Qualified
Our team competed in the US Sailing Team AG Qualifier in Key Biscayne this weekend, which was somewhat confusing as I had actually already qualified for the 2010 USSTAG team with my international results last year. But this event was still important as it determined the top three US teams for Miami OCRs and other World Cup events this year.
My team was also new to sailing with each other so this event and the clinic beforehand were as much about getting time in the Elliotts and learning to boat handle and communicate as a team as much as it was about racing.
After a few growing pains in the first round robin, placing third, we managed to win the second round robin on Saturday’s windy, cold and rainy day of racing, and were therefore very much looking forward to a windy (but cold) Sunday of semi-final and finals racing. Unfortunately for us though, the weather lived up to the forecast and the Race Committee abandoned racing due to the 21 degree windchill and 20+ kt winds. We were clearly disappointed as a team not to get to sail forward from our 3rd place round robin position, but still qualified for the Miami OCRs and three of the next 5 World Cup events.
Having never sailed with Karina Shelton or Alice Manard before, I’m happy to say we got along quite well and came along really quickly as a team in a very short number of days. Both are great talents in the match racing world (and have both been at it longer than me!), Karina has more than 10 years in the field and a World Championship title under her belt, and Alice has been match racing for 5 years along with her multiple 470 campaigns and college All-American titles. We are definitely eager to get back together next week for some (hopefully warmer) training and then the Miami OCR event, to see how we stack up against the foreigners, as well as continue to get time together in the boat as a team.
In other news, I’m headed to St. Francis Yacht Club tonight for the annual awards dinner to accept the St. Francis Yachtswoman of the Year award for 2009! It is an honor to receive this recognition for my sailing last year, and I’d like to especially thank all of my teammates who raced with me throughout the year as well as the St. Francis YC Foundation for their support of my sailing.
Best,
Genny
