Getting 150 days sailing in 2009 is a bit difficult for even me to understand. With the Lasers sold and a new Olympic class in the mix, I’m not sure I could have forecasted a year like this one. Three world championships in the J24, Melges 24, and Star show the keelboat theme. Actually I think I can list the range of sailing 11 different classes of boats this year, in 7 countries. From Match Racing IODs at Bermuda Gold Cup to Team Racing V15s at the Hinman I’ve had everything in between. Racing with the Melges 32 team has put me in a new frame of mind for sailing within the team dynamic and has left me wanting for more.
Last year was a building year in many ways. The Star sailing has been a great transition only because of a successful ten years in the Laser; the Match Racing because of four years of college Team Racing; and the multi-person keelboats only because of four years of high school teams and four more of a forty person college team dynamic. All of these transitions have been broadly expanding my access to the sport, and I have to say I’m very much looking forward to this year.
First on the agenda: the 2010 Star Worlds at the ICRJ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The big hurdle this year will be funding the program. Buying a boat, sails, travel, insurance, housing abroad, rent at home, fitness, sponsorship, coaching, writing, working at Georgetown, not to mention sailing well… if you ever wanted to be up to your ears running a small business, try the Olympic Campaign. Luckily I’ve had some incredible sponsors this past year that I will carry forward into 2010: the new US Sailing Team Alphagraphics is stepping forward in ways we’ve never seen before, Sperry Top-Sider, Kaenon Polarized, McLube, Harken, Annapolis Sailing Fitness, the SDYC Sailing Foundation, and CISA.
The next update will be from Rio.Â
Happy New Year! Â
