In three weeks time the ICF Ocean Racing World Championships will be over. We have already started to welcome international contestants in Durban.
We will be using this WhatsApp group as the primary source of information. All posts on this group will also be reflected on the event website.
From today, you will be receiving daily messages to keep you up to date with the preparation for the event, as well as advice on how to make your event as successful and enjoyable as possible.
The first pearl of wisdom will be a safety tip. By far the most emergency callouts for rescues, involving ocean paddlers, come from individuals who have fallen out and cannot get back onto their ski’s. This basic skill is absolutely essential for your own safety, and can be learnt and practised in a short space of time.
Please do not consider lining up at the start of the world championships if you do not have the ability to remount your ski, from both sides, in downwind conditions. As fit and strong as you may be, you only have a handful of attempts at remounting before you are exhausted.
So, please use the next couple of weeks to practise this skill continuously. Don’t discover that you have run out of talent when you need it the most. More to follow tomorrow.