CHESTERMERE – Six members of the Calgary Yacht Club, which is of course based out of Chestermere, are headed overseas this March to compete in the 2012 Laser Masters Worlds in Brisbane, Australia.
Four of the members, Lesley and Stephen Reichenfeld, Phil Paxton and Dave Elliot are from Chestermere, with additional CYC members Thom Stubbs, Bill Mulloy and Richard Quinlan also making the journey. The CYC will have the largest representation from any single club in North America.
The group has been getting together to train twice a week at the Athlete Factory in Calgary, doing everything from weights to cardio training. Lesley Reichenfeld said that it is their first time ever doing group training, and that it will benefit them because they are focusing on the specific muscles they need to use when sailing.
She said that the training is also especially important to them, as they haven’t sailed since they competed in San Francisco in the fall.
“We’re at a bit of a disadvantage because we haven’t actually been able to sail,” she said. “Most of the people we’re going up against get to sail year round.”
Reichenfeld said that some of the members are going to Mexico a week and a half before the competition to get back in the water, while she will have just a day to get in the water and practice in Australia before the actual competition starts.
Reichenfeld said that they are all excited about being able to sail in a totally different place, and to be able to experience racing in warm water.
She said that although they are heading to the competition as a team, sailing is truly an individual sport, so everyone has set different goals for themselves. As for herself, she said that she simply hopes to keep the boat upright and see how she “stacks up” against the competition.
Reichenfeld competed in the Laser Masters World Championship in San Francisco this past August, where she won her category, the women’s Radial Grand Masters.
She raced 12 races in six days and said that it was the biggest race she had ever competed in, having only taken up sailing five years ago.
However, some of the top competitors she will face in Australia weren’t present in San Francisco, so she is anxious to see if her competitive edge will carry her through this competition, and if she can give the Aussie women a run for their money on their home waters.
“We hope all of our hard work in training pays off,” she said. “We’re all really excited to get there and compete.”
