Nomadic lifestyle

There is something very nomadic about being an elite athlete, and I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of living out of a suitcase, but I have a great appreciation for where the events take us and the places we get to see. However, at the end of the day, nothing feels better than returning home after a long time away. After three-plus months of travel, which felt like a blink of an eye for me, but a lifetime for others, I finally made it home. 

We were heading on a long journey down to Lake Garda the last time I left you. We were driving in a slightly too small car, with a trailer that was a bit too big, and after being overtaken by truck after truck, we made it to Lago di Garda.

Italian summer by a lake is something that cannot be described but must be experienced, and every time I go, I fall more in love with it. However, nothing lasts forever, and after two concise weeks of riding, eating and exploring, it was back to work. This time we were heading to a new destination; Marseille, France, home of the 2024 Olympics Games.

I had heard some interesting things about Marseille, including not being a place to walk alone at night. However, we stayed a bit out of the city, which was very enjoyable. The morning ritual consisted of going to the Boulangerie and fighting the locals for the freshest baguettes or croissants, and we were often successful.  

But the real reason we were here was, of course, for sailing, and it had its challenges. First, it was scorching hot, and I consumed more icy poles in those three weeks than I did in my entire childhood. Secondly, not even jumping in the water could cool you down as the water temperature was around 25 degrees. Apart from the heat, it was a great camp and time well spent learning about the venue and getting familiar with it. 

Our time in Marseille consisted of three weeks of training and a Coach’s Regatta. We had a variety of conditions, all that we will potentially experience during the Olympics and also at the Test Event next year. It will be tough going, as there are only limited spots per country. However, let’s focus on one step at a time! 

After finishing the camp in Marseille and running out of days on my Schengen Visa, it was time to return home to some cooler weather. This break was exactly what I needed. After a long year of jam-packed sailing, it’s nice to be a bit more of a landlubber. It was fun to see friends, chill with Mum and Dad and go to all the local spots at home! Unfortunately, it is always short-lived. Another camp in Sydney and Brisbane was scheduled for the last part of my pre-worlds training, so it was back into the suitcase again!

At the end of September, I will fly to Houston, Texas, for the ILCA 6 World Championships. The closer it gets, the more exciting it is. I have had a great year, learnt lots and am night and day from the athlete I was just twelve months ago. So, I am going in free and putting my foot to the floor! Please send me all your positive vibes, but I think it’ll be a hell of a time, and of course, everything is bigger and better in Texas, right? Yeehaw! 🤠

Finally, I would love to give a big shout-out to Frasers Property, who has supported my sailing career for many years. On my return home, they committed to supporting me all the way to Paris 2024. I cannot tell you how much this means. Without their support and that of the Ron Tough Foundation and WAIS, doing this sport and campaigning would be impossible. 

Frasers Property and Port Coogee, my beautiful home community, is currently promoting Sustainable September with a Meatless Monday campaign. Needless to say, I’m all for being sustainably aware and healthier! With increasing food prices, some extra veggies on your plate can go a long way! So send in your pics and recipes of what a ‘Meatless Monday’ looks like at your home to Port Coogee’s facebook page and go in the running to win $100 meatless voucher!

Promise it won’t be so long between blogs next time!