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Makes a Stand in Miami
After returning home from a successful season on the European Circuit, ranked #1 in the World, Team Challenge US took a short break and then moved into a full time training scheme in Miami, Florida. Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech made the move at the beginning of November knowing that a full time commitment in the final countdown to the Trials was and is the only way to go. Since that time, the Team has been on the water every day possible to maximize the time available leading up to the Trials, which begin on February 12, 2004. On a typical day, the three women are at the gym at 7 AM for a 2 hour session that includes cardio work, core training and some weights. After breakfast, the Team arrives to the boat at 10, leave the dock at 11 and then, under the guidance of Coach Espen Stokkeland, spend the next 4 to 5 hours sailing with training partners that have come to town to sail with them. Most on the water sessions involve intensive sail and speed testing, some boat handling work, and practice racing. Post sailing debriefs are often followed by evening workshops to enhance other aspects of the Team’s program. Being pushed by highly skilled European training partners has enabled Alison, Icyda and Leech to make substantial progress towards their goal of winning the Olympic Trials in the Yngling class.
The Schuemann Crew, Ulrike Schuemann, Wibke Buelle, and Winnie Lippert, from Germany, #2 ranked in ISAF standings, have agreed to act as the primary training partners for Team Challenge US up to the US Trials. They are a talented trio and test the skills of our team on a daily basis. Alison and company have certainly moved forward and will only continue to get better with this system of training. In recent weeks, Team Challenge US and the Germans have also been joined by the top Italian and Norwegian Yngling teams. Since the beginning of November, Team Challenge US has already had two intensive training sessions here on Biscayne Bay. The first was a 3 week tuning and speed session with the Schuemann Crew. After a 5 day break for Thanksgiving, all were back for the latest 3 week session that ended today. This last session concentrated on boat handling, speed, practice racing, and starts. Part of that time was spent sailing with other US teams in a US training camp run by Gary Bodie, head coach of the US Olympic Team. Though most of their training time was spent with the foreign teams, Team Challenge US certainly enjoyed sparring with the other US Yngling teams, especially when racing. “The racing gives us a pretty good idea of where we are relative to the other US teams. We are definitely happy with the progress we are making,” said Icyda just before the Team left for a short Christmas break. “We certainly look forward to seeing family and friends over the holidays, but we are really psyched to get back here to start training again in January,” added Suzy Leech. Team Challenge US will head home for the holidays and be back in action January 4 here on Biscayne Bay. Follow our progress as we head to the Trials and check out new and updated photos of the Team in training by going to our website: www.challengeus.org. Thank you all!! |
