Gus Miller at Finn World Masters: An Olympic champion wins
by Gus Miller 27 May 2018 16:06 PDT
28 May 2018
Jose´ Doreste (63), Gus Miller (83) and Gerardo Seeliger (71) Final Day - Finn Masters Worlds - El Balis, May 2018 © Gus Miller's Camera
A senior member of the Finn class, and Super Legend, Gus Miller (USA) writes from the 2018 Finn World Masters at El Balis, Spain:
José Luis Doreste, the 1988 Olympic Finn Champion and Great Grand Master at age 63 has won the Finn World Masters. He is just as smart and fit as when he won Gold. We first met in the mid 1970s. The final two races which made the competition official were in a generally Northeast wind of 8 to 16 knots with a difficult cross swell. The current was pushing boats over the starting line and one start during the day took six attempts. The day started cloudy so with the wind I left my sun hat ashore; I paid a price when the sky cleared to a fierce Spanish sun. I also took a large bottle of orange and pineapple juice for plenty of potassium – I decided I had better follow my own advice instead of do as I say, not as I do..
I have won the Super Legends division which was a surprise because of my many mistakes made, a lack of proper practice, a somewhat older sail, a classic hull and a general tiredness on the last day from too much talking and running around visiting. What was most pleasing was that so many were joyful that I had won something and it was being celebrated. I also realize that I had worked hard to prepare myself physically – many commented that my physical fitness looked, in their words, incredible. My worst problem were pinched cervical nerves which limited the strength of the right shoulder and arm; thanks to Laurel Tower who had given me a container of glucosamine and chondroitin which helped a lot.
Indebtedness needs be paid to a number of friends old and new without whom it would have been beyond my reach. Surrogate son Luca Devoti arranged the plane tickets, loaned a classic Finn, gave me a place to stay at the Dinghy Academy while I practiced and provided transportation for me and the Finn to El Balis. Phil Chadwick was a training partner and rescued me when I capsized by the Civil Guard dock. Pablo Guitian helped load the Finn into the van, did the driving and looked after me when I needed it. John Alexander put me up with his coach Facundo Olezza at the Rocatel hotel five miles away from the regatta site. Somewhat in return to John, I led a daily set of meditations. Gerardo Seeliger loaned me a VB racing sail. Facundo, a new protégé, was super - I felt like a twenty something year old in his company - and he also looked after me when I needed it. John’s daughters Sasha and Natalia were a pleasure to spend time with at meals. Karianne Eikeland, with whom I shared the Medicine Buddha meditation, was kind enough to spend the time to sew up my sailing pants. Gerardo’s friend Anna Chavez (twenty years a reporter for ABC and a CBS affiliate that I remember reporting the San Francisco earthquake) is just a light to be around.
After coming ashore from the two races yesterday, we rapidly unrigged the Finns, loaded the van and trailer with three boats each, attended the prize giving, said goodbyes and start the long drive to Valencia. On the drive I learned that Pablo and Facundo were close training partners. From what I now know of each, I expect that will be fighting each other at the top of the heap in Tokyo.
I was surprised that at 4 AM, Saturday morning I was wide awake after being so tired yesterday evening. As I began to write this, in walked a surprise; he was making a head call, saw the light and was surprised to find me. This Finn sailor in the past was always knocking on the door of true greatness but there was always a barrier he seldom got past. We launched into an easy heart to heart about his journey, the struggle with this barrier, and how on his own he has come to grips with it to find his way mostly through. It is tough to go deep within and face raw reality but I understood exactly what his struggle had been so we could talk about it at length and he could ask questions that I could answer. It was the kind of visit and result that I especially cherish.
When Luca arrived all the nearly a dozen of the Finnsters training at the Dinghy Academy gathered for a meeting to plan the day. They at one point will tow at 10+ knots dead to windward so as to have a long downwind practice. Seeing this meeting I realized just how much higher the skill standard in the class is becoming. So many good guys pushing each other daily. What they are doing is at the base root of what the Olympics represent. To lose this kind of human endeavor for the different values of purely commercial gain will kill the Olympics as we know it, and put it competition with the entertainment in reality TV and picture phones.
Luca and I had a good long visit today which has also been a day of needed rest and now it is time for a short nap. Another post tomorrow.