Good news at last! The doctors have given the all clear to start training again. We sailed last weekend (9th / 10th) which went very well. I have been on half term all this week so have been doing lots of hours on the bike trying to get back to fitness. We have also been invited to attend a T.S. (Tailored Support) camp at Weymouth and Portland National sailing academy. This follows on from the Squad camp this weekend.

MW

Unfortunately we have not been competing in the 29er World Championships. Pre event training was all going well and we felt right on the pace with the other teams. On New Years Eve I started to get back stomach pains and was quite ill that night. In the following days I visited doctors and the hospital (twice), only to be told they weren’t really sure what it was. I was sent to a bigger hospital to see a specialist and after more blood test they diagnosed appendicitis. They operated in a matter of hours and found it to be perforated but managed to get it out successfully through key-hole surgery. The operation started at 11:00am (same time of the first race). I was on a course of antibiotics, pain relief and a ‘drip’ and stayed in hospital for 4 days and was only released yesterday; under strict instructions to “take it easy”. Over the 4 days I lost 5kg (11 pounds) so I am now slowly trying to put it back on. The sailing finishes tomorrow so best of luck to the remaining GBR boats. I also wanted to thank everyone who helped; with having no parents out here I had to rely on the kindness of the other GBR parents, so thanks again!

MW

On the weekend 3rd-4th of November, Ollie and I traveled to Grafham Water for the 29er Inland Championships. A huge turn out of nearly 60 boats (including 6 French teams) were met by very light winds. The conditions were difficult and unpredictable, especially with such a large fleet of boats on the start line. We completed 3 light wind races on Saturday and were met by no wind at all on Sunday. Disappointingly, this meant the racing was cancelled and we were not able to improve our overall position.

MW

Mike and Ollie have just finished their first ‘Tailored Support’ camp together. The camp at Hayling Island Sailing club lasted 4 days was very successful. T.S. is organised by the RYA to give the top few boats in each squad some extra training. But it is not all on the water; a lot of the training is done in the class room with workshops from sports psychologists. Fitness is also a major emphasis with specialist tips from the physio’s and lots of work in the gym.

MW

Mike traveled from Llandudno straight after racing had finished on the
Friday evening and slept at Stansted airport before getting an early
flight and arriving at Lake Garda on the Saturday afternoon for the
Topper World Championships. After 5 days of tight competition in
challenging conditions Mike was confirmed as Topper World Champion 2007.

In May 2007 at the Topper Inland Championships Mike came second out of 300 boats by just one point. This was to be his penultimate Topper event, as the RYA asked him to sail the 29er with experienced crew Peter Perera, and together they set out an ambitious campaign in this boat which would take them to a second place in The German Youth Championships at Flensburg. This was followed by a creditable 20th place at the 29er European Championships in Sweden and then back to Llandudno for the 29er Nationals where Mike achieved 12th place from 56 boats.