Ryan Palk

Well today was the 3rd day of Kiel, and the 2nd (consecutive) day of no racing.  The wind once again did not cooperate, with a local seabreeze developing to around 4-5 knots, but not enough out on (offshore) course. Most of my trip I have been lucky to avoid major delays in race schedules, but now I am beginning to see a side of the European regattas which is all to familiar to the European sailors.  Some fleets were able to race who were closer to shore, but for us, a gradient fighting a local seabreeze meant a glassy stretch of sea beyond the realms of the bay.  So it has been no racing now for two days!  Feels weird to be constantly preparing for something that doesn’t come.  Hopefully tomorrow, some mixing in the atmosphere will allow for some racing to be done.  I think we need to complete one more race to officially enter the finals series.  Though at this rate the race committee may change the SIs so that we go straight to finals.  I don’t know, all I know is I wanna race!  The forecast for the rest of the week is looking much the same, with a possible 6 knot gradient tomorrow maybe, if we are lucky 8 knots on Thursday.  Fingers crossed we get some wind!  The time off has given plenty of excess time to watch soccer, sit in the showcased audis, eat food and other timewasting activities.  I am going to the gym today because I am feeling a bit lazy!  Also had time to see team physio and socialise a bit with the other countries sailors which has been great!  Hopefully I have more news to bring you tomorrow!

cheers

Ryan

Hello!

Well Kiel Week has started windy and cold, very different from the last few days where it has been light, sunny and warm.  It has been a great day however, as I really wanted some wind to sail in, as I feel i have the most to gain here.  I had three good races today, all in the top ten.  With relatively shifty conditions, the breeze was jumping between 12 – 22knots.  At times downwind, there were huge holes in pressure which would be deadly to get caught in.  Racing today felt nice, a bit warmer than Estonia, and even warmer again the harder I worked. The first race I played the shifts well after a conservative start to finish 1oth.  Happy with my speed, I started more at the favoured end in the 2nd race, with an okay start landing me in a nice position halfway up the beat.  I finshed the beat off nicely to come 2nd around the top mark.  On the downwind, the race committee had taken out our gate mark and left one mark, in which case we are to round the mark to port (as per the sail intructions). On approach to the mark, I had caught up to the first postion boat, and it was clear he was unsure which way to round the approaching lone mark.  Of course (he mustnt have read his SIs!) and he begun to round to starboard, I rounded to port, nearly running into him, only for him to spin out in realisation that he made the error.  I rounded in 1st, with the rest of the fleet in hot pursuit going around to port! Pheww.  Made the right choice there.  Our fleet then got mixed up in the red fleet and I had bad air for most of the beat to round in 2nd, with a tight pack of 3 other boats.  Us 4 boats seemed to pull away from the fleet, with the entire downwind and reach constantly swapping places, i must have changed between 1st and 4th about 5 times.  On the final beat to the finish, I pulled ahead, to have two other boats split away, and I kept covering 2nd, Philipp from Germany. Unfortunately for both of us, the last shift before the finish favoured the other two boats, and they just crossed me on the line, so I finished 3rd.  Last race, I had a steady start and a hardworking upwind to round in about 6th.  I continued the race well, gaining a few but losing a few up the second beat to a big left hander, to finish in 6th.  So now I am in 13th overall.  Everyone is very tight, with three fleets racing.  I think tomorrow is supposed to be lighter, but hopefully a bit warmer also! But has been great sailing already! Cant wait til tomorrow!  This afternoon we went onto watch Australia and Ghana tie in the World cup.  With any luck, Australia will beat Serbia, and Ghana will beat Germany and we can get through! Fingers crossed!

cheers

Ryan

Well, the European championships are now over, and I finished in 13th overall.  It has been a great event, and even though it has been cold, it has been great racing and a huge learning curve for me.  The last two races were held in similar conditions as the previous days, but a little more shifty at times.  I had a little blunder in the last race on start resulting in coming around the top mark last!  luckily however, the wind picked up to about 20 knots and I caught about 15 boats…Well done to Tonci from Croatia, who sailed well all week.  Also, to the Swedish sailing team, who have a great bunch of people to be with from the get-go, and am lookin forward to hanging out with them again.  The last night of the regatta ended with some partying and plenty of laughs.  I am now in Kiel, in North Germany.  Tom, James and I went and watched Australia get smashed the other night in the soccer by Germany.  Was very bad.  But I think it has psyched us up to beat them on the water!  Today was the first day training here at kiel.  It was sunny and warm!  Hopefully more of this!  Apparently Kiel has a reputation for rainy weather, but lets hope this will be untrue this week!  After sailing each day i have been able to go to the gym up the road for more training, which has been very good. Getting into a routine has been great.  Also, now Tom is staying with me also, and our hosts -  Angela, Gunner and their two kids (Sarah and Tom) have been great to us.  Well, I hope this update finds you all happy and healthy!

