Freezing in Farmoor

I normally say every weekend was the coldest but this time will be the last as you can not get colder than last weekend. And to make things even worse,  I had a cough/cold all week! Last weekend I was training with the RYA South Zone Squad on Farmoor reservoir in Oxford (which turned out to be really smelly!)

I had a good week on the sailing front as I got a letter inviting me to take part in the selection trials - a regatta where you race to see if you can get into the British Team for the World Championships, European Championships, or Flanders regatta. I am really exited about it and can't wait for May when the regatta is. The event is treated like it was the Worlds and they even have on the water measuring! Its going to be great competing against the best sailors in the country in the regatta.

Driving up to Oxford in a snowstorm

We left home on Friday to stay at my Grandparents which is always nice and we had fish and chips for tea which was a real treat. When we woke up on Saturday morning the weather didn't look too bad, only a bit windy! As we drove to Oxford, about half way up the journey it started to lightly snow. But then the snow got heavier and heavier and started to settle. Driving up to sailing in a snow storm just seemed mad especially as it's the end of March. By the time we arrived the snow was pouring down form the sky and carried on throughout the day. As we were ready to go out the snow was settling on our boats!
Despite the snow it didn't seem too cold but I did have loads of layers on under my drysuit. We had a good days sailing with training in the morning and some practice racing in the afternoon which went quite well.

I even had ice on my lifejacket!

Sunday turned out to be really, really cold. We had a wind chill factor of about -6C and because we were sailing on freshwater, everything was icing up. My main sheet and and blocks were completely frozen and Dad had to defrost them using hot water and by sucking the blocks - YUK! While we were out sailing things froze up even more. There was a layer of ice on my boom which every time I tacked bits fell off on my head! And by the time I got back in most the ropes were encased in ice.

Snow settling on my sail

Cold conditions in Farmoor

On Sunday my hands got really cold.  I do hope we get some warmer sailing weather soon.  I got very tired and was coughing a lot. In the end I had to come in a bit earlier as I had run out of energy. I hate it when I have to stop sailing but it was the sensible thing to do (so Dad tells me!).

As for the really smelly bit, the reservoir we were sailing on is right next to a sewage works!! But because we were sailing in fresh water my Dad thankfully didn't dunk my sailing kit in the bath with me! RESULT!

Another awesome piece of news this week is that IOCAUK (the class association) and The Pwhelli Yacht Club ( where the last two Opti nationals have been) are bidding to have the Optimist Worlds there in 2015. I would love to go to the Optimist worlds that year!!!!!!!

Ice coating and icicles on my kicker

Ice on my boom