By
Doug
We've looked at starting with Olympic Gold
Medalist Paul Goodison and multiple-class world champion Mark Bethwaite. We now look at someone who has
done both - Paul Foerster's Olympic Gold in 470s and world championships in FDs, J22s, and
Sunfish.
This was at Rush Creek Yacht Club in
Dallas just after one of my vision procedures. I was unable to sail, so I ran a
few practice races in the harbor. Paul had recently won the Fish worlds and
I was able to video one of his starting techniques. It had three steps: get the
big picture, get speed, and then squirt off the line.
It's good to see the jump that Paul has right off the line. This is harder than it looks because a Fish does not have a Laser's rounded hull. Bearing off and then squirting in a Laser should be easier.
I just wonder if he is breaking rule 42??
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a single pump called a violation of rule 42. It's just the same as the pump coming out of a roll-tack.
DeleteIt just seems he does it twice, once to build up speed and then when squirting- I just want to be sure before copying :)
ReplyDeleteI do not think a judge would have a problem with any of these starts. They tend to look for repetition which I did not see. If you copy Paul, you'll be a very clean (and fast) sailor.
DeletePaul F has sail number 78783
ReplyDeleteMy impressions
Start 1: wins the pin and is off with speed; nice
Start 2: Double pump, may be illegal and OCS, I think
Start 3: Double pump
Start 4: Very nice
Of course, starting with less than ten Sunfishes on a reasonably long line is no comparison to a world level Laser start with 50 or more top competitors.
Wavedancer
And of course practicing with friends in a harbor on a cold winter morning will never be the same as a world level event with judges, media, confusion, etc.
DeleteSailing is not a good spectator sport and it's hard seeing how the best get their early advantage. I like this video because it's a rare look at a world-class sailor at the top of his game.
Agreed; and thanks for the video.
DeleteIt is instructive.
Wavedancer