2016 Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Sail Counts

by Pam

For anyone who is interested, from my informal survey, here is the breakdown of the sails used by the top ten finishers at the Laser Master Worlds:

Fleet	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Apprentice	Old	New	Old	New	Old	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Master	Old	New	New	New	Old	New	Old	New	New	Old
GM	New	Old	New	Old	New	New	New	New	New	New
GGM	New	Old	New	New	New	New	New	New	Old	New

And here are the totals for each fleet:

Great Grand Master Fleet (3/13)
Finish	Sail #	Sailor	Country	Points	Sail Type
1st	209260	Mark Bethwaite	AUS	10	New
2nd	195708	Doug Peckover	USA	22	Old
3rd	202729	James Temple	AUS	29	New
4th	210180	Alberto Larrea	ARG	46	New
5th	202817	John Roberson	AUS	48	New
6th	166047	John Dawson-Edwards	CAN	52	New
7th	201747	Poopy Marcon	FRA	53	New
8th	194567	Timothy Millhiser	USA	76	New
9th	132332	John Black	AUS	82	Old
10th	203318	Fernando Rabago	MEX	96	New
11th	208074	David Elliott	CAN	96	Old
12th	206041	Stephen Wawn	AUS	126	New
13th	209410	Chris Fyans	GBR	134	New
Grand Master Fleet (14/38)
Finish	Sail #	Sailor	Country	Points	Sail Type
1st	206384	Gavin Dagley	AUS	25	New
2nd	199262	Cristian Herman	CHI	33	Old
3rd	208054	Allan Clark	CAN	42	New
4th	195867	Tim Law	GBR	50	Old
5th	210483	Steve Gunther	AUS	52	Old
6th	198659	Vann Wilson	USA	69	New
7th	210477	Luke Carter	NZL	82	New
8th	167136	Emilio Castelli	USA	84	New
9th	209268	Anthony Scali	AUS	88	New
10th	171729	Andre Martinie	DOM	96	New
11th	198107	Nick Page	NZL	103	New
12th	209021	Laurent Bernaz	FRA	106	Old
13th	169575	Mark Bear	USA	116	Old
14th	204391	Christopher Raab	USA	125	New
15th	209265	Michael Hicks	GBR	132	New
16th	187366	Peter Drasnin	USA	133	New
17th	206202	Roberto Bini	ITA	152	New
18th	191085	Lance Burger	RSA	163	Old
19th	205869	Jan Larkens	RSA	164	New
20th	197463	Giuseppe Cavalli	ITA	187	New
21st	204450	Alejandro Grunwaldt	URU	208	Old
22nd	191612	Ashley Deacon	AUS	212	New
23rd	202123	Francois Meesemaecker	FRA	214	New
24th	187308	Carlos Eduardo Oetling Ladron De Guevara	MEX	217	New
25th	205005	David Rosenthall	AUS	220	New
26th	203944	James Stanley	CAN	221	New
27th	201846	Luca Braga	ITA	224	New
28th	20359	Antonio Vertiz	MEX	225	Old
29th	204443	Juan Grunwaldt	URU	225	Old
30th	192097	Philip Paxton	CAN	229	New
31st	190815	Grassi Davide	ITA	278	Old
32nd	185926	Richard Quinlan	CAN	280	Old
33rd	191568	Michael Goldfarb	USA	289	Old
34th	202321	Marco Falcone	ITA	295	Old
35th	199218	Gregory Simon	NZL	308	New
36th	196036	Paul Swan	USA	333	New
37th	205512	Adam Glass	USA	352	New
38th	153352	Eugene Towle	MEX	363	Old
39th	100318	Rodolfo Valdes	MEX	364	?
Master Fleet (9/28)
Finish	Sail #	Sailor	Country	Points	Sail Type
1st	199257	Brett Beyer	AUS	11	Old
2nd	207143	Ernesto Rodriguez	USA	26	New
3rd	210488	Andrew Dellabarca	NZL	43	New
4th	199146	Benoit Meesemaecker	FRA	43	New
5th	209289	Peter Hurley	USA	48	New
6th	196812	William Pullen	CAN	67	New
7th	208838	Mike Matan	USA	76	Old
8th	210501	David Whait	AUS	77	New
9th	210102	Niclas Bornling	USA	80	New
10th	187994	Ari Barshi	DOM	81	Old
11th	208367	Stefano Carnevali	ITA	96	New
12th	195323	Luciano Oliveira	BRA	102	Old
13th	208529	Rob Woodward	NZL	107	Old
14th	191910	Ryan Minth	USA	113	New
15th	200378	Andriy Kanyuka	CAN	131.8	Old
16th	197460	Alessandro Castelli	ITA	134	New
17th	197569	Chris Ellyatt	GBR	161	New
18th	208362	Manolis Trigonis	GRE	172	New
19th	195549	Tony Nicholson	NZL	182	New
20th	208369	Massimo Ciano	ITA	188	New
21st	203193	Hector David	ARG	196	Old
22nd	209082	Michael Hooper	CAN	200	New
23rd	196108	Jorge A. Suarez	USA	200	Old
24th	208842	Joseph Berkeley	USA	208	New
25th	209473	Roberto Porter	USA	213	New
26th	208583	Simon Bell	USA	238	New
27th	186681	Kevin Currier	IRL	257	Old
28th	122099	Guillermo Tapia Moreno	MEX	282	New
Apprentice Fleet (3/5)
Finish	Sail #	Sailor	Country	Points	Sail Type
1st	176107	Pablo Rabago	MEX	10	Old
2nd	159795	Guilherme Roth	BRA	18	New
3rd	194210	Alejandro Rabago	MEX	29	Old
4th	209639	Alfonso Aguilar	MEX	38	New
5th	166966	Fabian Gomez-Ibarra	MEX	54	Old

