Helena Lucas

2008 PARALYMPIC EXPERIENCE

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:35:14 GMT

I am sitting in my room in the village in Beijing, reflecting over events that have happened in the last month. It seems like years ago that we arrived in Qingdao full of confidence and determination to follow in the footsteps of the Olympic team. We certainly had a few curve balls thrown at us along the way, but checked in to the village in high spirits and full of anticipation for the start of the regatta.
I knew things were going to be tough in the 2.4mR, being such a competitive fleet and everyone ramping up their training in the months before. Unfortunately my training had not gone quite according to plan due to some issues with the boat, but I went out for the first race with the confidence, if I sailed well I would be in the medals.

It was a tough week, with such close racing that one mistake could cost you 5 places not the normal one or two. It was also evident that some of the other countries initially not considered to be in the medal zone had really raised their Game and were very much in the mix.

All week I stayed within contention of the medals and still had a good chance going into the last day. Unfortunately it did not go my way. However I am really pleased for Paul Tingley from Canda who won Gold putting in a fantastic performance on the water and John Ruff from the USA who won the Bronze. Both sailors rose to the occasion and probably sailed the best regattas of their lives. Damien Seguin from France just clinched the silver in the last race.

It has taken a few days for the disappointment to really sink in as we have been so busy, but I must admit it’s hard now that I am in Beijing reunited with the rest of the British Paralympic team who have had a great Games and know that I did not manage to contribute to it. But I have learnt some valuable lessons from my experience in China which I will certainly take with me to 2012 where hopefully I will be standing on the podium in front of my home crowd!

MEASUREMENT DONE!

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:52:00 GMT

We got through measurement safe and sound yesteday with no hiccups, which was a relief as it was a very thourough measurement this time. Today we finished off afew jobs on the boat and got out for a few hours sailing this afternoon.
Tomorrow will be nuch of the same with hopefully a bit of racing against the foreigners.

6 DAYS TO GO

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:12:00 GMT

It seems like an age since we stepped off the plane at Qingdao airport to our phones beeping with Kirsty’s text that the Star boys had won Gold!
We timed our arrival on the 21st of August to perfection, just in time for the big team GBR Party. It seemed to do the trick with getting over the jet lag and we spent the next couple of days catching up with everyone and congratulating them on such a great performance.
But it was soon down to business when they disappeared off to Beijing for the closing ceremony. After a long day in the dinghy park we all met up in the Sea View Gardens hotel to get a glimpse of the Olympic team on TV and watch Beckham kick his ball atop a Red London Bus.
The next couple of days were spent down at Yinhai marina, sometimes in the compound some times not, depending on whether the manager refused the British team entry or not over a minor financial matter. Adam and I spent a morning on the picket line planning the worst case scenario of a possible night raid to get our boats out, luckily it never amounted to that and the problem was solved
Since then its been productive days on the water and trying out the new lycra sailing fashion. The lycra leggings have been a huge hit with Sonar Steve who passed the comment “why do I always look like a gimp at the Paralympics”
Adam and I had been fortunate enough to be able use Annie Lush for a few days. Annie had come out to watch the Olympics and yngling racing and stayed on to do some 2.4 sailing. She took to the 2.4 like a duck to water and was right on the pace in the tuning, enjoying being in control and responsible for everything on the boat. However things changed a little when we started racing and she turned to me and said “the tactician and trimmer on board are awesome but I am having a little problem with the helmsman”
We moved into the village on the 30th and into our luxury 5 star hotel. We had been staying in the team house, having to fend for ourselves and put up with the boys toilet habits, So Sue and I embraced the Hotel with open arms. It also makes the whole training regime so much easier having a gym on sight, the boats in walking distance and the awesome work shop container where small miracles can be produced.
So it time to capture the dream and follow in the foot steps of the Olympic team.

COUNT DOWN TO THE GAMES!

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:06:51 GMT

It’s only 31 days now until the start of the Paralympics! With the opening Ceramony for the Olympics tomorrow ,the excitement is starting to set in.

It has been a tricky few weeks. We feel as though we have been dodging one curve ball after another, but the boat has gone and we feel we have left no stone unturned and can cope with anything thrown at us, even the kitchen sink!

We traveled up to Birmingham the other weekend to collect our kit and attend a Paralympic team dinner, it was a great day meeting all the other athletes going to China and trying on our team clothing. I think that’s when it really sank in that the Games are just around the corner and that I am going to be representing my country on the big stage!

