Newport Harbor Sailing Foundation: Sailor Stories
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Gray Hemans at the 2020 Orange Bowl
Thank you so much for helping me race in Orange Bowl 2020. This year, I sailed as a crew for a friend of mine who lives in New York. Because of the pandemic and focusing on my studies, we weren’t able to train as much as we would like this fall. The same goes for my skipper, Amelia. This regatta was definitely a blip in my sailing results, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t do it again. Orange Bowl is a great regatta to compete in. The level of racing is high and it’s never cold. No matter how many times we sail Orange Bowl, we always learn something.
Crewing is a bit new for me in the c420, and although I may have gracefully crossed the boat, my legs developed a different color of bruise each time. Whether you are going for fun, or to compete, I still believe Orange Bowl is a great experience. The sea state, weather pattern, and the wind is foreign compared to Newport Beach, or the West Coast for that matter. Being able to sail in all kinds of wind and sea state is part of the process of being a better sailor. It helps you adapt to different environments when you are competing. I did collect a lot of bruises, and we capsized a few times, but that didn’t stop us from competing. I believe Orange Bowl is a great regatta to attend because there are so many different things you can take away. No matter how good you are, you are always learning and Orange Bowl is a great race to learn from. Our sail number is 7739.
Thank you again for your generous support. Your contributions have absolutely contributed to my sailing and potential collegiate aspirations.
Gray Hemans