As many of you know since China we have been preparing for our next big adventure, the 2006 Star World Championships. The Star Worlds is considered by many to be the pinnacle of yacht racing with the list of champions reading like the Sailing Hall of Fame. This year the world’s best sailors will be tested on San Francisco Bay, some of the most difficult racing conditions anywhere. With winds typically in excess of 20 knots, strong currents, short steep waves, and icy cold waters it makes sense that the world’s most feared prison, Alcatraz, sits in the center of the bay.

We have done our homework and feel confident that we are prepared for the challenge. In early September we spent a week dialing in our big breeze sailing with the help of our coach, James Lyne, and Olympic Silver Medalist, Mike Wolfs. After a short “break” back in Valencia and Miami we arrived on the scene in San Francisco a week early to fine tune in the conditions and get our equipment in order. Of course there were issues - like our boat not arriving in time from China - but thanks to the generosity of James Spithill we have a great boat to sail.

In the last few days we have split our time between working with our coach to improve our technique and participating in practice racing with the top sailors in the fleet. We have been finishing high in the practice races and we are ready to be in the top pack each day next week. Even with all this work every day we come home and have a long debrief with our coach. We watch video of ourselves and our competitors to learn what we can about our technique and to bring ourselves to a higher level each day.

The schedule of races begins on Sunday October 1st with one race a day scheduled through Friday October 6th. The courses sailed in a World Championships are at least twice as long as the Olympic courses and with 80 boats on the line it is difficult to get a clean start. We will return home each night and fall into bed to rest up for the next day. I can say “home” because our host, Donna Wotton, has opened her home to us and made us feel very comfortable with big breakfasts, great dinners, and excellent cookies.

Keep your eye out for our daily e-mails and check: http://www.hortonnichol2008.com/ for pictures!

Andy & Brad

Thank you to Kaenon Polarized for setting us up with all new sunglasses to be able to see the tide lines while not fogging up in the cold wet conditions. Check out http://www.kaenon.com/