Summer Snapshot: Cork OCR

Today I wrote my third midterm out of four and having to hit the books really makes me wish for my summer back, and so here’s another ‘what I did this summer’ catch up!

After Canada Games wrapped up, I headed home to Toronto for the weekend and then it was right back to Kingston to compete at CORK OCR, the first half of our Canadian Sailing Team qualifiers – the second half being Miami OCR at the end of January. Once arrived in Kingston, I got out on the water with coach Chris Cook, some of the CST girls and the other identified athletes for a couple days of solid Kingston training before the regatta.

Having just finished up the Games in the shifty, puffy conditions of Magog, I was looking forward to the steady, consistent breeze of Kingston and being able to stretch my legs a bit. Much to everyone’s surprise, the first three days of the regatta were not the classic Kingston thermal and due to various weather systems in the area, we ended up racing in light, variable breeze. We also sailed the first couple days just off the Portsmouth Harbour pier, so that also provided some plot twists, as we didn’t have the normal Kingston lefty.

After those first couple of days though, we moved back out to the middle of the river and the wind picked up. For the rest of the regatta we had increasing winds everyday, which meant hard work for everyone. We were sailing 3 lap races, something that was new to most of us, which meant slightly shorter upwinds, more time for gains (or loses - but I’m a cup half full kind of person), and lots and lots of hiking. There was quite a lot of mental prep required before you rounded that last leeward mark to brace yourself for the pain of that last upwind!

All in all, it was a tough regatta, requiring all of the sailors to change gears halfway through kept us all on our toes. There were lots of learning experiences, and I personally had a breakthrough when it came to pushing myself when I thought I had nothing left. This breakthrough helped lead to some results that I am very proud of, and have set myself up in a good position heading into the winter season and Miami OCR. I look forward to sailing in everything Kingston has to offer for many years to come – it is probably one of my favourite racing venues.

But now, it’s back to the books with one more midterm to go. Wish me luck!