Here are a few pictures from a practice day we had during the europa cup in marseille last year. The last picture is Brendan Casey I believe, it was blowing 30-35 knots with at least 5 foot swells good fun.
Brendan's coaches had him switch to the Finn because he is just too heavy for a Laser. He's probably in the middle of the boat because he's not having any trouble holding it down.
It's interesting--I met Brendan in Florida when he was Paige Railey's training partner, and he didn't seem "oversized." He's tall, maybe 6'2" ?and maybe it was really a job for him to keep his weight down.
Brendan's coaches had him switch to the Finn because he is just too heavy for a Laser. He's probably in the middle of the boat because he's not having any trouble holding it down.
It's interesting--I met Brendan in Florida when he was Paige Railey training partner, and he didn't seem "oversized." He's tall, maybe 6'2" ?and maybe it was really a job for him to keep his weight down.
In Australian conditions Brenden is the perfect size for a Laser, I think they were trying to focus the Australia team on the light wind Olympic venue of China. The other two top Australian full rig sailors Michael Blackburn and Tom Slingsby are both smaller than him.
As for the wave shot, he is just coming down it's face, so now doubt he is in the midst of body kinetic manoeuvre.
The reason Brendan is in the middle is because the waves were really steep, so the sail would depower. Also he wasnt surfing that one for long because the picture was taken at the entrance of the harbor, and if you surfed too long or let yourself be carried away by the wave you would end up against the wave break which a few boats have done it isnt pretty they usualy lose at least a mast and a sail.
On another day in that same place we were coming in at the same time as the 49ers with similar weather and one 49er couldnt get out of the surf and ended up smashed against the wave break, it was quite impressive lucky for the sailors there coach was close by in a rib and managedto pick them up before they could sustain any injuries.
Marseille is a great place to practice heavy air because in the winter a wind called the Mistral blows through and it is always at least blowing 25.
The reason Brendan is in the middle is because the waves were really steep, so the sail would depower. Also he wasnt surfing that one for long because the picture was taken at the entrance of the harbor, and if you surfed too long or let yourself be carried away by the wave you would end up against the wave break which a few boats have done it isnt pretty they usualy lose at least a mast and a sail.
On another day in that same place we were coming in at the same time as the 49ers with similar weather and one 49er couldnt get out of the surf and ended up smashed against the wave break, it was quite impressive lucky for the sailors there coach was close by in a rib and managedto pick them up before they could sustain any injuries.
Marseille is a great place to practice heavy air because in the winter a wind called the Mistral blows through and it is always at least blowing 25.
i sailed nat's in santa cruz a couple years back and it was epic, i remember being completely overpowered and out of control down wind being only 15 in 25-30. I watched andrew lewis and brenden casey duking it out downwind and it was like nothing i have ever seen. Casey's vang was off like i have mine in 15-18 now. He is a freak of nature hes so fast lol