The Reverse of the Medal

In the beginning when I first started to compete, I used to get terribly nervous. Before a competition I could barely eat my breakfast. Frequent trips to the toilet and an inability to keep any food down was a common occurrence on competition day! -I was a wreck! At the time I asked myself why I would put myself through this when all I had to do was stay at home and hide! Despite the all the classic symptoms of being complete 'blob of jelly' I gradually started to make it through the first few rounds of competition.

Random Attack Category, BJJAGB National Championships 2008

Ju Jitsu has been responsible for building my confidence when it comes to 'exam pressure'. Even when we were not competing, my Sensei (instructor) would be constantly testing us. As I progressed through gradings I was experiencing the same physical anxiety as competition. I think this regular exposure to 'competitive pressure' was a very good thing. As I experienced it more, I learnt to handle all the 'symptoms' that had plagued me in my early competition career. 

You hear of some bizarre sporting rituals that help sports stars to get mentally ready for competition. Wearing of specific colour or a numbered shirt have helped some very high profile sports people. Listening to a certain song or piece of music helps to mentally prepare. For me I think it is about physically getting into that neutral state where you are ready to explode, but at the same time just keeping the engine gently ticking over!

Gold Medal, 2012 Danish Open 

I have found in competition that all I need is the briefest moment of solitude, just to take everything in. A few deep breaths and a bit of visualisation. Every round I fight is for the Gold. Every one. Treating every moment as if it is my last in competition. At the same time, trying to take in as much as possible. I have found that in the weeks leading up to a competition I read a lot. Usually it's an autobiography of someone who has faced great adversity and triumphed against the odds. My bookshelf is full of inspirational people! Nelson Mandela, Nick Ward, Ranulph Fiennes, Jason Robinson...to name a few! I'm also quite partial to the works of Patrick O'Brien. It's in homage to Mr O'Brien that I named this blog after one of his best works (in my humble opinion).

I'm also quite partial to an inspirational quote or two as well. One of my favourites comes from General George S Patton - Commander of the US Seventh Army during World War Two:

UNJJ Championship 2008, Gibraltar 

"Today you must do more than is required of you. Never think that you have done enough or that your job is finished. There's always something that can be done - something that can ensure victory. You can't let others be responsible for getting you started. You must be a self-starter. You must posses that spark of individual initiative that sets the leader apart from the rest. Self motivation is the key to being one step ahead of everyone else and standing head and shoulders above the crowd. Once you get going, don't stop. Always be on the lookout for the chance to do something better. Never stop trying. Fill yourself wth the warrior spirit - and send that warrior into action."

Retaining that hard earned competitive edge has been been difficult over the past few years. I would always get my competitive 'buzz' from Ju Jitsu. I have competed since 1996, and have had the privilege of representing my club/association at national and international level. As I have progressed through the grade structure, my competitions have now reduced to the point of virtual 'retirement'! The reason for this is that my grade now dictates that I should officiate in some form, whether that is as a mat marshall, Judge, or Referee.

Refereeing the Junior mat, Wakarishin/Kokoro-Kai Int'l 2012

Being asked to 'step up' has been a huge privilege and I have felt very honoured. It is the natural part of progression. This art has given me so much and it is a huge honour to be in a position to give something back.

Stepping back from competition has also given me the opportunity to observe some of my students in the arena as well. As an instructor there is nothing that compares to seeing them conquered their own competitive demons and excel.
For myself, after years of competing, it is something that I have actually become quite addicted to! So when sailing became another passion of mine, it kind of helped to fill that natural gap that had opened up.

Competitive sailing brings a new set of challenges. I am now part of a group of people that have to work together as a team to be successful. The pressures of racing a boat represent a total change of focus the first concern is always for the safety of the boat (this is your ‘life-capsule’ after all in what can be a very hostile environment!).  Boat performance is everything. This is on par with the safety of your fellow crew. Way down the bottom of the list is yourself. 

'Welcome to Yorkshire' departs Madeira for Rio 

Race starts are without a doubt one of the most exciting times in sailing! The crew work hard to get the boat in the best start position, maneuvering amongst a fleet of competitors, which at times can contain anything up to forty boats (as was the case during Round the Island Race 2012). As race starts are always 'on the move' (and never from a 'standing start') the fleet are always maneuvering round to get the boat in the best windward position, on the start line to coincide with exact race start time.

As a crew we are all working to either 'haul our wind' and power up the boat, or 'luff up' and spill wind from the sails to slow our momentum. Our aim is to be in the top half of the fleet as it means 'cleaner' airs to sail in once we are over the start line. As individuals you are responsible for the jobs going on in your part of the boat. Everyone is responsible for keeping a good lookout. If you mess up, it can cost the boat valuable seconds/minutes or even run the risk of collision with a competitor.It's not only 'your' job you need to know. You need to be able to cover your fellow crew as at a moments notice your crew mate can be called off to do something else and you have to cover their position whilst they are away.

Visualisation is key factor in success. Always thinking two steps ahead, trying to anticipate what your skipper / tactician need to happen next. It can be chaotic at times, with some very colourful verbs being thrown around the boat! This dialogue is normally one way traffic, Cockpit to bow, or Cockpit to any other competitor boats in our vicinity - which is always entertaining!

