The 2020 International 14 Foot Skiff World Championship was held January 2-10 in Perth, Australia. The Swan River in Perth is known for its flat water and strong breezes, which provide ideal conditions for skiff sailing. We were extremely fortunate to see these amazing conditions during our week of racing.
I sailed with a local skiff sailor, Scott Cole, for this event and we managed to pull off a fairly successful regatta for having limited time sailing together. Scotts sailing experience and local knowledge was a key factor in our success. We had our ups and downs over the long week of racing, but overall we were satisfied. During the practice days we had a couple minor and one major breakdown. On a windy practice day we went out, made it to the race course and then heard an awful cracking noise. Once on land we discovered that our mast step had been crushed! Luckily, my local crew had mates nearby with a shipyard that replaced the composite mast step with a sturdy stainless steel one in less than an hour!
After a couple stressful days and many of swims we had arrived to the Invitation Race (practice race) for the 2020 World Championships. It was a “normal day” on the Swan River at twenty-four knots with large gusts. Only half of the fleet was on the starting line, and fewer and fewer around the track. We managed to get around the difficult race course in the top ten and were looking forward to the actually racing to begin.
Over the week of racing we had some brilliant moments, breakdowns, silly moments, laughs, frustrations, unnecessary swims, and some of the best rides of my life! We managed to hover around twentieth place over the week in the seventy boat fleet, which is where we aimed to be, however we knew we were capable of more.
We finished twenty-fourth overall and placed me as the highest placing American skipper and finisher. I am very pleased to have this finish as I have always looked up to some of the great sailors we have in our fleet and I am thrilled to be able to compete near the front with them.
I would like to thank the San Diego Yacht Club Competition Fund for the continued support throughout my sailing career, as I would not be able to make these events happen without your
support. It is an honor to represent the San Diego Yacht Club in such high caliber events and to represent the club well.
Whenever I travel to events representing SDYC I am always complimented on what a great yacht club we have and what great sailing we have. We are lucky to have such an amazing place to call home and I am honored to have the support of our great club. With your support I have been able to accomplish great things in the sailing community for women and sailors of all ages. I currently rank as Australian Women’s I14 Nationals Champion two years in a row, Women’s 18 Foot Skiff World Champion, Women’s 18 Foot Skiff European Champion, and Women’s I14 National Champion four times past, top American I14 Skipper in the 2020 World Championships, skipper and coordinator of the first all women’s team to attend the 18 Foot World Championship, and much more thanks to your support.
Over the years I have been able to inspire women, youth, and various other sailors to take a further step in their sailing career. I take great pride in giving back and helping others get into boats they didn’t think they could sail. While I was in Europe I was asked to take a group of girls out 18 sailing that have been following my career over the last few years. In Australia I mentored a few girls to start I14 sailing, and because of that they were able to attend Worlds. Again, thanks to your support I am able to help sailors get into boats that they didn’t think they were capable of sailing.
I truly cannot thank you enough for your support over the years, as it has helped me share the love of sailing and compete at the top level of our sport.