World Championships

I am in St.Margaret's bay, Nova Scotia for the Laser World Championships. Racing runs August 20-26. Follow results on the event website here.

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Monday, August 17
I went for a solid two hour sail today. The conditions were very similar to what I saw when I was out here training in the middle of July. When I first got out there was a large group doing rabbit starts and a windward-leeward course. It was good to get back in the boat after a bit of time off after the Europeans. Everything seems fine with the charter boat. I'll go for another solid sail tomorrow and then maybe take Wednesday off before racing starts Thursday.
Weather: Sunny, 28 degrees, S, 10-14 kts

Tuesday, August 18
After measuring in I went for a 2.5 hour sail today. It was again a "Bay Day" with 14-16 knots and nice waves. I did a big downwind down to where the main group was and joined in for rabbit starts. I will take tomorrow off to give the legs a rest so I'll be ready to go when racing starts Thursday.
Weather: Sunny, 26 degrees, S, 14-16 kts

Wednesday, August 19
Today was a rest day. Racing begins tomorrow.

Thursday, August 20
Today was the first day of racing. I was in the yellow fleet, and had the first start and the outer loop course. After 3 general, racing got underway in about 12 knots. I had a good first start, but when I went to tack onto port and cross the group behind I dropped my sheet and was forced to crash-tack back and lost a lot of distance. I was forced to fight back, and I was able to pass boats around the whole course to finish 28. In the second race I had another good start in the middle of the line and had a massive lane back on port. I had good pace but lost a bit to the guys on the left when the wind went 10 degrees left. I stayed relatively even after my first mark rounding and finished 24. The race committee had scheduled 3 races for tomorrow in fear of the hurricane hitting on Sunday.
Weather: Sunny, 24 degrees, S, 12-16 kts

Friday, August 21
Today the race course was plagued by fog. After a long delay waiting for an opening in the fog we finally got going. On our second start 18 boats were black flagged - I was one of them. I was on the water for 7 hours today and didn't race.
Weather: 20 degrees, fog, S, 12-16 kts

Saturday, August 22
We were postponed on shore this morning because Friday's blue fleet had to re-sail their race from yesterday that got chucked. After a long fog delay we were finally sent out and around 3 we got our first race off. I had an issue with my cunningham cleat before the start and in trying to fix it I lost track of the time and was late on the trigger. I had to tack out right away and after a couple of tacks I found a clear lane. I had very good pace upwind and hit a couple of shifts right and rounded the weather mark in 9th. I didn't quite have the pace downwind and rounded the leeward in 10th. I went up the wrong side on the second beat and lost 10 boats when the wind came down on the right side. I lost another couple of boats on the last run and passed one on the last beat to finish 21. In the second race I didn't have a great start again, but was able to get clear. I sailed the beat in clear air, but was back of the lead group and had a tough time. I lost a bit on the second run and passed 3 boats on the last beat to finish 28. After 5 races I am in 90th. After racing today all the boats were packed away in the club houses in preparation for the approaching hurricane. There will be no racing tomorrow. Championship racing begins Monday and I will be in the silver fleet.
Weather: 20 degrees, Sunny (fog), 10-14 kts, S

Sunday, August 23
Racing was cancelled today due to the hurricane

Monday, August 24
Today we sat on the water for 6 hours waiting for wind but it never came and racing was abandoned for the day.

Tuesday, August 25
After a short postponement on shore this morning the fleet was sent out. At first we had a light south gradient with long ocean swell. In the first race I had a good start about midway down the line but eventually got pinched off and found myself a bit lost in traffic. I lost more on the second beat and finished 47th. In the next race I had a poor start but was able to get clear. I was a bit back of the leaders but was able to sail fast throughout the race to finish 23rd. In the last race of the day I had a good start again, but eventually lost my lane. I was about middle of the pack, but lost out big when pressure came from the right side on the second beat. I was able to pass 5 boats on the final beat to finish 41. The schedule has been amended and another 3 races are now scheduled for tomorrow, the final day of racing.
Weather: Cloudy, 20 degrees, 4-14 kts, S

Wednesday, August 26
It was foggy again this morning, but the race committee was able to find a clear spot on the far side of the bay to race us. In the first race I had a good clear start to leeward, but a big patch of weeds shortly after the start forced me to stop and I was left battling back on the wrong side of the beat. I had about 5 boats behind me at the weather mark, but made big gains on the second beat and finished 32. In the second race I had a poor start at the boat end but was able to tack out and get clear quickly and sail fast up the left/middle side to round in the top 15. I was very quick on the first run and rounded the bottom in 6 and sailed well on the second beat to round the windward in 4th. I lost 3 boats on the last run but passed on back on the final reach to finish 6th. This race moved me up to 31st in the silver fleet and 87 overall.
Weather: 22 degrees, sunny, 10-14 kts, SSW