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Final Day

by Pam

Lots of activity on the final day. Racing, boat check in, awards, good-byes and packing for morning departure. Apprentice Pablo Robago (MEX), Master Brett Beyer (AUS) and GGM Mark Bethwaite (AUS) had already won the championship in their fleet and did not have to sail the final day but all did. The GM championship was still up for grabs and Gavin Dagley (AUS) had to earn it. I observed several times in the regatta that, in true champion style, he seemed to do best when the pressure was on. The final day was no exception and Gavin finally joined the world championship winners club and the folks in Mexico made it memorable.

I don't know if the Mexicans are just a hell of a lot of fun and everyone got this treatment or if this was a celebration of the last of four world regattas or if GGM Bob Blakey (NZL) had a hand in it as he was sidelined from sailing due to an injury and instead helping with race duty ... but, I have never seen this and Doug said he had never seen this. Turn the sound up for the full effect as each of the fleet winners finish their regatta. First is Brett and regrettably, I didn't get the full celebration on video. Next is Pablo, then Mark and finally, Gavin. Congratulations to all!!

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Day 5

by Pam

Today we got the siesta boat again for the finish line. The GGMs had the first start followed by the GMs and then the Masters/Apprentices. The sailors were misbehaving. We started with three GGMs being UFD. I jumped up from my siesta to make sure Doug wasn't one of them. He wasn't but Mark wasn't either. Horn after horn, recalls, numbers being called and finally I poked my head up and grabbed the binoculars to quickly confirm that Mark was in the lead on the outer loop of the course and Doug was the second boat. Immediately, I was on my feet. Doug had the lead. By the middle of the first run he'd stretched out a bit and I was hopeful.

Doug's lead on the first run of the outer loop

By the second run, they'd run into the back of the GM fleet who were on their first run of the outer loop. It looked messy.  Doug got all mixed into the back and Mark seemed to have clear air.  As they rounded the leeward mark and headed for the finish, Mark seemed to be gaining on Doug but Doug still had a good lead. This is what it looked like at the last mark rounding as they split tacks.

Doug and Mark splitting tacks

Doug in the old sail, can't point with Mark so opted not to cover him and sail for the finish. Mark quickly closed Doug's lead and it came down to seconds between the two at the finish. Keep in mind, we're in a long boat and I'm filming off the back and they are calling the line from the front. 

In the second race, Mark gave Doug a little attention on the start line and Doug couldn't point worth a darn and quickly sailed himself backwards but managed to salvage a 4th. But he wasn't complaining. I believe Mark and Doug have 1st and 2nd secured without having to sail tomorrow but both intend to sail.

On the finish line we see yelling, port/starboards, collisions, tips, turns, incomplete turns, protests, celebrations, congratulations, questions about who got who, committee thank yous, and all the while we start to really rock and roll as the boats come in. It's all fun to witness but doesn't lend itself to good video when the competitors finish with large separations. Here are a couple of finishes without the separation at the front. In the GM fleet Tony Scali (AUS) got his first win.

