Sarah Blanck reports on Laser ISAF Worlds

by Sarah Blanck on 20 Jul 2007
Sarah Blanck (Laser Radial) reports on her performance at the recent ISAF World Sailing Championship 2007.

I’ve returned from my final trip to Europe for 2007, for a very short period before leaving again in 10 days for China.

Sometimes these updates are a little harder to write, when things haven’t really gone as well as planned and as I’d like them to have. I’ve come from competing in the ISAF World Championships in Cascais Portugal, which I finished 16th (my lowest result I’ve had since returning to sailing). Over half way through the regatta, everything was going very well. I felt that some of the tactical/strategy things I’d been working on in previous events this year were really coming together strongly and I was in a really good and positive position for the final half of the regatta. On the 4th day, I had a well below average day, with 2 average starts and an unusual breeze ranging from 1 to 20 knots that you were chasing if you didn’t get there first, and unfortunately this dropped me down to 16th overall. We then lost a day of racing due to 40knots of wind, and the final day did not change any results, as the top 10 girls were competing in the medal race. So it was a disappointing finish to the European season.

On the plus side, I’d have to say, as much as the result doesn’t show it, my racing has taken a really good turn for the better over the last 6 weeks, and I am really pleased that I can take this forward, and move on to new goals over the coming 12 months with all this in mind. I was also really pleased that I’d spent the last 12 months focussing on gaining body weight and strength for these windy conditions we experienced, and I now have confidence and know that I am fast and have really good technique in these conditions, which 12 months ago were a weakness of mine.

For the Australian Sailing Team as a whole, it was a successful regatta, in the windy conditions, we won 2 Gold medals, 1 in the Laser, and 1 in the 470’s. And 2 Bronze medals, 1 in the RSX Women and 1 in the 49er. Placing Australia 2nd on the medal tally behind Great Britain.

Looking forward, it’s off to China in 10 days for an AST camp and the Pre Olympic regatta. Which consumes all of August. We still have no news of selection for competing in this event and should find out very soon, but either way, I will still be doing the same training and preparation for the next month in my program. It’s also now time to focus on the coming12 months to the Games with new goals in mind for the upcoming year. The first one… to lose the weight I’ve put on, in preparation for expected light wind conditions in China!

Another positive over this last few weeks, I was named with Glenn Ashby, as Victorian Sailor of the Year. This is the 4th time we have both individually won this award, and a record I believe.

Until next time, thank you for you continuing support, Sarah