I am so thankful for the competition fund for making it possible for me to participate in the LOCR! Lauderdale Yacht Club was very accommodating, and put on a great event. This was my first away regatta where I was on my own without my parents, and I learned so much about the nuances of traveling. I trained with the Lauderdale team for a few weeks before the event, and the venue was very different from back home. It took a whole different skill set to sail through large waves and variable, puffy/shifty wind. I met so many people and made a lot of new friends, and it was also cool to spend time with my teammates, Oscar Parzen and Devin Owen.