Diary
August 17, 2007
Dean Brenner
Team Leader, Chairman of the US Olympic Sailing Program
Another day in Qingdao, and more light air. We had our worst wind day of the event thus far, and there was no racing at all today. All classes cancelled. Team USA had a lot more time on shore today, as did all our competitors. But the race managers made a good decision to postpone on shore, where the athletes could find refuge from the sun and heat, rather than on the water.
It was clear early in the day that racing was unlikely, but our entire team went through our morning routine as scheduled. What’s that routine look like? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Our days start off with some exercise for most of us. We have some gym rats, some runners and some swimmers. And we have a few who like to stay in bed and catch some final winks of sleep. But many members of Team USA are up early, getting the blood and the sweat flowing.
You’ll bump into most members of Team USA in the restaurant for the buffet breakfast between 7 and 9. Our hotel does a great job providing a variety of foods, including a lot of western options. Some of the translated names are interesting and humorous, but the food is good.
Then it’s time to head down to the venue. We have buses running from the hotel to the venue every half hour between 9 and 11. Head Coach Gary Bodie and I are always on the 9:00 bus, with some other members of our team. But most of the sailors are on the 10 or 10:30 bus. Gary and I have a few routines in the morning, highlighted by the 10am Team Leader meeting, where we hear from regatta organizers and race management, telling us what we can expect that day.
Eventually, all of Team USA gathers under the tent near our container for our 10:45 weather briefing from Jennifer Lilly. Our entire coaching staff and some of the athletes are there to hear about the day’s expected weather, and to hear from Gary any important information from the Team Leader meeting. At the same time, several of our athletes are getting morning treatment from Shawn Hunt and Mark Kenna, our Performance Enhancement Team, for muscle soreness or any aches and pains they are feeling.
Once our team’s morning briefing is done, boats get rigged, coaches prep their coach boats, and everyone heads out on the water for the typical 1 pm start. But on a day like today, the day stalls once the meeting ends and the boats are rigged. The postponement flags were flying, so… we wait… and wait… and wait.
Today we hung around the venue until racing was cancelled around 4pm. What did we do during that time? Some people napped. Some read their book. Some talked sailing. Some just talked. And everyone stayed out of the sun and the heat.
That’s all for now. We’ll write more soon. In the meantime, please make sure to follow along with the event at www.ussailing.org/olympics/qingdao/qingdao.htm.
Sail fast,
Dean Brenner Chairman, US Olympic Sailing Program Team Leader, 2007 Olympic Test Event