What chance do we have in the worlds?.....

S

Sunray

New Member
This post is STILL 'pre-first-laser purchase', however I was thinking about this the other night....(seriously, this IS a ramble--but any thoughts would be entertaining)

I'm in South Florida, and can pretty much sail all year round.

If I practice and get some help/tips and, like I have, studied a few DVD'S and read a couple of racing books devoted to the Laser..how would I be able to compete, realistically, at a national or even 'Olympic' level"?

I am getting into Laser racing for the fun, competition, and comraderie that comes with doing something you love...but I would LOVE to get to a high level....

However.....

I was reading, the other day, about some guy way up in the rankings and he was briefly touching on his schedule...I paraphrase....."Well", he said.." I make sure I eat 4 or 5 small meals a day..lots of carbs with some protien..... I go out on the water for 3 hours a day, 5 days each week...after each water session I take a break, then a 2 hour workout at the gym"...

HOLY COW!!!!! I have to do THAT (and more) to beat this guy??? Kudos to the folks that win the nationals and the Olympics...I suppose if a company were to pay me $50,000 a year just for me to make an Olympic 'cut', I would take it...but really..how can we all get there without a humoungous sacrifice!!

It's almost like it is not a contest to see who is the best Laser racer, but a contest between the few who get sponsorships to be ABLE to devote all their time to achieving this goal.

I'm stating the obvious, of course. There are not too many athletes who just walk off the farm with an amazing amount of talent and win championships....and if they DID, they probably had parents that made them do whatever it is they do many hours each day...

I AM rambling..I WILL try to practice and sail as much as possible (twice a week??) I WILL try to eat lean cuts of chicken and refrain from drinking too much beer (sob!)...and I promise to try to do more than 20 crunches at a time...

Meanwhile, any companies interested in sponsoring me for my campaign for the London 2012 Olympics, I can be reached at................
 
as you said the people who are competing at the international level and olympic level commit almost there whole life to sailing and to reach there goal. and most if not all people you see at the top of the international rankings have been competing since they were little in opti's or teenagers. it also takes alot and i mean alot of money to have a successful olympic campaign.
 
I hope you do take up Lasering. I believe all people would benefit from sailing something and a Laser is a great choice for all who can handle them.

I also hope you do not need to be able to think you will eventually win before you will come play with us. The top of any sport is mighty hard to reach, first you need to enjoy the game, then get good, then better then great. sailing is no different. I bet you would enjoy it and the rest would follow..

For me, the "highest level" is approaching a mark while jockying for position with a half dozen boats. The competitive high from those roundings is just as super at the middle as near the front or the back end of the fleet.
The great thing about a Laser is:
I can at my ripe old age (four times as long on the planet as the writer above me) go out and compete with him and have no idea who will win.

This sport may require special conditioning but unlike most sports I can play at full speed with anyone who can make it around the course and nobody will be hurt or killed as a result of the contest.
Lasers allow tricky old farts and lightweight competent kids to occasionally whump on our very best super conditioned competitors.

I think it all amounts to realistic expectations. There is somebody great doing almost everything. The top end of every sport is super hard to find.

Laser sailors often play the game with 100 boats all in one start.

In Laser sailing we all get to share the starting line with the best....Then we sail the rest of the race with our competitors.

For me, with my inconsistent style, competitors can be beside me at the front or back of any given race and I can only find out how I will do and who I will play with by starting another race.

I think that is pretty cool and suggest you try it...over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over

"Over" is a wierd word when you look at it too many times
 
Just buy the boat and see how far you can go. I just went to the worlds as BOF person but I still learnt lots and had a great time. All the girls in the gold fleet and most in the silver are full time sailors and had already been to at least 5 major events this year (I am not!). Paige and Anna both put hundreds of hours in the gym and on the water to get where they are today. It is worth reading the personal websites of the top 5 sailors - not just the US ones. It is slightly intimidating being at a regatta with people that are that good but they are all down to earth nice people and will help you.

Go and watch the kids sail at the orange bowl and then everyone from the kids to the masters at the mid winters and you will see this boat is truly for everyone - no matter how good or bad you are it is about having fun.
 
Sunray said:
...
1:
If I practice and get some help/tips and, like I have, studied a few DVD'S and read a couple of racing books devoted to the Laser..how would I be able to compete, realistically, at a national or even 'Olympic' level"?

