Meet the 29er fleet #12 - Lucia Cullen & Alana Twomey
by International 29er Class 9 Sep 2023 05:06 PDT
Lucia Cullen & Alana Twomey at 29er European Championship © Mogens Hansen
With Ireland taking the 29er fleet by storm this summer, this week we meet 2023 Women's European Champions, Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey.
How old are you both?
Hi, we are Lucia and Alana from Ireland. We both turned 17 earlier this year.
How long have you sailed the 29er?
We have been sailing the 29er together for a year and a half. Previously we learnt to sail optimist together before transitioning into the 29er.
What do you love about sailing the 29er and the racing?
What we love most about the 29er is meeting new people and having the opportunity to go to new places. We find it super cool to be able to travel and race against our friends at international competitions.
Who/what has inspired your successes/inspires you?
Our coach Bocha inspires us and helps drive us towards our goals. He's been with us since day one in Optis and pushed us through our swimming lesson stage in the 29er.
What are your strengths as a team? Who does what job in the boat and what are you both good at?
We are good at adapting to new situations and keeping our cool during stressful moments. Onboard we try and maintain a positive vibe at all times and most importantly have fun! Lucia focuses on tactics and Alana works to keep the boat fast.
Why do you think you've been so successful in the 29er and what are your future goals in the class?
Our success comes from hard work. It is super rewarding during the racing to see all the training pay off. However to us what is most important is our love for the sport and being on the water. We hope to qualify to the youth worlds in Brazil this year.
Do you have any top tips for people just starting in the 29er, for fellow sailors, mixed teams and for those looking to improve their performance for next year?
Our advice is to sail with someone you get along with. It helps the communication onboard to flow. There is most definitely a big learning curve so push through... it's so worth it!
What are your future sailing goals, dreams and ambitions?
We were really excited to go to the World and European Championships in this summer and hope to qualify for the youth worlds in Brazil. In the future we want to transition into the 49er FX.