Greetings from New Zealand! Sail Auckland ended yesterday after 4 days of racing. The conditions for the regatta were very light for most of the regatta (4-7knots). We had long days; starting off with waiting on the beach for wind and finally getting 3 races off the first day and 4 on the second day. It was really great light air practice as the competition was extremely tough here, including the World Champion, Alessandra Sensini from Italy and Barbara Kendall, multiple Olympic medal winner from New Zealand.

I was really happy with my starts and for the most part my racing as well, but unfortunately I was OCS (over early and disqualified) from my best race in which I placed 4th. Then before the racing on the 3rd day, I tweaked something in my back and although I raced one race that day, I was not fit enough to continue racing in the last 2 days of the regatta. I have since been to the physiotherapist and luckily it's not anything chronic and bad. I feel much better now and will be back on the water in the next day or two. I will continue to train here in Auckland for the next couple of weeks before returning to Vancouver to train early March. Nikola Girke