Athens Training

We had a great day today. After taking the day off from sailing yesterday, we hit the gym for two hours this morning…chest and back with the standard ab workout. Then home for a big breakfast. I make myself a ham and cheese omelet with 3 egg whites and one complete egg. Plus I have a protein shake with fruit, yogurt, etc. Before I went to the gym I had a bowl of cereal, cup of coffee, banana and glass of OJ. Then I ate two chicken breasts for lunch around 13:00. I put a lot of food down the hatch before mid day.

We got down to the boat around 13:00. The wind was very light. Often between 12:00 and 14:00 there is little wind as it transitions from whatever it was in the morning to the seabreeze in the afternoon. Today the seabreeze filled in at 5 knots around 14:00 and then we had a nice 10 knots breeze by 1600.

We raced with Hagen (GER), Neeleman (NED), Percy (GBR), MacDonnald (CAN), Beashal (AUS). We raced on a short course about 1 mile up and back and did that about 6 times. We had a practice start and then the start for the race each time. So 12 starts and 6 races. All in about 2 hours. Very good training for placement off the line and boat handling. When the course is so short the boat get to the windward mark all at the same time and placement relative to the fleet is key to being first or sixth.

We won the first race and generally had a good day. We had good speed up and downwind. Austin Sperry our coach took a lot of picture and video film that we are now reviewing.

I cooked dinner tonight. Steaks on the bar-b-q on the balcony with salad and watermelon for desert. We take notes on the weather each day and send that to our meteorologist, Chris Bedford. All the US sailors give feedback to Chris so that the whole US team can try to learn from the sailing here over the next month.

I will make my notes on the rig and sails that we used today and how we went. Then hit the sack and start all over again. Aerobic workout tomorrow as we hit the weights two days in a row. Probably some sprints tomorrow.

Andy Lovell, who finished second in the US trials is arriving tomorrow and will spend two weeks training with me. Mark Reynolds, 2000 gold medallist will arrive Friday for 10 days. So we will have a full two boat program for two week with either Mark or Andy in the coach boat. Austin will crew in the second boat. We are very lucky to have these great sailors come over and help us out.

I think we are going to make some good progress from here to the beginning of August. It is a big effort because of the amount of sailing and the heat. A lot of our competitors left and went home after the Greek nationals. But I think we need to put some time in to up our game. Then we will take break in August before the games so we are not burned to a crisp

Paul Cayard