PUNTALDIA: PROGRESS IN PUNISHING CONDITIONS

Next up was the first 69F EUROSAF European Championship in Puntaldia, Sarndinia. The bay delivered various conditions, from flat water and marginal foiling to huge waves and 25 knots of breeze. For this event, the team consisted of skipper Zac Blomeley stepping into the main trimming role, coach Cas van Dongen switching to helm, Hebe hemming and Sophie Otter sharing the role of flight controller, and Scipio Houtman as head coach for the week. From the get go, the aim for this event was to learn as much as possible, adapting to wavier conditions that would prepare the team for the upcoming events in Barcelona.

With the team raring to go, there were three days of practice racing for everyone to get back into the groove. The conditions that Puntaldia delivered provided exactly the training opportunity the team were looking for. Throughout the week, the consistent factor was a bigger sea state which was, for a team having mostly trained in flat conditions, ideal training for the Grand Final in Barcelona.

The team initially struggled to get to grips with these new conditions, finding it tricky to get into a rhythm with movement and the waves. However, they stayed focused, following the learning process, making time for big debriefs ashore, and spent time working towards goals with each session on the water.

Over the week there was significant progress made in the team's communication and technique. Getting the hang of handling the waves, the team had moments winning races and pushing the top end of the fleet.

The team knew that this event was going to be a tricky one. Oceana Vivo did a great job of keeping a growth mindset, taking on the learning, making progress, and maintaining focus for the important events ahead. This event was simply another ideal opportunity to line up with the fleet, develop skills, and enjoy racing the 69F.

A big thank you to 69F for another great event, to Marina Puntaldia for hosting us and allowing us to sail in a perfect place, and to the team for staying positive even when things weren't going our way. Finally, thank you to Kevin from MarkSetBot for his support in getting us to the Europeans - we're really grateful for your help!

Let's keep learning and bring on this next block in Barcelona...