Two positives and a negative

Leaving home is always bittersweet, but a new sailing adventure is calling, and I am on my way!

After a relatively smooth journey, although I nearly missed my first flight due to a slow check-in, I made it to Palma de Mallorca. After the cancellation of this event for two years due to COVID, this was a new venue for me, and I had heard nothing but great things about the sailing and the island itself. However, the new day didn’t quite live up to expectations, bringing cold winds and weather, and not the warm greeting I was hoping for.

Unfortunately, a few days after arriving in Palma, my partner fell ill with COVID. So it was inevitable that I would eventually test positive. I had hoped to avoid it for a bit longer, butfour days later and a few nights sleeping on the couch, I tested positive.

Luckily for me, I only contracted a mild case with symptoms of a runny nose, fatigue and headaches. However, we were advised to pull back from training and pre-regatta preparation; negative number one.

A few days later, I felt better and was given clearance to sail; my first positive for the trip.Fortunately, in Spain, they have just scrapped quarantine requirements for people with mild to moderate symptoms and are moving forward to treat the virus like the flu. I was, of course, socially distancing and making sure not to approach or affect any other sailors preparation or competition.

Due to my self-isolation, I missed the arrival of my new boat! I felt it necessary to give it a French name with the forthcoming Olympics in Paris. Welcome to the world, C’est la Vie!

The regatta itself was incredibly challenging. Day one consisted of sitting on the water for 6 hours in 30 knots to complete only one race. Oh, and did I mention it was 10 degrees! I have never been colder in my entire life. Fortunately, with a recommendation from my nutritionist, I had taken a coffee thermos on the water. I had never appreciated something so much!

I managed to put together a really good regatta and finished 10th in the first World Cup of the year. I even managed to slip into the medal race, my first international medal race, coming away with a 4^th place! I am pleased with my consistency and resilience in this regatta and felt like all the pieces fell together. One of my goals for the event was to have fun and finish the regatta wanting to do it again. I can say that I achieved that, and each day was enjoyable, even though it was tough; positive number two.

The day after the medal race, I was sore, tired, and ready for a big sleep-in. However, we can’t always get what we want! In classic sailor fashion, once the hard work is done, you move somewhere else and do a different kind of hard work.

This time we were off to Port de Pollenca, on the other side of Palma. We stayed here for nine days, and while I was ready to kick my feet up, they were inadvertently put into cycling shoes instead.

Palma is one of the best places for cycling, and it knows it. We certainly had some magnificent rides and beautiful weather for the Easter Holiday.

AST sailor Luke Elliott (my partner) and I journeyed on a lovely 60km loop along the coastline with just under 2,000m of climbing. Silly enough, we parked the car on top of the last hill, and I think I saw someone walk faster than I was riding! Happily, there was asmall family-run cafe in Galilea that rewarded us with some of the best food I have ever eaten. Fresh and simple, I recommend this restaurant to anyone that visits Mallorca. The cafe is called Cafe Sa Placa de Galilea, and believe me, you cannot go wrong.