2:
I am getting into Laser racing for the fun, competition, and comraderie that comes with doing something you love...but I would LOVE to get to a high level....

...
Click to expand...
Hi,

My-Answer to 1:

From what I know, it is a long way to get to the Olympic level. This usually means 200+ days on the water during a year. Doing a lot in gymnastics, diet eating, intensive study and practice (on the water with coaches and other competitors) of racing strategy and racing tacktics. Working hard on self-confidence (probably with a psychologist). The Laserclass of our days is known as the class with the best helmsmen (and helmswomen). The Top 50 pro-Sailors of our class have nearly the same level of sailing. Most of them have sponsors that allow them to 130%-live-for-their-sport.


My-Answer to 2:
Who not would love to get onto a high level.... :D
My experience is, that the fun brings you into this sport. Aft some time of being introduced to a l l the lovely a n d tricky sides of the Laser-dinghy, the success in racing on regional level will come.

The former owner of my 46438 (was a beginner in sailing) thought it is allways easy with the Laser. He sailed her some days in winds and waves that have been to much for a beginner in the Laser and he lost fun forever to sail the 46438. For 5 Years the boat has not been sailed and she was stored in a carport. Because his wife needed the carport, where 46438 was stored, he sold 46438 to me. As a sailor that first sailed Laser-standard in 1975, I began sailing 46438 like the cowboys of Texas teach a wild-horse that rides the first time.... 46438 survived and me too... Now, aft 2 seasons, I'm back on a level to start master races at 2006. I guess, next year in the beginning of the season, I will see the racing-fleet from the back side... But, I learnt racing during more than ten years in several classes in the 70ties. Hard work on the water and all the other (see No "1:") hopefully will bring me to the first 1/3 of racingfleets in national ranking-list-races here during the next years. I will see....
This desribed way, I think, a lot of Laserites (no matter if young or old) have walked. Maybe you also, good success.

Most important is: to save the personal-fun with sailing (competitive) the Laser and the rest will come as the time goes by.

I never forget the promotion-words (from a big sticker) of the first years of Laser-sailing: :) "Laser Sailors Have More Fun" :)

Ciao
LooserLu
 
Campaigning a laser at that level is not the norm. The sponsorships are usually reserved for those truely talented and skilled. Not saying not to try just a little taste of reality before you quite school and run of to be a pro sailor. :)

-K
 
The global competition raises the bar for everyone.

Most of us will never get close to that level, but most of us are just fine with that.

as the Guv said, sometimes even mid-fleet in a good group is as fun as winning races.

The Laser is an amazing boat in the amount of fun it provides, so if you do want to win Worlds, it's going to take a lot of $$ and dedication.

If you want to race at the club, it takes one evening a week. It's up to you, and it's all possible in the Laser!
 
Well, this is my first post in the forum (I usually only read); but I find this quite encouraging for someone who wants to race like you:

Current world's number two Diego Romero (he was second at Fortaleza after Scheidt); started sailing at the age of 13. Sailed about a year and quitted. When he was 19, he began to sail again. And that was when he first got into a laser. So he started being pretty "old" as you can see.
However, he got where he's now; and having a budget of about 1/7 th of any other top sailor's.

So, my point of view is that if you want to race with the big guys, just go for it. You'll have to work hard. It won't be any easy; but nothing's impossible. Most of your chances of succeed depend on how seriously you want to take all this, and how many sacrifices would you do to get there.

Best regards, and please excuse me for my bad english.
 
WOW!!! I didn't expect so many responses!

You ALL know I was just playing a bit of the 'devils advocate', in a sense...I love sailing and even tho it has been 25 years since I was in a sailboat, I really intend to devote a lot of time to Laser sailing.

I have a hitch-installation for my Element next week...then I'll shop for a trailer then...a Laser.....I am really excited about it. There does not seem to be TOO much action (in the way of Laserites in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area), so maybe I'll see if I can organise a few small events to move things along.

Thanks so much for your responses and somewhat sage advice.....

Ray
 
What do you mean you missed the biscayne bay yacht racing association series for lasers and you also missed the Treasure coast laser series. but unfortunatley there is more for junior sailors like me than older guys
 
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