Meet the 29er Fleet: Swedish siblings Hedvig and Hugo Liljegren
by International 29er Class 20 Dec 2022 05:50 PST
How long have you sailed the 29er?
Hedvig and I have sailed the 29er together for 2 years, before we started sailing together we had both been in the class for a while. I was a helm for three years before I started crewing for Hedvig, who had been a helm in the class for a little less than two years.
What do you love about sailing the 29er and the racing?
We both think the 29er is very exciting to sail because it's a fast and extremely technical boat. To make the boat go fast around a course you always have to keep your focus. Even while just sailing in a straight line there's always things you can do to improve your speed. Another thing we both like is that it is a two-handed boat. The communication and collaboration onboard is hard to get on top of but it is crucial for performance, and It makes sailing super challenging and fun.
What are your strengths as a team? Who does what job in the boat and what are you both good at?
Hedvig and I are in many ways very different and it's proven to be a good thing since we can often complement each other. You could say that I'm the speed-eager, risk taker onboard and Hedvig, being the more cautious and clever one, balances it out. In similar fashion, Hedvig can get a little nervous and passive, then it's handy that I know exactly how to bring out her best side.
Why do you think you've been so successful in the 29er?
One thing that has helped us enormously is how we've become good at analysing essentially every part of our sailing. It means that we can try a lot of new things and take away the positives/negatives, teaching ourselves in the process. Maybe the most important thing though, is that we really enjoy sailing together, which is very motivational not only in the boat but in the gym etc.
Who/what has inspired you and your successes?
One of our biggest sources for inspiration is the older Swedish sailors. The olympic sailors are usually very nice and welcoming to us and it motivates us to get to a level where we can challenge them in the future.
Do you have any top tips for people just starting in the 29er and those looking to improve their performance for next year?
My advice for anyone learning the 29er, or any other double-handed boat, is to practice and develop your communication with your partner. It really is the key to improving every other aspect of your sailing, and will help you enormously. Secondly, Hedvig and I both agree that you won't have the energy to put in the hours of practice to perform if you aren't having fun on the way. Be patient and make space for other things besides your sailing.