2009 Laser North Americans

The 2009 Laser North American Championships are being held at Buffalo Canoe Club June 25-28. Results can be found here. Click on read more for daily reports.

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Thursday, June 25
Today was the first day of racing. We had a late first start and did not hit the water until 12:30. The wind was out of the northwest but with thunderstorms approaching the fleet was sent in. After delaying onshore until 4 the fleet was sent back out in a southerly breeze. The race committee tried to start races, but the wind did not cooperate and racing was abandoned for the day. The first start tomorrow has been pushed up from 11:00 to 9:30.
Weather: Stormy, 25 degrees

Friday, June 26
Today started out in a light southwesterly breeze. The wind came and went with some increases in velocity, and some big pulls to the right. In the first race I had a good start but was a bit back from the leading pack. I sailed an okay race and finished 9th. In the second race I had a good start but was on the wrong side of the course when the gradient came back in. When a big thundercloud rolled through the wind shifted drastically and I was able to take advantage and came back to 4th. In the third race I had a weak start but was able to get clear to the left side of the course and was able to make some gains on the first beat. I stayed even and finished 7th. In the last race of the day the wind was up nicely. I had a good start at the boat and after letting one boat tack I had a clear lane. I lost a bit to the boats around on the first beat but gained it back on positioning coming into the windward mark and rounded around 4. I was slow on the first run and lost 4 boats. I was quick on the next run and caught up to the boats ahead, but it was not enough to pass and I finished 8th. After 4 races I am in 11th. Racing continues tomorrow with the fleet split into gold and silver.
Weather: Partly cloudy, 25 degrees, 5-12 knots

Saturday, June 27
Racing started out today in a light northerly wind with bands of pressure. In the first race I had a poor start and found myself on the wrong side of the course at the top and rounded the windward near the back. I was able to stay focused and passed boats throughout the race to finish in 19th. The wind swung around to the SW before the race committee could start the next race. Again I had a poor start but was able to get a clear lane and made some smart moves up the first beat to round the windward in 2nd, but I hit the mark and fell back to near 10th and stayed even to finish 10th. In the third race I got out okay but made a few mistake and finished 14th. In the last race I played a good first beat and rounded the first windward in the top 10 and had a good first run to round the bottom in 5th. I played the wrong side up the second beat and lost 10 boats when the pressure came in on the left. I managed to pass a couple of boats and finished 14th. Tomorrow is the last day of racing.
Weather: Sunny, 26 degrees, 5-14 knots

Sunday, June 28
Today started out with a light southwesterly wind, but before we could get a start in the wind swung to the south and picked up. In the first race I lost my feel of the line and had a terrible start and rounded the first mark in the 40s. I was unable to make up much ground and finished 26th. In the next race I had a great start near the boat and held my lane nicely. I lost out a bit when the left side came in at the top and rounded around 10. I was quick on the first run, passing a couple of boats and making gains. I had a good second beat extending on the boats behind. On the final run we ran into the silver radial fleet and I was stuck going slow and lost two boats to finish 10th. I finished 12th overall in the event.
Weather: Cloudy, 20 degrees, 6-12 knots

Laser ACCs

This weekend I competed in the Laser Atlantic Coast Championships held at Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, Maryland. I finished 5th in the 83 boat fleet.
Results can be found here

Laser Midwinter's East

I am in Clearwater for the ISAF Grade 1 Laser Midwinter's East Regatta. The regatta doesn't start until Thursday so I am training with other Canadian sailors for the first part of the week. Results can be found here.
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February 19, 2009
Today we had strong wind from the north, and big waves combining with yesterday's swell. In the first race I had a good start about 2/3 down the line on a pin favoured start, and had a clear lane on port on the first shift. I missed out on a shift to hitch back to the left and was back from the leading group. I brushed the windward mark as well and had to do a 360. I sailed a good second beat and passed another boat on the final beat to finish 13. In the second race I had a great start in the middle of the line and held my lane nicely out to the left side and played the shifts well to round the windward in 3rd. I lost one boat and distance on the first run, but sailed quickly again on the second beat and rounded 3rd. I extended on the last run and stayed ahead on the final beat to finish 3rd. In the last race I was a bit late on the trigger at the start, but was still able to get a good lane. I tacked out on the first shift, but came back a bit early and the boats I was with on the right came back ahead of me. I sailed quickly again on the second beat and moved up to 6th. I passed one boat on the final reach and finished 5th. I am now in 8th overall.
Weather: Sunny, 16 degrees, 15-20 knots, N

February 19, 2009
Today was the first day of racing. When I first got out the wind was south-south west at about 15 knots. We raced the first race in this wind, but it came down slightly throughout the race. I had a good clear start and held my lane well out to the left side. I missed out on a couple of shifts and rounded the first windward in 10th. I went to the wrong gate mark and my vang key popped out at the bottom so I lost a chunk of distance, but was able to make it back on the second half of the beat. I lost one boat on the final run, but passed it back on the reach and got another on the final beat to finish 10. For the second race the wind had come down to about 8-10 knots and gone to around 300*. When we finally got going after several generals I had a poor start, but found a lane out to the left and sailed quickly. I made a good move at the top undertacking a group of boats that had overstood. I had a tough time getting going downwind and lost 4 boats. I sailed quickly on the second beat, passing 6 boats, but lost 3 again on the run. I almost passed a boat on the final beat but I needed a bit more and finished 12. After two races I am in 10th overall.
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 18 degrees, 8-15 knots, SW-NW