 

I always make sure that I check and double check everything. Making sure lines are properly run and that there is no chance of suffering a 'cluster f###' on the foredeck at a vital moment (a Bowman's worst nightmare). 

Crew working hard during Round the Island 2012 (some not so serious!)



Competitive pressure in Ju Jitsu and Sailing manifests itself in slightly different ways. There are varying physical and mental demands are made on the participant. One thing remains constant for both is the ability to keep a focused mind on the task in-hand, despite numerous distractions. The classic poem by Kiplying sums it up; "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you." Part of me thinks that Kiplying must have worked 'before the mast' at some point! 

Although my competitive bug has been kept at bay by sailing in recent years, in a few months time I will be returning to the arena of Ju Jitsu! I will be travelling as part of the Great Britain team to compete at the United Nations of Ju Jitsu (UNJJ) Competition and Congress in South Africa.

Despite the years of experience I have managed to accumulate, I’m sure that the  excitement and anticipation will bring all the classic symptoms of dry-mouth and butterflies! I can’t wait!  

'Life at the Pointy End'

After returning home from Rio, I was keen to build on the skills I had learned with Clipper. It wasn't until my first Boat Show after I had come home that I made some contacts that would allow me to get out on the water again.

I initially tried to put my name down with local sailing clubs here in Essex. Curiously there was no response. A friend I met through Clipper told me of a skipper who chartered a boat through Sunsail, and put together a 'scratch' crew for each of the racing weekends that Sunsail organised in the Solent. It sounded great, so I 'made my mark' and waited for joining instructions!

  

On a breezy Friday evening, I made my way down to Port Solent to Sunsail HQ to join the boat. I met Neil, the skipper (and organiser of the weekend). A very straight-talking gent, with a strong southern African accent (Rhodesian actually)! After a 'sensible' evening in the club house we all bunked down in our yacht.

Our yacht was a Beneteau First 40. I was amazed at the comfort below decks! I think having spent the past two years sailing on stripped down racing yachts, built by the lowest bidder, it felt like I was being spoilt with all the luxury! (auto-heads, heaters, 'recreational' radio/CD player and double bunks!! Despite the roaring winds outside, I enjoyed a very comfortable and peaceful sleep in my snug Guass sleeping bag! 

Keeping look out whilst we manoeuvre to the start line!

The next morning we were all up 6:30am sharp! Doing boat prep, and having a few 'dry runs' at some spinnaker pole work. I had foolishly admitted to being happy to work anywhere on the boat (when asked about preferred sailing position). This meant that I was volunteered instantly for the Bow! 

Bow work was not an alien concept as I had done a bit on the 68's with Clipper. The difference this time is that I would not have 3 other crew to bounce ideas/questions off of! I would be there on my own, except for the Mastman (Jamie), who had similar experience level to me so had his hands full! The scale of everything was a bit smaller. This also meant that manoeuvres had to be completed 'double quick' as we were 'racing around the cans'. Gone are the days where I was on a boat that set a 'point of sail' for days on end. The action would be very sharp and very quick!

As learning curves go, it didn't get any uglier than this! There was a bit of a rolling swell that day on the Solent meaning I was doing everything I could to remain upright on the front of the boat during manoeuvres! As someone has once described it, it was like being on a seesaw, in a washing machine, on high spin!

I had been warned about Neil's 'temper', so when the air started to turn blue with instructions being shouted from the cockpit, I was not entirely surprised! Everything that could go wrong went wrong! Lines got crossed and knotted (seemingly all by themselves). On the launch/hoist of the Spinnaker, I nearly lost the spinnaker bag over the side! (Major sin!!)

As the day wore on, our (or rather my) performance gradually improved, we started to stop coming last! I was determined to learn and suck up this experience! There were times were I totally f##ked things up, and all I could do was hold my hands up and walk back to cockpit and apologise to everyone for my error. There were a great deal of sympathetic nods and winks and I knew I was looking at some former bowmen/bow-women who had had the same experience that I was having today and did not want to swap with me! 

It sounds like a terrible experience, but sometimes in life we tend to get the exam first, with the lesson given afterwards! This was very much the case for this particular day! On the Saturday night the whole crew went to Tiger Tiger at Gunwhalf Quay and needless to say we had a fantastic meal and evening out! Everyone bought me a beer and congratulated me on surviving what had been a very tough day! 

It has now been a year since that tough weekend! There have been others since then, but that was my first experience of 'life at the pointy end'. Everyone weekend I am sailing I always volunteer to go on the bow. Does this make me some kind of sadist? 

I think for me it is one of those places on the boat that quickly disintegrates into utter chaos! But there is something very satisfactory in salvaging some order from that chaos! I have found that good visualisation is key when prepping sails and lines. I have had some great help/tutoring from some very inspirational bowman(Al, Darren, Steve-J to name a few). 

I have found though that the bow is only as good as his or her mast/pit team! And that is the key...Good communication and good team work. A bit of swearing is never meant (or taken) personally. It just conveys the 'urgency' of how quick things need to happen!

For me, It is without a doubt the most fun sailing position on a racing boat! Here's to getting 'wet and wild' in the near future!!

Successful hoist! 4018 powers on up the Solent!