... until race start!
15.10.09
Today was what I call a beach day.
Unfortunately this doesn’t mean that I get to spend the day applying lots of suntan lotion, drinking ice cold drinks whilst lying on the sand.
But it is a day where there is no sailing and the boat is firmly beached and worked on from sun rise to sun set to get all the modifications and repairs done so she can sail first thing on the next day.
We are averaging about three beach days a week at the moment, this will continue until next week to get all the jobs done and then it’s all about getting time on the water from next week until the start.
I also managed to fit in an hour session with my physio, to get some more work on my elbow followed by a hour and a half work out in the gym.
My worry for my elbow has now subsided and both my physio and myself feel like its 95% and will be 100% by the time we start as long as I do my regular stretch’s and gym sessions.
With only just over three weeks until the start I am starting to get very excited about the race.
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Me and the TJV
So finally I have got the opportunity to compete in the Transat Jacque Vabre race.
In 2003 not long after completing the clipper round the world race I went over to the town of La Harve in North France for the weekend to show my support to Alex Thomson who had recently purchased an open60 called 'Sill' and was about to compete in the two-handed Jacque Vabre race from France to Brazil with French sailing legend Rolland Jordan (aka 'Bilo').
At that point I knew very little about the race or the open 60s and the class in which they are governed by IMOCA.
I have to say that after that weekend I was totally blown away by the boats, the skippers and the whole concept of the race, a two-handed blast across the Atlantic on some of the most technical, most powerful boats ever built - and I wanted some of it!
I very clearly remember watching the start gun go off and the boats sail off into the distance and saying to myself “you need to do this race and you need to work your ass off to get to this level.”
For the five years since that weekend, I have been focussing solely on that goal - sailing and working on, and even helping to build - Open 60s and now I have finally got the opportunity to compete in this race. For which I am very grateful.
I am under no illusions that this race will be a big step up for me not to mention the biggest race of my career so far. For that reason I am slightly anxious but I'm mostly excited, and now I can’t help but show that excitement, every time I think about the race I just can’t help smiling.
I am looking forward to racing with Alex for whom I have known for ten years, and feel privileged to be racing on such a great boat that has been such a big part of my life for the past 3 years in particular, and of course flying the flag for Hugo Boss.
In 2003 not long after completing the clipper round the world race I went over to the town of La Harve in North France for the weekend to show my support to Alex Thomson who had recently purchased an open60 called 'Sill' and was about to compete in the two-handed Jacque Vabre race from France to Brazil with French sailing legend Rolland Jordan (aka 'Bilo').
At that point I knew very little about the race or the open 60s and the class in which they are governed by IMOCA.
I have to say that after that weekend I was totally blown away by the boats, the skippers and the whole concept of the race, a two-handed blast across the Atlantic on some of the most technical, most powerful boats ever built - and I wanted some of it!
I very clearly remember watching the start gun go off and the boats sail off into the distance and saying to myself “you need to do this race and you need to work your ass off to get to this level.”
For the five years since that weekend, I have been focussing solely on that goal - sailing and working on, and even helping to build - Open 60s and now I have finally got the opportunity to compete in this race. For which I am very grateful.
I am under no illusions that this race will be a big step up for me not to mention the biggest race of my career so far. For that reason I am slightly anxious but I'm mostly excited, and now I can’t help but show that excitement, every time I think about the race I just can’t help smiling.
I am looking forward to racing with Alex for whom I have known for ten years, and feel privileged to be racing on such a great boat that has been such a big part of my life for the past 3 years in particular, and of course flying the flag for Hugo Boss.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Hugo Boss announce Alex and Ross to race together
Alex has announced his co skipper for the TJV on the 8 November will be his long time boat captain Ross Daniel. Alex and Ross will take part in this transatlantic race on the current IMOCA 60 HUGO BOSS, which is now up for sale following the purchase of PINDAR last week.
This is the last race that Alex will take part in on his 2007 Finot Conq Open 60, and the first IMOCA offshore race that he and Ross will compete in together. Having sailed and worked together for 8 years, and seen through 2 vendee campaigns, Ross and Alex are in a very good position to push the boat to its maximum potential.
Ross, like Alex, started his career at Clipper, then went onto skipper on their round the world race before venturing into the IMOCA class. Ross also won early accolades in his career being the youngest skipper to win the ARC in 2001 at the age of 21, and at the same time breaking the record for the crossing in 11 days.
Both Ross and Alex will leave Portsmouth on the 28th October to deliver the yacht to Le Havre for the start of the race.
This is the last race that Alex will take part in on his 2007 Finot Conq Open 60, and the first IMOCA offshore race that he and Ross will compete in together. Having sailed and worked together for 8 years, and seen through 2 vendee campaigns, Ross and Alex are in a very good position to push the boat to its maximum potential.
Ross, like Alex, started his career at Clipper, then went onto skipper on their round the world race before venturing into the IMOCA class. Ross also won early accolades in his career being the youngest skipper to win the ARC in 2001 at the age of 21, and at the same time breaking the record for the crossing in 11 days.
Both Ross and Alex will leave Portsmouth on the 28th October to deliver the yacht to Le Havre for the start of the race.
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