Diary

July saw a run of a few good weeks for me, finishing with an amazing regatta in Kiel where I won the third World Cup event in a row, winning every race to discard a 1st place!

The last week in April saw the fourth leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Hyeres. I travelled there a week early to try and get some hours on the water training. It was nice to get back into the swing of things and the weather was nearly perfect with a mixture of winds and bright sunshine so I couldn’t have asked for much more. With 150 boats racing it was going to be a good test of where I was after a long break away from the international scene.

The last weekend of March was spent in Highcliffe for the second Laser qualifier of the year. I had been training there with the squad for a few days prior to the qualifier which had been pretty windy.

Its back in to training again - mostly shore based.  I think I may have been a bit soft with the weather and all but I think that snow is a pretty good excuse. I got back on the water this week but it was pretty light winds and felt similar to China, but significantly colder! 

I finally returned home last night after a skiing fitness camp in Austria. I joined several other members of the sailing team for an intense week of training at the British Olympic Association lodge in Austria.

I have had a great start to 2009 already! 

After the Laser Worlds, I flew back to the UK to catch up with friends and family.

I have now finished competing in the Laser Worlds in Australia.  Overall, I was reasonably pleased with how things went.

My favourite way off keeping up my aerobic fitness is cycling on my Orange racing bike, it also helps me to relax and also to cool down after races.  In November, I was cycling a bit too fast downhill and ended up over the handle bars – resulting in a broken wrist and a sore head!

I have had some brilliant news recently when I was officially nominated by the RYA to represent Team GBR in the laser class at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. I had no time to celebrate my success however as I headed straight back into competition at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta 19 – 23 Sept 07 at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, my local club.

Paul had a successful day two at the ISAF World Championships, in Cascais, Portugal. In the first race of the day he posted a second place against the strong competition and building breeze in Cascais Bay.

I have been selected to be part of Team Visa which includes 16 other athletes from different sports, some aiming for Beijing 2008 and some London 2012.

The renamed Holland Regatta saw uncharacteristic weather this year with sun shine and no wind for the first 2 days of racing.

Hyères is renowned for the mistral (a 30 to 40 knot breeze from the shore) and the carnage that it creates, however this year the expectations were proven wrong. Five of the six days of racing were held in less than 10 knots of breeze. 
 

What a week in Palma only seven races in the five days before the medal race.

I managed to go and watch the World track cycling championships one evening and it was good to see the Brits winning and the Union Flag flying high.