cheers

ryan

Well today was my best day of the regatta so far.  I finally managed to win my first race in Europe! Plus with a 5th in the second race, it was a great day!  First race today I managed a good clean start a little above Goodison and worked my out to tack out to a nice lane. Some nice speed helped me punch out from the fleet, and work the shifts well to be 3rd around the top mark.  From here, I had a good downwind to round 3rd, but first to the favoured mark.  The second beat was interesting, and the lead swapped between the Croation, Tonci, Philipp from Germany, Paul from GBR and myself.  I managed to round the top mark in 3rd once again but real close to 1st and 2nd.  No one was making any mistakes, and it was agonisingly close.  I remembered the lessons I had learnt from yesterday when I narrowly came second to Tonci, and decided I was not going to let this race slip away again.  With a good downwind, I was able to slip away from Goody, pass Tonci and have buoy room on Philipp for the final reach and then upwind finish.  But it wasn’t over yet, Philipp surprised me with a tacking duel attack up the last beat to the finish.  I was expecting him to cover Tonci and I was playing it safe, but all of a sudden had to snap into tacking mode and had a great duel with Philipp.  It was close, my heart was pounding heaps, but I made it! So Stoked…Next race, the wind was fading and becoming dicey.  After a messy start,  I found myself eating bad air, but still holding good pace, and rounding the top mark around 15th.  By the bottom mark, the fleet compressed, and i was around 18th to round, but with everyone so close there was some big opportunites to gain.  I sailed a good upwind leg, stayed in the thin lanes of pressure and rounded the top mark in 5th!  I then held this on the downwind, and finished on a shortened course in 5th.  So, today was a good day.  I have now moved up into 10th position, with a second drop coming in today, meaning I can drop the 27 I had in qualifying.  However tomorrow, when we complete another two races, one drop will have to come from finals, which means I will have to carry the 27 again.  So I am looking for another consistent day to excel into the top ten! Also, I was interviewed for the first time today, so watch the day five wrap up video on the Europeans venue website to see the footage! http://www.laser2010tallinn.eu/web/?lang=en&page_id=41

cheers

Ryan

Also, I was interviewed for the first time today, so watch the day five wrap up video on the Europeans venue website to see the footage!

cheers

Ryan

Well day four of the European Championships kicked off well, with a light North Westerly greeting us for race 7 of the championship.  Today was the last day of qualifying, and I was in the yellow fleet, which meant I got to start first.  My plan was similar to yesterday, stay away from the packs, keep it simple in clear air and give my self a chance.  I had a good feeling about the race, started well and followed my game plan.  At the top mark, I was a close 3rd behind 2nd and 1st.  The following reach and downwind us 3 boats extended from the fleet, to have a comfy buffer between the other 50 boats.  I also managed to sneak into second by the bottom mark.  However, the Croation, Tonci, rounded the other mark and gained a little from this separation.  He kept this distance on me all the way up to the second beat as we both extended from the fleet even more.  Unfortunately for me, apart from the mistake of choosing the wrong mark, we both didn’t make any real errors up the second beat, which meant I had no chances to gain him back, but that is what you get when racing with these guys.  Race two, I didn’t have the greatest start but worked hard to creep back into a solid position, rounding about tenth at the top mark.  The rest of race was one of those lose a couple/gain a couple affairs, and I lost a boat on the finish line (devo) to come 11th.  Still a good day, climbed up into 25th, and looking forward to Gold fleet finals racing tomo!!!

Today was cold, but also epic.  Windiest day so far, with a very blustery North Westerly at bout 15-25knots.  I had no feeling in my feet after about ten minutes of sailing, and the whole it was like sailing with no nerves in your feet, they just knobs on the end of my limbs… however I had a good day today, with good speed up and down the course, and some good decisions at times leading to good placings today, a 6th and a 2nd.

First race, I had a good start a the boat and protected the right.  The beat was quite lengthy, and I was able to get into a nice rhythm and get the boat going nicely.  I may not weight as much as some people, but could still hold my own which was nice.  I approached the top mark in 3rd position.  As I was rounding the mark, the breeze knocked, and I had to pinch to round, whilst pinching, I got  semi caught in irons, stalled at the mark (or just past it) DEVO!  After letting off vang and trying to get the bow away I thought I had screwed myself up until a canadian came around the mark and his mast hitting mine which leaning to windward.  When it hit, it pulled my bow around back onto course, and I could keep going! Lucky save!  I promptly yelled protest (cause the windward boat hit me), but under my breath I was actually saying thankyou…  He never did turns but he saved me so I didnt mind this time.  The rest of the race I went well to be fourth around the last top mark, but lost two boats on the last run!  I was playing it to safe and the windy conditions.  The second race,  I was super charged for a good race.  After some food and some quality sugar,  I followed a similar strategy to race one.  I came around the mark about tenth, but this time, no more mistakes.  I smashed the downwind, rounding the bottom mark in about 5th, and drastically reducing the distance to the leaders.  I stayed on the lifted tack for ages, and worked my ass off into a nice rhythm to have the fleet fall into my hip, tack and cross all the fleet but one, Phlipp Bull (also a queensport hikers sailors), from Germany, who had already won a race today.  I consolidated my lead on 3rd, who was then Ash Brunning. Last run, I pulled away further from the fleet, to have a nice lead with Philip not far ahead over me.  Finishing in 2nd in that race was such a good feeling, because I remember two and a half years ago in Terrigal getting punished in windy conditions, and watching the sailors sail away from me.  But not anymore,  I was watching the other sail away from me, and able to play the chess game with some of the best in the world.  All that gym training, bike riding and constant sailing was all worth it today!  Now to do it again, and better tomorrow!