In the Master fleet, Ernesto Rogriguez (USA) beat Brett for the second time and got his first win.

We have updated our pictures (not the best but they can be downloaded for free):
https://picasaweb.google.com/115638611171755254663/6288996217652860305

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Day 4

by Pam

Today, we were treated to a much larger finish line boat. It had siesta (nap) written all over it. We had our lunch after the finish of the first race and then all on board had a good nap before the start of the next race. It was a hazy day with alot of slop out there that made for great napping but frustrating sailing.

In the first race, the GMs were misbehaving. The call from the pin boat was "Too. Many" and the committee boat called the fleet back. The offenders were all in the middle of the line. The next start was clean and the rest of the fleets behaved themselves. 

While we were busy snoozing on the finish line boat there were lots of horns and I just assumed the second race had started until I started hearing the pin boat calling out numbers. I sat up and realized no one was sailing and shortly thereafter six GMs began the sail of shame, leaving the race course after a black flag and looking a little bewildered. Behave near the pin boat guys.

Al Clark, (CAN) who won the first race with a nice lead got black flagged, Luke Carter (NZL) who had his best race of the regatta with a 2nd, also got tagged, plus 4 others. It hurt to watch.

As you can see in the results, except for the GGM fleet, the leaders in the other fleets had a little competition today. Mark Bethwaite (AUS) in the GGM decided to raise the bar on separation. Mark was a good distance ahead of Doug who was also a good distance ahead of the rest of the fleet. There was so much separation that it is impossible to capture it in a picture. So here's a video.

Insult to injury, Mark arrives at the finish line looking refreshed and relaxed as if he's just had a leisurely afternoon sail. Doug says that Brett says that Mark is doing something called precision steering. He sits perfectly still, doesn't shift his body weight around and simply steers through the waves and doesn't slow down. Something worth learning. 

So there was a meeting this evening among the sailors to discuss ideas for building Laser sailing. I didn't attend but listened to Eric Faust talk with Doug for about 5 minutes afterwards. As I understand it, Eric would like to see the entire Master class start together and sail together and then work out the handicap at the end. Personally, details aside, I think it's a good idea and would love to see everyone sail in the same race but the scoring to be done on handicap by age. If you have ideas, send them to Eric Faust (he's going to love me for that suggestion). 

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Lay Day

by Pam

The lay day was kicked off with an evening social the night before. Lots of sailors relaxing, enjoying the free drinks and having a good time. The very talented GGM Alberto Larrea (ARG) grabbed the entertainer's guitar and started playing and singing and brought everyone to their feet.  

Here's a bit of what he sound like ...

After our party wound down, we noticed that Alberto had moved over to the next party and grabbed another entertainer's guitar and was singing and playing for the other group.

Folks scattered everywhere for the lay day. The hotel helped everyone plan the perfect day off. We talked with several as they returned. No one had a bad trip. Everyone thought they'd picked the exact right thing for them. Some went to the beach and surfed. Some swam with the dolphins. Mark Bethwaite played golf and got beat. Doug and I did Los Veranos with 12 zip line courses, the last of which was a race. I got a good shove and Doug was left simply using his weight. He passed me at the end for his first win since the regatta began. This was after we did the banana split run where you had to make monkey noises along the way for 7 years of good luck. Doug came in hot with a 'ee ee ooh ooh ... oh shit." Maybe, just maybe, the lay day will be a turning point in Mark and Doug's luck.

We have outstanding media coverage and pictures at this event. Here is a clip with Doug's interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUd_NvBVPE4

My pictures pale in comparison but they are royalty free:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115638611171755254663/6288996217652860305

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Day 3

by Pam

Day 3 was sort of like Day 2. The wind is fairly predictable. Lightish at the start of the first race and then it builds until we are rocking and rolling and the guys looks completely gassed as they come across the line.

Pablo Rabago (MEX) is still leading the Apprentice fleet and got another two firsts. The Aussies are still leading in the Master, GM and GGM fleets. GM, Gavin Dagley (AUS) had a couple of good races with a first and a second, GGM, Mark Bethwaite (AUS) had very little trouble getting two more firsts. Master Brett Beyer (AUS) had a couple of WTF races (on opposite ends of the WTF spectrum) but he's still on top. Here's something you won't see in the scores.

