During the first week of February our SB20s (XOCO and Sticky Beak) were involved in a gruesome 4-day regatta. The SB20 Asian-Pacific Grandslam 2021! Out of the normal 2 to 3 day regattas, our racers were now faced with something they’ve never seen before. From the boat transfers, to maintenance and the actual regatta, this just might have been an unforgettable experience for all involved. What better way to hear it than from them?
Here is what our long-time racer Jovi from Team XOCO has to share on her experience racing post-Covid: “I would like to thank BBBS for the opportunity to sail, and the coaches who selflessly taught us the ways of life. They showed us how to sail, and reminded us on values that BBBS uphold. We had some good sailing and some costly mistakes that dragged us down. Through it all, we learned. We communicated our difficulties, kept calm through the mishaps, and we moved on. There are a lot of things in life that would do with more of ‘keep calm and carry on’. But it can’t stop at that. We have to keep honing our skills, and practicing, so that we can have more control over unexpected or unappreciated situations. Every experience is a good experience.”
Team Sticky Beak (left) and XOCO (right) hard at work mending our sails to get that angle just right!
Jonathan one of our senior BBBS from Team Sticky Beak also shared his experience racing in the regatta: “Throughout the Championships, the team had many hiccups and tragedy befell on us but we had no time to feel down. The race is over once you give up… and we never did. Once, Sticky Beak’s traveller shackle broke and the main sail went flying loose. We had no control over the main sail and to continue seemed out of the question. Thankfully, through some quick thinking, we pulled out a spare cord and tied the main sheet pulley to the boat. This setback put our traveller out of use but we still pushed through and managed to finish somewhere in the middle. We simply kept calm and carried on and it worked out for us!”
Team Sticky Beak (left) and XOCO (right) repairing our sails before the regatta of the day
Hakim joined us back on the boats after a break too! He was on the main for Sticky beak and shares his experience in what might have been a impactful sail: “This is my very first regatta (on an SB20) and I will remember it as ‘The One Where Sticky Beak Had A New Set of Mains Every Day S1:E1’. Its my first time sailing a full 4-day series too. Gruelling weekend but rewarding. It definitely pushed me Out of my Comfort Zone as I am used to sailing on bigger keel boats but it drove me to adapt to the situation & grow to meet the expectations. Being part of a very competent set of crew made me want to be a better sailor. Definitely made a lot easier with guidance from my excellent mates onboard Sticky!Like a boat in a race, we are always constantly looking for pressure to give us a lift. Adopting the same concept into our daily lives can help us view pressure & challenges as an opportunity to grow exponentially.”
Our Race administrators and advisors who have always given us valuable feedback and guidance(missing some faces)(left) and our very own Team BBBS(right)!
As we’ve seen from their sharing, the teams were faced with many unforeseen circumstances which taught them key skills and values such as adaptability and the importance of T.E.A.M.(Together Everyone Achieves More), not just within BBBS but also from our supportive co-competitors. At this juncture we would like to thank the SB20 community and all our fellow BBBS for generously supporting our teams during the regatta in the biggest and smallest of ways. We are immensely proud of how far both teams have come since the start of training till the very end of the regatta. As the saying goes: Life is a journey, so is sailing. To many more experiences!
