WORKUM

Sélections pour les championnats d'Europe au Portugal et du Monde en Nouvelle Zélande!
We arrived tuesday evening in Amsterdam and we rent a car to drive to Workum. The weather was really nice.
Next morning, we wanted to go sailing, but there was no wind. We did have a long meeting with our trainer, feel the atmosphere and wait for our boat to be controlled.
In Marseillan, I finished 1st swiss and this one is the second selection to go to European Championship or Worldchampionship.
Thursday: 1st day of regata, 7 to 10 knots. A lovely day of sailing, eventhough I did not do very well. I have a lot of pressure, and it is difficult for me to control my stress.
Friday: the wind became stronger, between 10 and 16 knots. I took 2 lovely departure beeing ahead of all boats, but again some pressure on me, stupid errors and finishing not too bad, but not very good either.
Saturday: 3 races. The other swiss do well, not me, so finally I really stressed. The wind was even stronger than yersterday. The girl from Singapour was winning everyraces, just mad!
I came back very upset and worried. I thought I lost my ticket for the world, but because I did very well Marseillan, the calculation came out still on my favour: 2nd swiss on the whole for the World.
Sunday, no wind, a storm and no races!
Now, I can relax, but I also have to work hard to go to New Zeland for this fantastic World Championship!
Thank you to Erplast. The boat is a lucky boat and now that the objective is reached, I can sail without pressure and better again!
Good Bye,

Grégoire Siegwart (SUI 1613)

Results of Workum: (22,16,24,14,37,36,29,(46))



 

 Marseillan: du 16 au 24 Avril.
 
After four days of training, we have been used to the place for our navigation and for the coming races.
Marseillan was the 1st sailing race for the future selections (European Championship and World Championship). There were essentially French and Swiss sailors, but also few algerian, spanish and italiens.
1st day's race: wind between 8 and 10 knots and the first possible departure was planned for 11 a.m. We did three races, but I was not really into it. I started a bit slowly!
2nd day's race: the wind was not so strong, but there were a lot of waves and it was very difficult for us to sail propely. The regata was moved to the inside lake, 2 kilometers away from the sea. Everybody was worried and did not know what was going to happen. We were there at 4p.m. and there was between 10 and 12 knots. I began tofeel better and to improve my position. the atmosphere was really great between french and swiss and we had a lot of fun .
3rd day's race: Strong wind, between 20 and 25 knots. First of all, the organisation did not want us to go out. We waited and went out around 2 p.m.
4th day's race: No wind! we did start twice without finishing any races. I was into the Goldpool and I finish 30th on the general and FIRST SWISS. A good start for my selection.

Grégoire SIegwart

LUGANO from the 8th to the 13th of MARCH:
 
First Sailing Race of the year: we arrived tuesday 8th of March for a training with Swiss Talent Pool (the TEAM of the best optimist sailors in Switzerland.
We always had thermic wond at noon time. In the morning we did practice sports: running etc.
The boat I received from ERPLAST is great and I really have good feelings with it.
Friday night, everybody was arriving for the races of the week-end.
Saturday, the race began at 1 p.m.. First possible departure. The wind was present, but not too strong, around 5 and 7 "noeuds" ? It was so nice to find the friends I did not see for approximately two months.
The wind was not as strong as we had during the training days. We had to re-analyse the new configuration!
Each analyse I made myself was pushing me on the left hand side. I was always in front of the others sailors and when I tried to come back, my options were not good enough and I passed very badly at the "boué" ? I tried my best to improve, but I only finished 42nd!
After the 1st race, I decided to concentrate myself another time finding another otpion. I left all alone because I wanted to try something. ANother boat was with me. I turned to follow the right hand side and all the others sailors came to me. I looked I was ahead but then something wrong happened. I finished 22nd.
Conclusion: Good training, but very bad races even if I remain on the 2nd position for the qualification 2010-2011.
Thank you and to the next story.
 
Grégoire Siegwart