In the first race, I couldn't even find Brett through my binoculars on the first downwind. Apparently he went the wrong way and was well back almost in the 20s. By the finish, he worked his way back to 6th and there were five happy sailors who finished in front of him. Niclas Bornling (USA) whooped the loudest as he got Brett on the finish line.

Niclas Bornling (USA) beating Brett Beyer (AUS) on the finish line.

In the second race, Brett must have had some quiet words with himself and came back strong. My video is amateurish and we are bouncing quite a bit on the finish line boat but here is a look at the lead that Brett has. The next closest boat is the Mexican Apprentice so Brett's distance on his fleet is significant.

And here is a video of Brett coming into the finish line. Something I see quite often but most of his competitors probably don't and Doug thinks it's rare footage. Brett never seems to let up until he crosses the finish line.

Just 15 Boats - A Legitimate Fleet?

By Doug

Until recently, Great Grand Masters could only compete in the world championships in radials, but now they can compete in full rigs. Because most prefer radials, the full rig fleet has been much smaller and this year, it will only have 15 competitors and already 2 have dropped out because of injuries. To some, this might not seem like a legitimate world championship. I disagreed and felt that it could be exceptionally challenging and tactically interesting:

• In spite of all the great Laser master sailors we have seen, there have been 2 who have won what we might call the Triple Crown - the Master, Grand Master, and Great Grand Master World Championships.
• The first is Keith Wilkins (GBR) who was Ben Ainslie's original coach. The second is Mark Bethwaite (AUS) who also won  J/24 and Soling worlds and is the former Australian Yachtsman of the Year. Great sailors for sure, and the best I have ever had the pleasure of competing against.
• If I could somehow win here in Mexico, I'll be the third to win this Triple Crown.
• But there's a very big problem - Mark is the current GGM world champion and is defending his title. He easily won the practice race beating GGMs and GMs while I was well back.
• And there are other excellent sailors in our fleet.  Sounds pretty legitimate to me.

But it gets even more interesting:

• In match racing, you can only lose by one point in a race.
• But match racing in a fleet is completely different. Earlier this month at the Radial Master Worlds, Peter Seidenberg (USA) and Kerry Waraker (AUS), both former world champions, were match racing also in a small fleet. As shown in the results, they dominated.
• What made it so tactically interesting is that Kerry had to count a third in one race, and then lost the championship to Peter by that single point.
• So match racing in a fleet means that other boats could easily become a factor. A safe second will be much, much better than a third.

As a lake sailor, my plan was to come early to practice in the open water and to use a rolled one-regatta-old regular sail that is easier to depower in the expected windy conditions. But they say that no plan survives contact with reality. After two days of competition, two things are clear that you can read in my sailing journal: I definitely chose the wrong sail, and the only person who can beat Mark Bethwaite is Mark Bethwaite.

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Day 2

by Pam

More fishing off the finish line boat today. Except this time, we stopped to pick up a fish floating in the water. There were some attempts to revive it and send it on its way but he was too far gone. So he was tossed into the cooler and gutted with a sharp knife while the the boat was rocking and rolling and Brett Beyer (AUS) was crossing the finish line.

A rare sight ... Pablo Robago (MEX) and Brett Beyer (AUS)

Oh yeah, Brett got beat today. Not by much and you won't see it in the scores because he wasn't beat by anyone in his fleet. Pablo Rabago (MEX), the first place Apprentice, using an old sail, gave Brett a good battle. They looked like they were having fun with each other. Even though they weren't racing each other, it was obvious that both wanted to beat the other. In the second race, Brett came back strong with a decisive finish with quite a distance between him and the closest competitor. It is clear that the only one in Brett's fleet who can beat him in this regatta is Brett himself. Let's hope he doesn't do that.

Brett Beyer (AUS) finishing with his 4th bullet

And then there is Mark Bethwaite (AUS) with his fourth bullet, making it look even easier than Brett. Doug gave him a small amount of competition today and was in front of him for just a few seconds but Mark was able to pinch Doug off and then stretched his lead. Doug is suffering from sail envy. He says that Mark has never been able to point higher than him and it's always been Doug's secret weapon but with the new sail, Mark is pointing much higher. A quick pow wow with Brett after racing confirmed that Brett felt the same. I think this regatta may be the death of the old sail. Doug isn't counting himself out of this one just yet. Mark is rolling the dice each evening with the local Mexican cuisine and Doug thinks it just might slow him down a bit.

