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(Photo
Courtesy: Andrea Francolini)
Competitors
do not seem too worried, all looked relaxed. "I don't
mind waiting," said Simon Grotelüschen from Germany.
"You get used to this at regattas; it is a normal part
of sailing life. It doesn't make us nervous," he said.
The lone Singapore entry, Seng Leong Koh, spent the spare
time acquainting a small group of sailors with Chinese
culture and traditions.
"This is a big deal for me today. It is the start of
Chinese New Year," says Koh hoping the Chinese New Year
may help him qualify Singapore for the Olympic Games in
Beijing.
"It goes for three days. Married men must give money
to single men. I am waiting for my coach (Australian Brett
Beyer) to hand me a packet of red money. "Where is my
money," he questions Beyer, a top Laser sailor himself.
"He feels deprived because I won't hand over money,
which must be wrapped in red paper," respond Beyer,
laughing.
"He is teaching the other sailors here all about
Chinese tradition - it's taking all their minds off the
start delay," adds Beyer.
Andrew Lewis from Trinidad is also hoping to qualify for
the Olympic Games and like Koh, is the lone competitor from
his country.
"I have to qualify here," says the 18 year-old.
"I think I can do it." A big call for the former
Laser Radial sailor who has only sailed in the Laser
Standard for the last four months. A bigger call considering
he is 10 kilos under the average Laser sailor's weight.
"I have been training here at Terrigal for eight
days and I did a lot of training in Sydney. I am better in
light winds because I am light, but I am happy to sail in
all conditions," he says.
Lewis is up against 25 others for the last 10 Olympic
qualifying places. Fernando Alegre, his coach, says: "I
have coached Andrew since he sailed Optimists. He is a very
good sailor. He knows who he has to beat at the World's, and
knows he just has to do his best against the others."
"I cannot control what my competition does, so I
just have to look out for myself," says a confident
Lewis, who is a four-time Caribbean Dinghy champion. "I
am only 18, so there are many opportunities in front of
me," he adds. |
