A master plan

John Bertrand was the first sailor to win back to back Laser World titles. Now the Californian Olympic silver medallist is back with his sights set on a Masters title. Compatriot Scott Ferguson, the incumbent title holder, has other ideas.

He is something of a legend in these circles. John Bertrand (USA) was the first sailor to win back to back Laser world titles back in 1976 and 1977 before moving to the Finn class in which he won the Gold Cup in 1978. At the 1984 Olympics he took a silver medal in the Finn behind Russell Coutts. Bertrand sailed as tactician and strategist in three America’s Cups between 1983 and 1992.
Last year he made a tentative return to the Laser, finishing 10th at the Laser Masters in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Great plans to improve on that result here in Hayling Island were hatched and through the winter he trained pretty hard, but, his commitment to coaching a young Finn sailor, Luke Lawrence, has seen his own sailing taking a back seat this summer.

But Bertrand has been on the water a few times this past week at Hayling Island and is ready for the first day of racing Monday. After competing in today’s official Practice Race he commented: 
“ It was good. There is a lot of current to deal with, but it was a beautiful day here and I would not mind seeing these conditions the whole regatta. But I think it will probably change.”

He has been getting back on his game these past few days:
“ I have not really done a lot of practice, I got here about five days ago. But prior to that between March and then I had sailed twice. I have ended up coaching a young Finn sailor and that has taken me out of my own racing. But it is great to be here. It is going to be really competitive.”

Bertrand has been back in the Laser for over a year now and competed again at the Miami OCR last January, as well as US regional champs. Of why he got back into the Laser he made his name in he says:
“I was seeing all my friends have a good time and I started to work out and get into shape, and it makes it a lot nicer when you have something to work towards. Once I was back in the boat I discovered it is like riding a bicycle, there is still some muscle memory there. But, equally, there is a lot of things to learn. It is great today and I’m looking forward to the series.”

He won’t be drawn on what he feels his prospects are here:
“ I think there are a lot of really good sailors out there. So I really have not done a lot of regattas and I think the guys who have done a lot of regattas are going to be really sharp. Maybe by the end I’ll be looking back and saying ‘Oh, yeah, I remember that.”
I did a lot through the winter with some of the Open guys. I did three regattas over the winter. I did Miami, I did the Mid-Winters East and the Mid-Winters West. By the end of the Mid Winters West I was feeling pretty sharp. But since then I have practiced two days.”
“I am not even thinking about my prospects. I am just trying to stay focused on not being over the line early and working on boatspeed. Tactics I think will come. I am going into this with my eyes open. I am just anxious to see how I do and I am anxious to see how others do.”

One of the toughest competitors in the Laser Standard Masters fleet will be defending champion Scott Ferguson (USA). He had one of the most conclusive margins last year and has been a regular contender in the leading pack since he resumed serious Laser sailing six or seven years ago:
“No pressure then!” quips the sailor from Jamestown. 
“I think my prospects are pretty good, but there are a lot of good guys here. I figure the top 15, any of them could win.”
He is generally happy with his preparations, but – as ever – feels he would like to have done more.
“I have done a fair amount of sailing but work always gets in the way.”
Ferguson was a good sailor when he was younger, but has only taken it seriously for the last few years: 
“ I got into it in 2004. I sailed a lot when I was younger, nationally and in the US, and then I got back into this in 2004 and got serious. I did Spain, Brasil and last year in Nova Scotia. I was third in the Apprentice first time, fourth in Roses and then won last year.”
For preparations he works closely with compatriot Peter Shope, who races here too: 
“I have a guy in the US I train with Peter Shope we try to do a lot of biking, training against each other. We have a good frostbiting fleet from Rhode Island.”
“I like a variety of conditions, but the current here is going to be an issue. You could tell from today’s race. We had two very short upwind legs and two long downwind legs. That’ll affect who does what. If you excel downwind then you’ll do well, but starting will be tough.”
And of his strategy for the first few days he says:
"I just want to start clean. My preference is usually to start in the middle of the line, but I am not sure if you can necessarily do that with the current pushing you.”
“I saw how many black flags there were at the Worlds, that was ridiculous but it’s a warning.”
 

12/9/2010 19:49