Mark Bethwaite (AUS) also finishing with his 4th bullet ... and the rare sight of other boats close enough to be in the photo

Meanwhile, in the GM fleet, Gavin Dagley (AUS), using a new sail, has strung together some consistent races and is leading in the GGM fleet. This one is still a toss up but so far the Aussie's are dominating at this regatta.

Gavin Dagley (AUS) finishing in the lead today ... love the green gloves

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Day 1

by Pam

Two races today after a postponement with winds between 9-12 knots in the first race and building to 13-16 knots in the second. The finish line boat started to really rock and roll during the second race. Our driver had the motor running and was driving under anchor during the entire second race finish in order to keep the boat lined up on the line.  

Things in Mexico work a little differently than other world regattas that I've been to. First, they do the same job with less than half the number of people. Second, it's a mostly Spanish speaking operation. Third, they multi-task quite well.

There is one launch ramp and it's one of the smallest I've seen at a regatta and yet, it was also one of the most efficient operations I've seen.    

When the sailors reach the bottom of the ramp looking refreshed and with a smile on their face, you know they really appreciate the organization,

Although my maiden name is Balboa and my great, great grandfather illegally immigrated to the United States and left 11 children behind before being deported, I only have half the work ethic of a Mexican and I don't speak Spanish. So that leaves me on a boat taking videos and looking for things to entertain myself.

I did a quick survey of the top 5 finishers in each fleet. Brett Beyer (AUS) was the definitive first place finisher in the Masters/Apprentice finish and was using an old sail. Mark Bethwaite (AUS) was the definitive first place finisher in the GGM fleet and was using a new sail. In the GM fleet, Al Clarke (CAN) and Nick Page (NZL) each had a first place finish and both have the new sail. A tally of the top five finishers in the first two races, there were 20 new sails and 10 old sails being used. With more data, we might be able to draw some conclusions about which sail does better in which conditions or maybe we'll see that it's the sailor and not the sail that matters.

As I understand it, the race scores are being posted before the sailors even return to shore. There are three people doing scores. One calling, one writing and the other supervising, I think. At the end of each race, they appear to be confirming that they've accounted for the entire fleet, snap a picture and send the scores to shore.  

In the meantime, our driver, not wasting a precious minute of time doing nothing, is busy catching dinner off the back of the boat - multi-taking at its best. He was so efficient, I didn't even know what he was doing until he'd cleaned the fish.

And we're off to day two. Doug is busy writing and will be posting his race journal after the regatta.

Mexico Laser Master Worlds - Practice Day

by Pam

I only arrived about an hour before the practice race so I opted to skip jumping on a boat to watch. I sat and watched the boats come in and did a quick survey. 44 boats using the new sail and 17 boats using the old sail.  Lots of boats never went out so it's hard to tell what the real split will be. If I'm not too busy on the finish line boat, I might try to get another count. Either way, it will be interesting to see what people think at the end of the regatta.

I noticed in Kingston that the Aussies don't seem to give any merit to the 'never win the practice race' theory.  Brett Beyer won it in Kingston and he also won the championship. Mark Bethwaite also won his race and championship. 

Well yesterday, the GGMs and GMs were in the same start  It was a GGM, Mark Bethwaite, that finished the race first. I believe Mark's comment was along the lines of 'well someone had to win it, why not me?' It was just the practice race and not everyone sailed, or sailed their hardest or even finished. It would have been interesting to see how the GGMs stacked up against the GMs. I believe Mark already proved they are still a force to be reckoned with.  Doug, now on his third injury in the last couple of months, got stuck behind a wall of GMs and couldn't even see the leaders. 

However, there was a petition that circulated after the racing and they are splitting the GGMs to their own start for the regatta. As Mark put it, the old gentlemen have earned the right to have their own start. And the Laser class apparently agreed. And we're off to the first day of racing today ...

International Sailing Academy - The Pre-Worlds Clinic

By Doug

I really like this place because of their attention to detail. Their meals, for example, are exactly how I like to eat during a competition - a late brunch, a light meal after the sailing, and then supper later. Max is anxious to help with all of the details we get in a foreign country, such as taking me to a nearby English-speaking doctor to check a potential injury to my neck.