This week we have been training hard in Weymouth making sure we have crossed all the T’s and dotted all the I’s. I am off to Turkey on Saturday for a bit of down time with my partner Steve who is working out there, before flying out on the 20th August to Beijing.

China

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:34:00 GMT

Qingdao Test Regatta

We went out to to China for some more training in the venue, and what we thought was a low key test regatta, but were amazed at the scale of the event before us. The organisers decided to make it a trial run of the paralympics. Our first experience of what they have in mind was when we walked into the event village and moved into our on site accomodation. We were expecting something along the lines of an Etap hotel, but instead were presented with a brand new 5 star hotel, opened only a few days ago, complete with swimming pool, gym, sauna, and steam room. You could even watch the telly from the bath!

Leaving the Marina each day, also gave a little taste of what to expect at the Games. There were crowds of people waving from the wall to the sound of drums beating out over the water, it sent a shiver up my spine every time, especially as this was just a little test regatta.

I had shipped out an old training boat a year ago which was going to have to be my regatta boat for the event. We spent a couple of days pimping her up the best we could, but she is 16 years old and rather on the heavy side. Most of my major competitors had sent their Games boats out, so it was quite amusing when the old girl won a race against them.

The first coupls of days were a bit of a struggle as I experienced a few problems with her. The major one being the pumps not working, which in 20 knots of breeze is a bit of an issue. I ended up having to try and bail out with my drinks bottle praying I would not sink. It was really frustrating as normally I am quick in a breeze, so to be lying 9th overall after 4 windy races was not a position I was used to being in. But I kept reminding myself the purpose of being here, to learn more about the venue and not to let the issues with the boat get me down.

The Wind dropped, I fixed the pumps and things started to look up. So much so that going into the last race I was lying fourth, one point away from bronze! It was a last race show down and whoever beat who would take the bronze! It was all looking great up the first beat. I was lying 2nd coming up to the windward mark ahead of my rivals, but then underestimated the strength of the tide and hit the mark, which allowed Heiko to get pass and claim the bronze.

Although I was dissapointed not to medal, and to be 4th again, all in all it was not a bad result considering the circumstances and we have come away having learnt a lot about the venue and feeling very positive for September. It was a successful trip for the rest of the team with the Sonar guys winning Gold as well as Nikki and Alex claiming Gold in the Skud. The team bonded really well and I can’t wait to go back to China for the real thing and come back with a medal next time!

Hyeres

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:20:15 GMT

It was one of the best attended Hyeres, I have seen with 18 boats on the start line and a few new faces among the usual regulars. All the top sailors were present, as expected being Paralympic year and with few regattas left now until the Games in September everyone is keen to get as much racing practice as possible.

It was the first regatta for my new boat “The Charles Russell” kindly bought by Charles Russell legal advisers. I was keen to test her against my major rivals after a good spell of tuning against my trials boat in the U.K

The start of the regatta was windy and wet with 18-22knots of breeze and some big waves. The boat showed great pace in theses conditions and after the first two days I was lying 3rd, even though I was a little rusty on my tactics having not raced since the trials in Miami in January. Damien Seguin (France) was leading with Thierry Schmitter (Holland) in second.

Tuesday was called off with an average wind speed of 35 knots, so we decided to have a bit of fun and went Go Karting with the Dutch team.

By Wednesday things had calmed down and we have two races in a nice 10-15knot breeze. Again I showed great pace and was leading the first race, but slipped up on the 2nd beat to let Damien and Heiko through. The second race was really close and I ended up 4th. Unfortunately the 1st Discard kicked in and Heiko jumped ahead of me in to third knocking me into fourth place with Damien still leading but equal on points with Thierry.

I needed to put in a good performance the next day to get back in the medals. It was light sea breeze conditions and I won the first race and finished 3rd in the second, having the best scoring day on the water in the light fluky condition, (similar to what we expect in China). I was now equal 3rd with Heilko and only one point off second going into the last day.

There was only one race schedule for the last day, and it was down to who beat who to decide the medals. Damien had won with a race to spare, so it was a battle for silver and bronze between me Heiko and Thierry.
I had a good start and rounded the top mark 3rd just behind Thierry and ahead of Heiko. The places stayed the same until the last run. Heiko gybed off at the top and I shortly went to cover him along with Thierry who was trying to cover us both. We came together in the middle of the run and I gybed again to stay with him, but he immediately gybed off. I hooked in to a bit of pressure and decided to let him go. Unfortunately a big mistake he picked up a nice patch of pressure on the right and the three of us crossed the finish line together, but Heiko had gained the edge and beat us both across the line pushing Thierry into third place overall and me into 4th.