Heres a link to the results:

http://www.laser2010tallinn.eu/web/data/std_pre_overall_res_6_race.HTM

Well the Delta Lloyd regatta is over for 2010.  It was  a very quick regatta, with two days of qualifying, and then straight into finals.  It was a great starting regatta for my European circuit with 100 of the best laser salors present.  I finished 34th overall in Gold fleet, working my up through the finals series.  I felt as though I was finding my feet, especially in the final days and found my edge to be in the light – moderate conditions.  I think plenty of food and gym the next week should add that few more kilos I am needing for the windier days.  Unfortunately, on the second last day, I was having a very good ace (in 2nd) after nailing a left hand shift which came down with large cloud.  The shift was arounf 30 degrees, and cause the leaders to pull away from the fleet.  The top reach had turned into a very tight reach due to the change and the race committee abandoned the race!  It was quite frustrating as I had already had a 5th that morning and another top position like that would have thrown me into the top 20. But, thats sailboat racing and there is always next time.  The next regatta in Tallinn, Estonia, will be more competitive again, as even more boat will be competing in the European ‘worlds’.  The Delta Llloyd regatta finished with a freezing last day.  Rainy, windy and freezing.  Still thawing out.  The last few days have been out of schedule, doing the drive with my coach Michael Blackburn to Tallinn, Estonia, rather than fly.  The trip took us through holland, to Germnany, leaving from a port near Rostock on a ship to Finland.  After being in Finland for a short period, we caught anohter ferry to Estonia, and am now in Old City in Tallinn in Estonia.  Will be sure to update more over the next few days!  Hope it gets warmer!!

Day 1 of the Delta Lloyd regatta greeted us with overcast and moderate to fresh conditions.  With windchill as low as they come, with the wind from the NE, I had the ‘brainfreeze’ feeling synonymous with a cold drink, for most of the day.  Race 1 started with a general recall, allwing the comittee the chance to get the black flag up for the next start attempt.  The following start I was conservative, avoiding a black flag and sailing a steady race to come 13th.  It was a  good warm up race for the European circuit and sensational sailing in the high quality, European fleets.  The next race, the breeze had picked up a little, I didnt have the greatest start and got pinballed in the fleet a bit.  I end up finishing mid twenties, after a steady catch up.  The final race, which was also the windiest saw me have a good first work to round the top mark in 4th.  From here however I managed to screw up my race, getting my settings out of calibration to my normal setup, and getting a bit frustrated with my self.  I lost out big time on the run and next work, being pinballed around the fleet a little to much.  But these mistakes cannot be made in these fleets, and I learnt that today (the hard way).  Today, the forecast is for light wind, however still very cold.   I was down in the boat park this morning and my gums were aching from the cold air.. I asked a local if it  is normally this cold and he replied, ‘it is so cold cause we have a very cold winter, and the ijseemer (the huge lake we are sailing on) was frozen over, the water is still very cold from the ice’ he says. This lake was frozen a month ago.  All I can say is I feel sorry for the people who went down with Titanic. … Currently postponed, for racing at 4pm this afternoon…  Let’s pray it gets warmer!

cheers

Ryan

Well my third laser radial worlds is now over. I started better than i finished but i still had heaps of fun along the way. Unfortunately for me my last day was one of my poorer ones, falling out of the top ten into twelth postion overall.  12th in the world is still fast so im happy.  Last years world champion, ben paton from gbr just beat me by 2 points on the last day, which was frustrating, but at least i was close.  Now that worlds are over, and im back at uni frantically trying to catch up wat i missed, i would ike to thank a few people and organisations that have been helping and supporting my sailing.  A big thanks to the Royal Queensland yacht Squadron, who have supported Klade and I for alot of our laser sailing endeavours, and provide a truly world class training facility.  The Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club who have also help us out since we were kids and continue to keep doing so well.  Our coaches, Scotty Sinclair, Craig Cobbin, Adrian Finglas andAB, constantly making us think about ways to go faster. Craig Keen from Noosa Life Fitness Centre and Jared West for all the mad tips, Mark Patterson of Patterson sailing for all the right Laser equipment and ropes, Danny Fuller, maker of the best carbon tillers in the world, Crank carbon tillers! Ronstan Marine for sailing hardware and deck fittings to keep the boat up to speed, and which all worked perfectly whilst i was away, Queensport marine, for the best most comfortable hikers i have ever worn, plus were perfect in any conditions the kiwi weather could throw at us! my parents for letting me take time off uni and being semi ok with that and supporting me, my sis cause she is cool and of course my girlfriend who lets me go to these places when she doesnt want me to!!

cheers guys

teams racing states this weekend, gotta qualify for nats!!

good sailing

ryan

me reaching

devo