The clinic started with brunch...

...followed by a chalk-talk that included some really good videos...

...and then we're on the water by 1:00. Being at the north end of the bay near mountains means that we got a wide variety of conditions as the gradient winds from the north-west fought the building sea breeze from the west. We had everything from steady 15-20 to pulsing 5-15, so there were lots of gear change practice with the various controls.

After 40 years of sailing a Laser where I'd move forward to catch a wave like surfers...

...Coach Colin had me working on something new, where I'd move back to catch a wave, as shown by Tom Slingsby winning the medal race of the 2011 Laser Worlds:

It's a lot harder than it looks because as the boat accelerates, the apparent wind shifts forward taking pressure off the sail and making the boat really unstable. I may not have time to get this right before our Worlds start in 2 days, but I appreciate the chance to learn something new.

Good clinics attract good sailors, so it was great to practice with people from the US, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Sweden, and Australia.

International Sailing Academy - First Impressions

By Doug

With no one to train with in Dallas, I like to show up early for a Worlds event to watch the open guys and get in some training with the early birds who are usually the top master sailors. I stayed for one day at the host site Paradise Village (4.3 Google stars, discounted ILCA rate of $120 US) before heading to the International Sailing Academy in La Cruz - a town further up the bay - for a 4 day clinic.

It's been a pleasant surprise for several reasons. The supplied Lasers, rigging area, and sailing conditions are all first class. And rather than staying in a hotel, we're at a large home near the boat park. There's a large back yard and pool.

La Cruz has lots of local restaurants that serve good food at reasonable prices.

But there's little need because the food served by the Sailing Academy's Petra is even better.

The clinic participants are from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and all are serious sailors who make the on-the-water drills challenging. Perhaps I'm biased, but it seems a lot more civilized spending time with fellow sailors in a quiet setting than in a large hotel full of tourists.

If Pam and I were to come back just for a vacation, we'd prefer to stay at the Sailing Academy than at a hotel. The sailing is, of course, a bonus.

Sailor Down!

by Pam 

'Sailor down! Sailor down!" And about 10 or 15 minutes later, he was dead. 

Dear, dear, lovable, wonderous, full of surprises, Peter Stephinson. You know, the foiling Laser guy a/k/a the Australian GGM Laser National Champion a/k/a the guy who fell out of his boat and finished a race at the Kingston Laser Master Worlds while simultaneously driving and hanging onto the stern.

Well, Peter decided he would race in both the Radial and Standard fleets this year at the Laser Master Worlds in Mexico. But, things didn't go as planned. He finished the practice race and ... well, that was the end of his World's competition. 

So here's what happened ... and by the way, Peter is very much alive, having died for a few minutes but the Powers That Be sent him back. Having been born again on Mexican soil, he is now considered a Mexican citizen and says he'll be applying for his Mexican passport soon.

We talked with Peter, I mean Pedro, today who was still feeling a bit weak but he wanted everyone to know he was okay and, more importantly, he wants to share what happened. He's an inventor, researcher and explorer at heart and he learned a lesson he wants everyone to know about.

First of all, he didn't have a history of heart problems but a brother and some good mates who had heart problems motivated him to see a heart specialist for a full workup and he was pronounced healthy. He's fit and if you've ever been around Peter, he's always cracking jokes and laughing and has the best attitude and just goes with the flow. Not a candidate for a heart attack ... and yet.

Practice race for the Radial Masters in Mexico and he finished the race and had a dull ache in the center of his chest, said it felt like his chest had been bruised. He wasn't pleased with his performance in the race and decided he'd better get in some more practice so he headed back upwind by himself. His plan was to just go to the top mark and then reach back to the club at a better angle. By the time he got to the top mark, the wind had picked up to 20+ knots but the pain was gone. He headed back to the club and lined up in the queue for take out but had started to feel badly again and knew something was wrong. He decided to relax and stay calm and wait patiently.

