Well in Garda I felt a bit light (in the strong winds) and in Lugano I felt a bit heavy (in the light winds). So I guess I am just a bit rusty.

It was nice to get on the podium for the first time this year in Lugano. In Le Havre I managed one better and it was a nice feeling to win my first regatta of 2013.

Having experienced strong wind and light wind but with no tide, it was time for tide: Le Havre had a seven metre range, so I have certainly had a range of experiences.

 

I am now back in the UK to race at the Radial Qualifier in Hayling Island to hopefully secure myself a place for the Radial World Championship. The good thing about the UKLA qualifier system is it is a first past the post system, you have to turn up, whoever you are.

I feel that a break was absolutely what I needed to recover mentally as much as anything.

My father died from Motor Neurone Disease last year shortly after the Worlds. It was as if he waited for me to come back from Germany, so I could say I loved him one final time before he passed away.

He actually died on his 42nd wedding anniversary but I had no time to grieve, I buried his ashes just over a week afterwards on his birthday on Imberhorne Farm (where I grew up and he farmed for 50 odd years) in a special wood he planted to mark the Millennium, and placed a red chestnut tree over the top. I just wished he had had the opportunity to see Lijia Xu's Olympic Gold medal.

 

The very next day I was back on the water with Xu, I wanted to do everything humanly possible to give her the best chance of the Olympic Gold medal, and I know it is what my Father would have wanted me to do.

So since the Olympics I have had some quiet time, with friends and family and most importantly my Mum whom I took on holiday, just the two of us.

 

Now the desire to get back on the Olympic circuit is slowly coming back. The day after Hayling Island I am straight back on a plane, heading back out to France again, this time to Hyeres World Cup event to start working with Xu for the first time since the Olympics.

Everything is all packed and ready to go. A new radio (Icom D91 which is noise cancelling and has GPS),  waterproof video camera (Panasonic TS 5) which also takes excellent pictures, life jacket (Spinlock deck vest) and most importantly of all, jacket and trousers to keep me nice and warm. I feel I am properly kitted out for the season!