Well I have had a big break from full time coaching; everyone needs some down time even if it is just to reflect on what the next step is. I feel I want to be fully equipped before returning to the World Cup circuit with Lijia Xu.

 

The start of the UK domestic season is always the Dinghy Show. I have now been the UKLA (UK Laser Association)Training Officer for 6 years and I am always trying to do something for the membership.  I would love it if every Laser sailor was a member of the class association but sadly this is far from the case.

This year I put together a DVD with help from WeWow which featured sixteen little training clips. I took my Laser up to Alexandra Palace and anyone who joined on the day got the video to take home with them. It is always nice to chat to old members and meet new ones.

 

So after the Dinghy show it was back to racing. Boy, I feel more than a little rusty but a respectable result at the Stokes Bay World Qualifier means that I should have no problem qualifying for the World championships later this year.

I have also been working closely with Stuart Offer from SOS therapy who has been helping me with my shoulder, which is still causing me problems. Stuart has been using Rocktape to good effect, although I do feel now that I am held together with tape.

 

It has really been a busy time, I even managed to squeeze in doing one last club talk which finished less than an hour from when my ferry to the continent left. My first stop was Italy for some strong wind action. Not a dazzling performance but I feel with every race I am getting sharper. For me being a sharper racer really helps my coaching skills.

The next stop will be Switzerland, where we usually have light airs so I can expect to work on a range of skill sets.