A female sailor in front of him noticed he didn't look too hot and offered to let him go ahead of her. Being the gentleman that he is, he insisted she go first. The sailor asked multiple times but he kept insisting on waiting his turn. Finally, he got his boat on the trolly and he simply couldn't get it out of the water and told the young fellow helping at the ramp that he was going to have to pull his trolly all the way up to the boat yard, where he had a prime position right next to the club. When they reached his destination, he was feeling fairly weak and just laid down on the ground. One of the American gals close to him jokingly called out "sailor down" which got the attention of Andy, the local organizer. Bless his heart, Andy took the comment seriously. Peter inquired about an ambulance but it was out on a call so he told Peter they would have to walk a couple of blocks to the emergency clinic. They got about 100 yards and Peter could go no further. Andy got a taxi and Peter jumped in, still in his wet sailing gear except for his life jacket and off they went.

At the clinic, they got his shirt off and got all the wires hooked up on him and then they started tugging at his boots and getting his hiking pants off. As the pants came off, remember they have a bit of compression to them, Peter told the doctor he was feeling tingling in his hands. The doctor told him he wasn't surprised since he was currently having a heart attack. And Peter lost consciousness and remembers nothing more. He flat lined and was dead for three and a half minutes. They had to use the paddles on him a couple of times but they got him back, he had surgery to put in a stent and was put on a ventilator and into a medically induced coma for 24 hours.  Pedro woke up in the hospital, no clothes, no wallet, no iPhone or access to his contacts. 

Pedro most certainly would not be here today if not for Andy and being in the emergency clinic the moment he had his heart attack. In hindsight, and this is what he wants everyone to know, he calculated that he had about an hour and a half warning before having a heart attack. The dull pain in the center of his chest was the early warning sign. Something he shouldn’t have ignored. Instead of going upwind by himself in an increasing breeze, he should have called for immediate assistance and gotten to a hospital straight away. The hiking pants, he theorizes, provided compression which gave him a little extra time to get to help because the moment they came off, things went south immediately.

Pedro was in good spirits when we talked this evening and his family is with him. Well actually, they were at the mid-week festivities at the club and his fantastic travel insurance is void if he leaves the hospital for the night so he called us instead. Once he gets clearance to travel, although he would like to stay for a while in Mexico and enjoy his new home country, he was overruled and will be skipping this Worlds and heading back to Australia ... most definitely a winner!

Looking good Pedro

Update: Robert Scheidt with Pedro just before heading back home to Sydney.

My Quest for Fitness

By Doug

Someone once told me that Lasers were never designed for people over 35, but he was clearly wrong. So, how long can we competitively sail a Laser if we stay fit and avoid injuries? And what what kind of exercises would be needed? And who would know ... 
 

By Peter Seidenberg

I am 78 now, going on 79 in November, and I still sail the Laser competitively and with some success, albeit preferring the smaller Radial rig because it is more suitable to my weight of 160 pounds. The Radial is also becoming more and more popular with ever increasing fleet sizes for meaningful competition at regattas. Admittedly, the Radial is a bit easier to handle, already on shore with stepping the mast and, of course, on the water with having more control over the boat on windy downwind legs. Upwind, however, the Radial still requires full-out hiking, just like the Standard, only that ones efforts result in less healing, and therefore in better upwind speed and more sailing enjoyment.

Of course, to sail the Laser competitively requires fitness, and the higher the fitness level – the better the sailing results. This simple formula is my incentive to work on my fitness. As we all know, without an incentive, good fitness intentions generally evaporate.

Since the fitness requirement for our sport is multifaceted, I gear my work on my fitness accordingly, doing various exercises generally for one hour every morning in my basement gym. I rotate some of the exercises to allow my muscles and joints to recover. My versatile workout station helps me to do a variety of exercises. They consist of:

• 5-minute stationary bike rides for warm-up,
• 15-minute yoga stretches for flexibility,
• sit-ups on my hiking bench for core strength,
• bench presses for shoulder strength,
• reverse sit-ups for lower back strength,
• lateral pull-downs for shoulder strength,
• leg-raises for knee and quadriceps muscle strength,
• butterfly pulls for shoulder strength,
• wall-sits for knee and hip strength, and
• arm curls for bicep strength.

Aside from my morning exercises, I attend a yoga class once a week throughout the year and ride my mountain bike in the summer twice or three times a week. While doing all these exercises, however, I am mindful of the saying that everything should be done in moderation. I pace myself to avoid injury and set-backs as a result.

Whenever possible, however, I sail my Laser, since I believe in the saying that nothing beats time in the boat. On weekends in the summer I go to as many regattas as I can, and there are plenty of them along the New England east coast. I also take part in Tuesday nights practice sailing in the Newport area whenever it is on the agenda.

