GORDON COOK - Sailing

Perth International Regatta

We've finally arrived in Fremantle to get ready to the Perth International Regatta, and check out the venue for the 2011 ISAF worlds next December. We may have to wait a few days for the sunshine and the famous Fremantle 'Doctor' to come for a visit, but we have our boats out of the container and are able to sail everyday.

The conditions here are rough. The water off the coast is quite shallow, so the waves get steep very quickly. Today there was moderate on shore wind, but we came close to pitchpoleing the boat several times.

There are about thirty 49ers here training. While this fleet is much smaller than the fleets we raced with in Europe, all the best teams are here, and I'm sure it will be close racing for the podium next week.

With this update I would like to give a huge thank you to the Canadian Athletes Now Fund. This is the end of the sailing season, and it is very likely that without help from the Fund and the companies that keep it going we'd be stuck going to the gym and waiting for warmer weather back in Toronto and Vancouver.

I hope will have more to write about Fremantle over the next three weeks. The racing will start on November 16th and we'll keep training and getting used to the conditions here for for a week after the event.    Further updates and photos will go up at www.sail49er.ca

Hope to see you on the water in Miami.

Regards,
Gordon