May Training

I am currently training at the National Sailing Sport Center Ontario (NSSCO) in Toronto. I will be training in Toronto for the first 3 weeks of May before I go to Holland for the Delta Lloyd Regatta.

Results from the RCYC HPT Regatta can be found here.

Miami OCR

I am in Miami for the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, an ISAF World Cup event. Racing runs Monday through Friday, with a medal race Saturday. Follow the regatta website here.

Click read more for daily reports. read more...
Saturday, January 23
I arrived in Miami this morning. I went for a short sail today, joining up with US sailor Kyle Rogachenko for a quick upwind and a long downwind back to the regatta centre. Registration is tomorrow and racing begins Monday.
Weather: Partly cloudy, 28 degrees, NE, 8-12

Sunday, January 24
I took today off. Racing begins tomorrow with two races scheduled

Monday, January 25
After a long delay on shore waiting for a cold front to pass through, the fleet was finally sent out at 3. After more delays on the water we finally got underway at 4. I didn't have a great start, but was able to get clear air out to the left side and came back on some nice pressure and rounded the weather mark in 8th. I lost 1 boat on the first run, one more on the next beat and two on the final run to finish 12th. Racing continues tomorrow.
Weather: 26 degrees, cloudy, NW,12 knots dying to 6

Tuesday, Janaury 26
After a short race committee delay racing got underway in a northerly with big velocity changes and 15 degree shifts. In the first race I had a poor start and had a tough time on the first beat. I passed a few boats on the reach, 5 more on the run, 10 on the second beat and finished 16th. In the second race I had a better start, but again lost my lane. I picked a good lane upwind and came into the weather mark in good position. I lost two boats on the last run and finished 14th. In the last race I had a better start, but lost the lane again after a few minutes. I rounded the weather mark around 30th. I passed a few boats on the run, but lost a big group of boats on the last run and finished 39th. After 4 races I am in 39th overall. Tomorrow is the last day of qualifying races with two races scheduled.
Weather: 24 degrees, sunny, N, 6-14 knots

Wednesday, January 27
Today we had a similar wind direction with big changes in velocity and direction, but a lower average wind. I had trouble with my starts in both races today, but was quick downwind. I need to work on my positioning relative to other boats in the pre start and my ability to hold my spot. I am going too slow and am therefore unable to have a proper acceleration. I scored a 29 and a 30 today and just managed to qualify for gold fleet racing. There are two races scheduled for tomorrow.
Weather: 25 degrees, sunny, N, 4-10 knots

Thursday, January 28
Today we had an easterly wind with big changes in both velocity and direction. I did a better job today of getting a clear spot on the line, but was still a bit late pulling the trigger and lost my lanes a few minutes after the start. In the first race I had a poor first beat and rounded deep around the first weather mark. I was quick on both runs and was able to make gains around the track to finish 34th. In the second race I got clear out to the left hand side of the course and rode a nice leftie back across. I rounded the weather mark in the top 20, gained distance on the first run, lost a few on the second beat, and then gained a couple back on the last run to finish 18th. Tomorrow is the last day of finals racing with two races scheduled.
Weather: 26 degrees, partly cloudy, E, 6-12 knots

Friday, January 29
Today was the last day of finals racing. We sailed in a moderate southeasterly wind with slow wind shifts. My starting was better today, but I did not always put the boat in the right place on the course to take advantage of the wind shifts. In the first race I had an okay start, but missed out on a few shifts on the first beat and found myself near the back of the pack. I sailed a quick first run, passing some boats and gaining distance to the group ahead. I was quick again on the following run and caught up to a big group of boats. I managed to escape low on the final reach and hooked into coach boat wake, passing 15 boats to finish 21. In the second race I had a better start and played up the left hand side of the course. The first beat ended with a slow right hand winder and I did not manage to come back from the left side. I had a below par first run and was left too far back to make any gains and finished with a 44.
I finished 43rd overall in the event. Next up is the Laser Midwinter's Regattain Clearwater, Florida in two weeks.

Miami Training

I have spent 3 weeks over the Christmas break training in Miami. After a few days training on my own I raced in the Senior Orange Bowl. I placed 2nd in the event after losing the tie-break to American Kyle Rogachenko. Full results. Click read more below for some pictures from the event.
In the new year I have been training with a very good group of sailors including Canadian Team, Ontario Team, and international sailors.
I will return to Miami the third week of January to race in the Miami OCR.

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National Qualifying Regatta

I am in Victoria for the National Qualifying Regatta. This regatta will qualify sailors to the Canadian National Team. Follow results here. Click read more for daily reports.

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Sunday, September 27
I sailed the second day of the Fall Dinghy Championships at Royal Victoria Yacht Club today. It was very valuable to get some actual racing experience here before the NQRs. I was able to sort out starting in the current and I got a good look at racing here in a northerly wind. It is a very tricky place to sail so any extra time I have here before the event is valuable.
Weather: 16 degrees, sunny, 5-10 knots, N

Monday, September 28
Today was our first day of structured training. Rob Fox led the training, assisted by Tommy Wharton. Today it was a westerly wind, which swung southward towards the end of the session. Evan Lewis and I did some splits to try to figure out what was favoured on the course. It seemed like the wind was the deciding factor, but the current also had a noticeable effect.
Weather: 12 degrees, cloudy, 6-14 knots, W

Tuesday, September 29
I decided to take today off to make sure I'll be fully rested and healthy before racing starts on Thursday. I will do a short session tomorrow to make sure everything is in order with my boat.

Wednesday, September 30
Today I sailed for an hour and a half to do a little more start practice in the current and to make sure all my gear was ready to go. Racing begins at noon tomorrow.
Weather: 15 degrees, sunny, 6, S

Thursday, October 1
Today was the first day of racing. In the first race I was near the pin end but bailed at the last minute when it looked like the boats ahead of me were going to be over. I stalled and started on port behind several boats, but was able to get a clear lane to the left, and came back on port tack in a clear lane the whole way to the mark and rounded around 8. I passed one boat downwind and another 3 on the second beat to finish 4th. In the second race I started late at the boat but was able to use my speed to round the weather mark around 8th. I passed boats on the first run but lost a couple of boats on the second beat and two more on the last run to finish 9th. In the last race I had an okay start down towards the pin and stayed patient in a marginal lane. I rounded the weather mark around 8 again, but made a good move on the first run and rounded ahead of a big pack of boats. I had hooked into current course left on the run, so I headed right on the next beat to get out of the current. This payed off, and the boats that went left into the current lost big. I lost two boats on the last run and finished 7th. After three races I'm in 3rd, but that picture will change with drops. I am happy with sailing three counters today, but I should have been able to have a few less points in the 2nd and 3rd race.
Weather: 12 degrees, cloudy, 4-8 knots, SE-SW

Friday, October 2
The fleets were sent out today after a 3 hour postponement due to a lack of wind. We raced in very light wind and a very tricky current situation. I had a poor start, and was not able to flip onto port in the front line, and was forced to duck some sterns off the start. I ended up fighting the current up the left side of the course hoping for more pressure, but it never came. I found myself well back in the fleet at the first weather mark and did not manage to make any ground throughout the race and finished 20th. Racing continues tomorrow with more wind in the forecast.
Weather: 14 degrees, partly cloudy, 3-5 knots, SW