I am really lucky and happy that my sport and passion gives me the incentive to work on my fitness, and I intend to continue for as long as I can.


Update: Peter's training worked again - he won the 2016 Master Worlds in the Legends category (75+). 

Steering for Balance

by Doug

There's a mistake that even the experts make when sailing in a breeze, and it has to do with sailing downwind when it's windy. It's something that both Frank and Julian Bethwaite explained to me about sailing 18 foot skiffs on Sydney Harbor.

You see, there is far too much power in the sail to control with crew weight alone. They explained how it's done by trying to balance a pencil on your finger, taking all the variables into account as shown in this video.

You have to actively stabilize by steering the boat under the top of the rig, which means bearing off in pressure. Here's how Frank described it in a 2008 Sailing World article called Steering for Better Balance:

"Some years ago I coached several mature and experienced sailors on the 59er, and I was astonished to find that so many of them were unaware of the steer-for-balance principle. More accurately, most thought they knew what it meant--and that they would be able to use it naturally, if and when it became necessary. But when faced with real speed and a sudden gust they turned the boat the wrong way and simply "lost it." 

Only a handful of experienced sailors know how to control a sailboat at speed and get peak performance while doing so. Most top sailors believe they know what steer-for-balance is, and they believe they can do it. But when put to the test, they don't know and they cannot do it."

Bearing off in pressure does more than get the hull under the rig. It puts pressure on the windward side of the centerboard to push the rig to windward and, of course, going more downwind stretches the puff.

This can be seen in an excellent Laser foiling video taken recently by Ryan Minth of C-Vane when Peter Stepinson of Glide Free was introducing the juniors of the Gulf Coast Youth Sailing Association to their first experience on a foiling Laser:   

*

Foiling will definitely teach you better boat handling downwind. Imagine how having such an intro to the speed and foiling experience at a young age would have affected your sailing.  What an opportunity for these kids.  Ryan now has a set of these foils for his kids to use for training which might just give them an edge on their competition. 

I love the commentary when Peter, a Great Grand Master, jumps into the boat and effortlessly shows the young-ins how it's done. These same kids all call me "sir" when I compete against them on the water and now I know why.

Houston We Have Lift Off!

Peter Stephinson from GlideFree stopped into Houston, Texas for a little foiling camp with the local juniors and shared some of their comments with us:

K.O.:  Yesterday's sailing experience was amazing. I personally had never done anything like it before. I really liked how you could feel the boat accelerate as you began to foil. Thank you for the experience.

A.M.:  Thank you for this amazing/awesome/rad/gnarly experience. I figured out how to get up about the second I got on. It felt like the helm of an i420 on a reach balancing the crew and the boat from flipping on top of you but instead you're just balancing yourself and the boat. It's exactly like balancing a broom on your hand. I don't think there was much wrong with it, it seemed very well developed. 

M.M:  The glide free foils I tried out yesterday was an amazing experience. The feeling of flying across the water was one that I have never had before. The extreme speed on top of the height above the water was unbelievable. 

M.G.:  … it was an amazing experience ... I do like the product very much and believe that it is a fantastic way to get someone into foiling boats in a relatively affordable way. I myself am very interested in a set, however that does depend on whether or not my father is interested too … I really appreciate you taking the time to introduce us to the fantastic experience of foiling. 

A.H.:  … it was great experience. The speed was greater than any other sail boat that I’ve ever been on. The blood rush was insane. … All in all the experience was fun and exciting. 

S.B.:  It was awesome, only problem is for a beginner figuring out how to work the center board is a little confusing. 

F.M.:  I really enjoyed the glide free because it was an exciting feeling to be foiling in a Laser. The ability to foil, and do it so easily is a luxury. The reliability of the foils is incredible. With the amount and power that I crashed I was impressed by the durability of the product

Laser Foiling in Texas

by Pam 

Despite that AUS on the sail, this is Texas Laser foiling and those aren't Aussies.  Peter Stephinson (AUS) from Glide Free Design is in Houston, Texas for the weekend and letting the kids in Ryan Minth's sailing program at Texas Corinthian Yacht Club try their hand at foiling.  Peter reports that the overwhelming response from the kids was "Awesome!"  Peter's response was sort of funny ... he wanted to know what was up with the dirty water.  Welcome to Texas!