American Boy

Home at the end of the day photo ThMartinez/Sea&Co http://www.thmartinez.com

Well done to Bora Gulari, a popular guy and a great World Champion. He worked harder, trained longer and went quicker than anyone else. He deserved his victory and I'm sure there will be more.

I ended up 5th, just behind Dalton and in front of Rohan. I took out a few races, but unreliable starting combined with 65kg wet-through meant unless I got that right I was easily buried. Also I stacked it a couple of times when I shouldn't really have. Anyway I didn't give up and a top 5 in that company is alright.

For Mach 2 it was a very successful event.

I think it was Murray Walker the racing driver commentator who said "The lead car is absolutely unique, except for the one behind it which is identical".. That didn't quite apply to us, but to have 4 Mach 2's in the top five was fantastic and to borrow a strap line..

"There's a new champion in town..."

The Worlds I think represented a tipping point for the class. The media coverage was unprecedented and the work of the USA IMCA committee in particular Nigel Oswald, who surely has an alternative career in event management, and Charlie McKee was exceptional. "On the Water Anarchy" in the form of Alan an Merideth Block did an outstanding job and I honestly could not believe the number of spectators on the bleaches after the slalom and on the final day where there must have been a couple of hundred.

Not massive by other sports standard but for sailing, that was Woodstock.

But the most impressive thing is the quality and depth of the class. You cannot compare it to when I won in 06, its sooo different. The game has moved on and the US and AUS classes are very strong with hot sailors.

So role on Dubai, The winds are said to be lighter and it's only six months away. I will do it and please God, it would be nice, just once to go down the run and think to myself "What's the best way to get round the leeward mark?" rather than "whats the best way to get round the leeward mark without stacking it.."