Between Palma and Hyères: From Island Breeze to Burglaries
After the regatta in Palma, I stayed on for two extra days — partly to cool off, partly to decompress, and partly to just enjoy the island. It had been a massive couple of weeks, and I needed a breather. Some swims, some slow mornings, and time to mentally reset before the next leg of the mission.
Then it was time to pack up the van, load the gear, and catch the overnight ferry back to Barcelona. From there, I hit the road, aiming to break up the drive to Hyères with a stop in Girona.
But the trip didn’t exactly go to plan.
The Break-In
That night in Girona, someone broke into our van. They stole my bike and a full bag of personal gear — clothes, essentials, the lot.
What was meant to be a short overnight stop turned into a full day at the police station, scrambling to translate forms, report serial numbers, and piece things together. Not exactly the recovery plan I had in mind.
After sorting what we could, we drove back to Barcelona, swapped out the van, and then made the full 6.5-hour haul to Hyères, arriving at 11pm that night. Absolutely wrecked. But still moving forward.
Resetting in Hyères
The goal for this next block was to rebuild some rhythm, lock in a few technical pieces, and prep properly for racing. I wasn’t aiming for anything flashy — just solid work.
I trained from April 10 to April 20, with a mix of solo sessions and group work. The on-water conditions were classic Hyères: gusty, offshore, with a wide range from 8 to 28 knots and everything from glassy flats to sharp chop.
Despite the emotional fatigue from the trip, I managed to pull together 14.5 hours on the water before the regatta started.
Focus Areas & Training Wins
I went into this block with clear priorities, based on what I learned in Palma:
Tacks: I aimed for 20+ tacks per session to build consistency and confidence across pressure. They weren’t perfect, but I saw progress — especially when I focused on driving down through the boom on the rotation.
Starts & Lane Holding: I did focused drills with the NOR and CHN teams, working on trigger pulls and holding my lane under pressure. Still shaky in racing, but the reps were valuable.
Pumping Under Pressure: Built in on-water intervals and off-water HIIT. Arms were cooked, but it definitely helped with race starts.
Laylines: I worked on top mark approaches with traffic — factoring in dirty air and planning earlier. Still overstood at times, but it’s improving.
Gear Testing: I stuck with the +1 foil spacer most sessions. Not always comfortable, but it paid off in control. I logged everything and got more clarity on my setups for different wind ranges.
Also — shoutout to the solo sessions. Quiet, focused, and surprisingly productive. They gave me space to experiment, observe, and make decisions without distraction. I want more of that going forward.
Off-Water Balance
I kept my prehab and gym routines going (even if I missed a few sessions), stayed on top of nutrition, and prioritised sleep and mental resets. Having a good kitchen, easy gym access, and a relaxed environment helped a lot.
Mentally, I came into this block more relaxed than I had in Palma. I still had nerves, but the emotional edge wasn’t as sharp. I wasn’t trying to prove anything — I was just here to do the work.
Takeaways
This block wasn’t clean — but it was resilient.
I worked through fatigue, setbacks, and stolen gear — and still arrived at the regatta ready to race.
I’m building better mental processes, trusting my routines, and slowly gaining confidence again — even when the conditions are tough or the results are mixed.
I’m not at my peak yet. But I’m moving in the right direction.
Big thanks to my sponsors who supported me through the chaos — from gear to logistics to just helping me stay on the road. It means a lot, especially when things don’t go smoothly.