Laser Youth Europeans

I am competing in the Laser Youth European Championships in Landskrona, Sweden. Racing runs August 3-8. Check out results at the regatta website here. Click read more for daily reports.
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Saturday, August 1
Today was my first day of training in Landskrona, after driving down from Norway yesterday. I did a 2.5 hour session with some Norwegian, Swedish and Turkish sailors. Tomorrow there is a practice race and opening ceremonies. Racing starts Monday.
Weather: 22 degrees, partly cloudy, 5-10 knots, S

Sunday, August 2
Today the practice race was held. After a 25 minute delay the start got underway in a light southerly wind. The start was a bit of chaos as everyone started at around 20 seconds, and kept sailing when the general flag was put up. It was tough to guage how my start was, but I made distance the whole way up the first beat, and rounded in the top 15. I sailed a quick run, but most of the boats behind had started to head for the harbour. I rounded the first leeward mark on the outer loop and then sailed in. Racing starts tomorrow, with 2 races scheduled, starting at 11:00.
Weather: 25 degrees, sunny, S-SSE, 4-8 kts

Monday, August 3
Today was the first day of racing. There was no wind when we first arrived at the club today, but the race committee sent us out right away. After an hour delay on water the first race got underway in a light wind. I did not have a great start and when the fleet flopped to port I was forced to take many transoms. I rounded the first weather mark towards the back of the fleet, but was able to make big gains around the course to finish 21st. For the second race the wind and waves were up a bit. I had a good start, and was looking to be in the top 5 on the left side. I fell into a lull and the boats behind on the right passed me with the new pressure and I rounded somewhere in the 20s. I had a poor first run, and then made a few gains back again but lost a bit when the two fleets collided and finished 39.
Weather: 18 degrees, cloudy, N-NNW, 5-10 kts

Tuesday, August 4
Today was the second day of racing. Again it was quite light in the morning, but we were sent out right away. In the first race I started at the boat and tacked out to the right and held out to the right hand side. I should have taken a few steps up earlier, but gained when pressure came in from the right. I rounded in the top 15, lost a bit on the first run, and gained a bit on the next beat to finish 12. After several generals with blackflags the second race got underway in a bit more wind. I started at the boat again. I was fouled shortly after the start, and lost a bit, but was able to tack out and get clear. I gambled a bit on the right side of the course at the top, and lost a bit but rounded the weather mark in the top 15. Again I lost a little downwind when I didn't realize the course was skewed, but made some gains on the next beat and finished in the top 20.
Weather: 20 degrees, cloudy. NNW-NNE, 5-10 kts

Wednesday, August 5
This morning we sat on shore for 45 minutes waiting for wind. The first race started out in a light NW wind, much like the last couple of days. I had a bad start, but did a very good job of tacking out and finding a clear lane. I held out to the left side of the course, but kept hitching back to the right. I made gains the whole way up the first beat and rounded around 12. I sailed a very quick first run, passing 7 boats. I gambled a bit on the next beat and lost a couple of boats, and lost two more on the run and one on the final beat to finish 10. In the next race I again had a tough start, but was able to get clear and find a good lane. I made gains again the whole way up the beat and rounded in 8th. I sailed a very quick first run again and passed 6 boats, and held 2nd around the next weather mark. I went outside a bit on the run, the way I had gone when I had made gains earlier, and missed a puff and lost 3 boats. I lost another boat on the final beat and finished 6th. By the end of the second race the sea breeze had finally started to kick in and we sailed in to the harbour in 12-15 knots and nice waves...
Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees, 5-12 kts, NW

Thursday, August 6
We had light air again today, but from the southwest instead. In the first race I had a very good start in the middle of the line. I was slow on the bottom half of the fleet, and found myself in a tough spot, but was able to sail a very good second half of the beat and get up in the top 10ish. I misjudged my speed coming into the mark in the current and got hung up on the mark, and was forced to backwind my sail to get off it. This mistake cost me 20 boats. I lost a bit on the first run, but was quick on the second beat and was able to gain some boats back and finished around 30. In the second race I had a poor start, but was able to get clear, and had good air for most of the beat, and rounded the weather mark around 14. I was even on the first run, lost a couple of boats on the next beat, and then passed 3 boats on the final run. On the last beat I got stuck in a hole when the wind started to die, and lost those 3 boats again to finish 16. Finals series racing begins tomorrow.
Weather: 25 degrees, sunny, 4-6 kts, SW-W