I was furious with myself at the time, I should have stuck to him like glue and not let him escape, also I probably would have beaten Thierry and clinched the silver. However with reflection it’s a good lesson to learn now and not in September, and even though my racing had got a bit rusty after the last few months I was still battling it out with them for the medals.

I only have four days now at home before we are off to China for the test regatta, which I am really looking forward to.

New boat

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:37:53 GMT

The last few weeks I’ve been working hard to get my new boat fitted out and ready for on the water and we have just launched her and had a really good week or so of training on the water.

I have been testing the performance between the two hulls – my trials boat versus the new boat. I’m learning loads, and Adam my coach has turned into my training partner too – on the water we switch between the two boats. I have a few more weeks in the UK before I need to drive down to the South of France, for the Hyeres Regatta which will be my first regatta since Miami so I’m really looking forward to that.

Busy, busy, busy!

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:45:00 GMT

After my events in Miami, I flew back to the UK to briefly catch up with family and to see how the work on my house was progressing. In February, I spent a day coaching the ‘Team Volvo for life competition’ winner. It was a great day; the lady sailed a topper and I went out on the water to give her one to one coaching – she really enjoyed the day and it was rewarding to see her improving in such a short space of time.

Every day I am training – a 2 hour cardio fitness session usually running or cycling in the morning, and strength work in the gym mainly focusing on upper body strength.

At the weekend I went to the Dinghy Show in London. I had a full day of activities including a Skandia Team GBR ‘Road to Beijing’ question & answer session on the main stage; meetings young sailors; signing autographs and the highlight of the day – the Skandia GBR sail off in the model boat pool!!!

I have a busy schedule of training and events over the next couple of months. I am currently spending time rigging, testing and tuning my new boat and I will organise the boat branding for my sponsors such as Volvo. My old boat is in China so I can train on it out there when I go out there in June, whilst my Olympic boat is getting shipped out. I will be spending most of March sail training in Weymouth working on sailing development and continuing with my fitness training. In April I will be training in Hyere, followed by the Hyere Olympic class regatta. Then I will be training in between the UK and China, followed by training in Keil, Holland and the Holland Olympic Class Regatta. I certainly have an exciting couple of months lined up!

MIAMI SUCCESS

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:56:00 GMT

MIAMI SUCCESS!

I was beginning to feel as though Miami was my second home; I have been there for so long. It’s been over a month since I have been home, evident by the Christmas presents still sitting in the car when I picked it up from my parents on Tuesday. However it has been a great month and the hard work and training all paid off when I won the US Mid Winters and followed it up with a 4th place (3rd Paralympic sailor) in the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta.
These were two very important regattas as they formed our trials for selection to the Paralympic Games in September.
It was a very strong fleet of 25 boats, consisting of the top 10 Paralympic sailors from the Worlds in September and also the top able bodied sailors and five times Open World Champion Stellan Berlin.
I won the Mid Winters with Stellan Berlin in second and fellow team mate Megan Pascoe in the 3rd.
Damien Seguin (Athens Paralympics Gold Medallist) won the OCR with Stellan once again in Second, Paul Tingley from Canada in 3rd and me in 4th. Megan pushed me all the way and finished 7th

It was also the Canadian trials and Paul put together an impressive performance to take selection over team mate Bruce Millar. I would like to say a big thank you to Bruce, for pushing me hard in the training we did together in Miami before Christmas and for lending me his second boat.

ALEX CAVIGLIA BLUEWATER CLASSIC

hlucas@stephenthomasdesign.com (Helena Lucas) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:56:00 GMT

This regatta was a just a three day event over the weekend starting on Friday. The purpose of it was to use it as a warm up before the Mid Winters and OCR, starting next Friday.

After 5 races I was lying 3rd overall, with the Canadians (Paul Tingley and Bruce Millar) in 1st and 2nd.

The forecast for Sunday was 30 knots in the afternoon, so an earlier start time of 10:00 was posted in hope of getting some racing in before the breeze got up too much. Unfortunatley the race committte had their mind set not to send us out, even though the entire 2.4 fleet said they wanted to race, and went out anyway to compete in three races organised by the coaches. The wind never got above 20 knots and most of the time was around 16. I had a good day posting a 1st 2nd 2nd, which pulled me up to second overall, only a coulpe of points behind Bruce Millar in first.

I had good speed and if I iron out the silly mistakes, look to be in good shape for next week.