February 18, 2009
Today I went out for a shorter session, with about an hour of sailing out on the gulf. Only Evan Lewis, Lee Parkhill and I decided to go out. We did a short upwind followed by some boat handling work. The regatta starts tomorrow with the first race at 11.
Weather: Sunny, 24 degrees, 16-20 knots, S

February 17, 2009
Today we had wind from further east, starting around 14 knots, and decreasing slightly throughout the day. We had a good group, joining up with some international sailors as well as CST. We ran a couple of drills focusing on the top of the beat, some starting practice, and finished the day off with some racing. I'll have a shorter session tomorrow before the regatta starts Thursday.
Weather: Sunny, 20 degrees, 8-14 knots, E

February 16, 2009
Today was the first day out on the water after the Miami OCR. We had good wind from the north with big waves today. We ran some boat handling drills and did some open speed work. I had good pace both upwind and downwind. The forecast for tomorrow is for less wind so I should be able to work on my starting which I saw was a big weakness in Miami.
Weather: Sunny, 22 degrees, 15 knots, N

Miami OCR

I am back in Miami to compete in the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. It is an ISAF Grade 1 event and part of the World Cup circuit. Racing runs Monday January 26th to Friday the 30th with the medal race on the 31st. Results are available here

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January 30, 2009
Today was the last day of series racing. With a cold front forecasted to hit in the afternoon the wind was shifty, but persistently going right. I had a poor start, but quickly found a lane and was looking good up the middle of the course. At the top, both sides came in and I rounded in the mid 20s. I lost distance to the leaders, but not many boats when the wind went right on the second beat. I sailed a quick run and passed some boats to finish 25. I finished 29th overall in the regatta. I would have liked to have been higher, but I did not sail well enough on the lighter days, and I had problems getting off the line well. I am down to Clearwater in two weeks for the Laser Midwinter's East regatta.
Weather: 20 degrees, cloudy, SW-W, 8-14 knots

January 29, 2009
Today we sailed in a light wind from the southeast. I had trouble getting off the line the whole day. There were not many passing lanes in the light air and I had a tough time coming back. In the first race I finished 46. In the second race the wind was up a bit. I had a slightly better start, but lost my lane soon and was behind at the first windward. I sailed a good run, but had a poor leeward rounding and was behind again. I passed a couple of boats on the final run but it was only enough for a 37.
Weather: 28 degrees, sunny, SE, 4-8 knots

January 28, 2009
When we first got out on the water today there was a decent breeze, but it came down quickly. I had a poor start in the first race and played the wrong side on the first beat and was well behind the leaders. The wind died down completely on the downwind, and by 5 minutes into the second beat the race was called. After waiting for half an hour, new wind came in and another race was started. I had a better start but got bounced around badly in traffic and was again behind after the first beat. I was able to pass a few boats throughout the race, but it was still only enough to finish 38. I am now in 23rd overall. Racing continues tomorrow, and the RC can now give us 3 races to make up for the lost races today.
Weather: 28 degrees, sunny, SE, 4-6 knots

January 27, 2009
Today was the second day of racing. In the first race I had a poor start, but was able to get clear. I had a similar situation at the windward mark as in the first race yesterday and lost some boats and rounded around 20. I passed boats on the first run, but made some stupid mistakes and finished 22. In the second race I was again forced to tack out after start, but again found a clear lane. I sailed quickly downwind and finished 20. In the final race of the day I had a poor start and never got a good lane. I wasn't as quick as I would have liked downwind and finished 30th. Three races are scheduled for tomorrow.
Weather: 26 degrees, sunny, ESE, 8-14 knots

January 26, 2009
Today was the first day of racing. In the first race I had a good start and held a clear lane out to the left side and hooked into pressure. I missed the last shift coming into the mark, and was low on the layline so I lost a lot of boats. I managed to hit the mark as well, and was forced low to spin and lost more on the reach. I stayed even on the run, but sailed a great second beat and finished 19th. In the second race I didn't have a great start but was able to tack and get a clear lane quickly. I rounded the first windward in the top 20, and sailed a pretty good run. Again I had a quick second beat passing several boats. I passed another couple of boats downwind and finished 7th. After two races I am in 11th overall.
Weather: 26 degrees, sunny, E, 8-12 knots

January 25, 2009
I only went out for a 30 minute session today to do a couple of tacks and to make sure everything was in order. Racing starts with two races scheduled for tomorrow.
Weather: 25 degrees, sunny, E, 5 knots

January 24, 2009
Today started off with short races off rabbit starts. The group got bigger and bigger as other international sailors joined. I had good speed, particularly downwind. When the group got too big the Ontario and Nova Scotia sailors broke off. We did some starting practice and another couple of races. Tomorrow I will have a shorter session.
Weather: 24 degrees, sunny, E, 6 knots

January 23, 2009
Today was my first day back in Miami after the training over Christmas. I only had time for a short sail, but it was good to get back in the boat.
Weather: 22 degrees, sunny, NE, 6-8 knots