Friday, August 7
Today was the first day of finals racing. The wind was from the SSW - offshore, puffy and shifty. This made for tricky racing and a lot of big scores. In the first race I had an okay start in the middle of the line, but the sides quickly got ahead as they were able to hit the shifts earlier. I sailed a very quick first run, but just got stuck in a big pack of boats at the bottom. I chose the wrong side on the next beat, but was able to pass some boats downhill and on the last beat to finish 29. In the second race I had a poor start in the middle, starting above a boat that was BFD, and was forced to fight back. I was very quick on the first run again, making big gains by staying with the puff. I sailed a very good first 3/4 of the second beat, gaining on every shift, but lost big when the wind died on the right, and a 15kt gust with a 30 degree leftie came in on the left. I passed 4 boats pack on the final beat to finish 29.
Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees, 8-12 kts, SSW, shifty/puffy

Saturday, August 8
Today was the last day of racing, and it started out the exact same as yesterday. I had a very good start in the middle of the line, but got a little unlucky and got tacked on a couple of times. Once I got clear I was able to sail very fast, and made a good move at the weather mark to round in the top 10. I was quick on the first run again and rounded the bottom in 4. I took a bit of a chance staying on the right hand side of the leaders on the second beat, but again the leftie was there at the top, and I rounded 6. I lost one boat and passed another on the run, and then passed two boats and lost two on the final beat when the wind went light and fluky to stay 6 in the race. The wind died completely after we finished the race, and after a couple of hours of waiting the rest of the day was called off. I finished 26 in the regatta. I was a little disappointed with this overall result, but happy about my speed and decision making and the improvement I made in my starts.
Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees, 8-12 kts, SSW, shifty/puffy

Laser Canadians

I am in Vancouver this weekend for the Laser Canadian Championships. Results can be found here.

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Thursday, July 2
Today I went for a short sail to make sure all my equipment was in order. Racing starts tomorrow. Five races are scheduled per day, with three days of racing.
Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees, west, 15 kts

Friday, July 3
Today was the first day of racing. Racing started out in a medium westerly, with barely hiking conditions. In the first race I had a poor start and was back of the leaders. I was fouled at the first windward mark and got hung up on the weather mark. I got fouled again at the second weather mark and was unable to catch up and finished 11th. In the second race I had a good start and sailed a solid race to finished 2nd. In the third race I again had a tough start and found myself back of the pack. There was not many passing lanes with the left side of the course so favoured and I was not able to come back more than to 11th. Racing continues tomorrow. In the last race the wind went light and shifty. I did not have a great start, but a group of boats near the committee boat were going quite slowly off the start so I found myself in good shape and rounded the windward in 5th. I passed a couple of boats and lost a couple throughout the race to finish 5th.
Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees, W-NW, 5-10 kts

Saturday, July 4
Today we were racing close to shore and hitting the left side upwind became crucial in order to get out of the current. If you did not have a good start and were forced to tack out you were bleeding distance. In the first race I had a good start and sailed a good second beat to finish 2nd. In the second race I lost my lane off the start but was able to come back a bit and finished 6th. In the third race I had an okay start, but came back from the left hand side too early and found myself well behind of the leaders and finished a disappointing 9th. In the next race I had a good start and good pace, rolling 3 boats holding my lane the whole way out on starboard. I called the layline correctly, passing some boats who overstood. I sailed quickly throughout the race and finished 2nd. In the last race I again lost my lane off the start, but some of the faster boats also did not have great starts. Again I called the layline correctly and gained on the boats ahead, rounding the weather mark 2nd. I sailed a quick run and rounded the bottom 1st, and extended on the second beat. I lost one boat on the final run to finish 2nd. I am currently in 3rd overall. Racing continues tomorrow, with a second drop coming into effect.
Weather: sunny, 26 degrees, W-NW, 8-16 kts

Sunday, July 5

Today was the last day of racing. Racing started out in a medium northwesterly with lots of chop. In the first race I didn't have a great start, but found a lane quickly. I tacked a little too late on to port at the top of the course, and did not have clean air, costing me a lot of distance to the leaders. I found myself trying to catch up, but was only able to get back to 12th. In the second race I again lost my lane off the start and found myself trying to catch up. The leaders were too far sprung and I could only get back to??. In the third race I started further down the line to try to get out to the left side of the course first, but lost out on a slow right hand winder, and was again behind at the first windward. I made gains on the second beat but only got back to 9th. In the last race I had a good start, but again did not have a great lane back on port at the top of the course and rounded the weather mark in 8th. Before we could get to the leeward mark the wind spun 180 and the race committee shortened the course.I was able to pass a couple of boats to finish 6th. I finished 5th overal in the 51 boat fleet. I was disappointed to have lost two spots on the last day, but I simply did not sail well enough. Now I am back in Kingston for a couple of days of down time before I go to St. Margaret's Bay for a training camp.
Weather: Partly cloudy, 22 degrees, NW, 8kts

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