I just finished the Delta Lloyd regatta on Sunday and I'm quite pleased with my performance. The first day was sailed in extremely windy conditions. The first race ranged from 22-28 knots with a very steep chop. I managed to only capsize once but was disappointed in my upwind speed in those conditions. I finished that race in 25th. The first group started their second race, but while we were in the starting sequence for our second race the wind picked up to over 30 knots so we were sent in. We had to battle upwind in the 30-knot wind for an hour to get home! It was fun, however, to watch the first fleet finish their second race as we sailed in. Everyone was out of control on the runs.
Since our fleet finished only one race on the first day, we were sent out early the next day to get caught up. I sailed a great race in medium winds and finished 10th. The next race was scheduled for 2 o'clock so we had to wait on the water for an hour as the rest of the fleet arrived to the racing area. I scored a 2 and 4 in the next two races and was at times leading them both. I sailed too conservatively on the final runs of both races by going down the middle and got past by those who stretched it out on either side. On the final race of the day I was running out of energy. It was approaching 7 o'clock and I had been on the water for nearly eight hours! I got a bad start and battled back to 21st place.
The 3rd day of the regatta was also the last day of qualifiers. I went into the day in 14th place and we were greeted with epic power conditions. It was about 14 knots with nice little waves. I sailed great first beats all day rounding in the top ten in all three races but I could only convert one of them to a top ten (an 8th in the 2nd race). My downwind speed was just a bit off compared to the top guys.
The first day of gold fleet was sailed in similar conditions to day three. I sailed an average first race and finished 31st. Gold fleet racing is much tighter and you are easily punished for mistakes. I got really unlucky in the 2nd race. I was flagged five seconds before the start. Unfortunately the wind had died so I was blanketed by the fleet. I was last to the windward mark and could only catch about 10 boats. I was pretty mad and determined to have a good last race. The wind picked up to about 15 knots for the last race. I started above Tom Slingsby and below Paul Goodison. I held my lane in between the two best sailors in the world in 15 knot power conditions! I rounded the top just behind Paul and right in front of Tom in about 8th place. I sailed a great reach and run, passing a boat on the reach and only loosing Tom on the run. I finished up the race in 10th place but found myself OCS... nightmare. Slingsby was also OCS and so was the French sailor below him.
We were sent out for one last race on the last day. I got screwed on a right shift when I was in the left corner and finished in 30th place. I ended up finishing the regatta in 33rd place, which was pretty disappointing because I was doing so well halfway through the event but I was very happy with how I sailed.
I have a whole bunch of things to work on in a training camp next week in Halifax. After that, I look forward to kicking some butt in Buffalo at the end of the month!
Chris Dold has just finished his Civil Engineering degree at Queen's. He is now sailing full-time in a bid for a berth at the 2012 Olympics. He has been a member of the Canadian Sailing Team for the past three years. Through the winter, he will be training and coaching at the International Sailing Academy, La Cruz, Mexico.
