Newport Harbor Sailing Foundation: Sailor Stories
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Piper Blackband at the 2021 Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta
Over the winter break, I had a great time sailing 420’s in the Orange Bowl International Regatta in Biscayne Bay, Florida. My skipper and I took 6th place overall out of 73 boats. Lots of preparation was put into the Orange Bowl between our weekly clinics and the five practice days in Florida leading up to the regatta. During these practices, I learned a lot about Florida’s wind conditions, wave patterns, and currents. The chalk talks were important and included conversations with some of the top sailors in our fleet, discussions about the wind, and words of wisdom from the coaches. The coaches did a fantastic job preparing us for the regatta with their tough love (inspiration). Doing clinics that require the same amount of focus as actual regattas and racing against some of the nation’s best sailors has improved my sailing skills so much more.
In Florida, the actual race days were my favorites! The crowded starts and having the full experience of being in such a big regatta was lots of fun. Sailing in a big fleet had its challenges but sticking through it and having an optimistic attitude kept us level-headed throughout the races. The wind conditions were great the days leading up to the regatta, but the actual regatta was a bit light.
Sailing has taught me how to be independent and that I get out of it what I put into it. Having to tow, get boats off the trailer, mast up, go sailing for 5+ hours, de-rig, mast down, and tie-down boats on the trailer, is a commitment and it drives me to want to perform well. I was really excited about our 6th place finish! I had so much fun and was so fortunate to be able to represent Newport Beach. Thank you so much for your funding and support!