Optimist Training in Germany

Day 1, Monday 24th of May
The day started of warm and sunny with light winds. When I arrived at a Lake Chiemsee at 9 am I met my friends and coach
Uwe. He already coached me in Lake Garda at Easter. He is a very experienced coach who has been to lots of World and
European championship.
So we had a short briefing which is a kind of a meeting. Then afterwards I got a boat from the club with a USA sail
number and got changed and rigged the optimist. So at 10 my friends and I went on the water. We trained till 12 o clock and
then came in to have sum yummy food. Some people cooked some traditional barvarian food called “Reiberdatschi”made of
potatoes which are mashed up and in the shape of a medium sized pancake. Then at 2pm we sailed another 2 hours till 4pm.
You could place your optimist in a massive marquee (kind of a tent) so you didn’t have to de-rig your optimist. Then after an
hour or so we all went home.
Day 2, Tuesday 25th of May
Today wasn’t like yesterday. It was cloudy and had loads of wind. The day started at the same time as yesterday. At 10 we
were on the water. We went on the reach down to the far end of the lake and practised starting. It had 35 miles per hour wind
which is a lot. Then started going back to the club. It took upwind about half an hour. Finally we got in. It wasn’t cold but I
was really hungry. The people from the club prepared hamburgers which were really nice. We had quite a long break so today
we came in at 4:30 pm.
Today I had a sleep over at one of my friends house. He has a massive house and garden. We went on the trampoline
for 3 hours until 8 and then had supper. The food was really nice. Then we stayed up till 9:30 and then went to bed.
Day 3, Wednesday 26th of May
Today was nice weather and a good wind. Today like every day we set of at 10 o clock. The morning was really fun because
we played a game a bit like rugby (but on the water). You had 2 teams and a water bottle. One team had to try and get it to
the other teams mark and the other team had to get it to your mark. But you were only allowed to sail 3 boat lengths with the
bottle. However if someone missed his team member and the bottle went in the water then the other team got the bottle.
After 1 and a half hours my team won and we came in to have or food. Today was somebody’s birthday so we had
“Spaetzle” (sort of noodles) which is a well known piece of food in Germany. Then at 2 o clock we sailed a few races and did
some other stuff till 4 o clock. When I got changed my friend came home to us to Munich to have a sleepover.
Day 4, Thursday 27th of May
It drizzled a bit in the morning AND It had no wind. So in the morning we just did theory till 12. Today we had hot dogs
which were really nice. Then in the afternoon came some wind. We still did 9 races in which I won 7 races, came 2nd in one and
then 6th in the other one because I capsized when I gybed.
Today I slept at my friends house again. This time we went to bed at about 10pm.
Day 5 Friday 28th of May (last day of training)
In the morning we did no sailing because some people had to do a sailing test which I already had done. But in the afternoon
instead of sailing an Optimist I sailed on a catamaran with a friend and his mum. I went in the trapeze which a really fun. Then
when we got back in there was a massive Party with cakes and lots of food.
This week was very fun.
By Benno Marstaller