for a GO-PRO camera so I can film myself! That would be awesome.

At the end of the weekend I was really tired and Mum had a hot bath waiting for me but once again this was messed up by all my sailing kit being chucked in too. I must find a way to stop my Dad from throwing salty sailing kit in with me in the bath!