The 2018 Finn Masters Magazine is published today, happily coinciding with the 300th entry to the 2018 Finn World Masters, which start in El Balís, near Barcelona, Spain, in seven weeks time.
In terms of numbers this is the fifth edition of the magazine and second largest Finn World Masters of all time (so far, as entries are still coming in). The event has been running for nearly 50 years and with eight of the highest attendances within the past 10 years, it proves again the ever increasing popularity of this thoroughbred power dinghy across all age ranges.
The entry list can be seen here.
In one of the interviews in the magazine, Jake Gunther from Australia, who will be sailing his 14th Finn World Masters this year, puts it well when he said that he believes the Finn is the purest form of sailing.
“The truth is any really good sailor has to sail a singlehander at some stage and the Finn is my choice. In my mind it is the purest sailing you could possibly do. No other boat offers the connectivity with the wind and waves like a Finn. And no other boat offers the unbelievable closeness in racing.”
About the Finn World Masters he says, “The standard is real and honest and there are so many great sailors at this event that you would have to be crazy not to see how amazing it is. There is nothing more inspiring than getting beaten by a guy 10 years older than you. It simply says that everything is possible and if you keep fit you can enjoy your sailing for many years to come.”
“There was a time when I thought I could sail anything but the Finn came along and completely challenged me. That was in about 1993 and it is still challenging me. This was such a big learning curve for me and I often say that I may have been able to sail before this but these years were when I learnt to race properly…you soon learn that there is plenty to learn.”
Ross Hamilton, from Hamilton Sport, offers some tips for the Master sailors on improving strength while avoiding injury.
“The philosophy with our training is that if you create a better athlete you will have a better sportsman, whatever the sport. If you improve the quality movement, strength, power and stability you will have a much more well rounded functional body whatever the task.”
“If you choose to incorporate strength training, you must think about technique first. It is essential to seek proper coaching from the very beginning. No program from the internet will out-train proper form and technique…There are thousands of exercises and training methods available. The best one is the one you can follow. An excellent program performed poorly will always fall behind a poor program followed to perfection.”
The magazine ends with an in depth interview with Rodrick Casander, from the Netherlands, a Finn Legend (over 70 years old). He remembers the very early days of the class when road trailers barely existed and explains why he came back to the Finn in 1996, aged 52.
“The Finn dinghy has class and outstanding performing capacities and even being a small boat it outperforms many other (faster or bigger) boats. If you have sailed it, it is easy to understand why it has been the Olympic choice during all of its life. Its level of racing is higher than that of any other class. No wonder you will recognize so many names of great Finn sailors in the America’s Cup and other prominent regattas. It is physical demanding. Finn sailors are amongst the strongest athletes. Next to this, the Finn community is a strong family and the class members are very supportive of each other. In the 25 years I have been sailing the Finn, I have made friends from all over the world. This is something I have not come across in any other class in this way and it makes me proud to be a Finn sailor.”
He says success in sailing, as in anything, is about finding your level.
“If expectations are low enough, satisfaction is guaranteed, so if you are not satisfied it might very well be your expectations are set too high. Not everyone is sailing at an Olympic level and highlights are not necessarily about winning prizes. We all want to be first, but only one person can. You have to be ‘greedy’ but stay realistic. People say, it is the road to your destiny, that will give you the most satisfaction and I think that is true.”
The 2018 Finn Masters Magazine also includes:
• A full report from the 2017 Finn World Masters in Barbados
• A 2017 season roundup of Masters events
• Finn Profile – An in-depth profile of Finn Master sailors, the gear they use and their experience.
• Previews of future events in Split and Copenhagen
• A personal story of the 2017 Finn World Masters in Barbados by a first timer.
• Overview of the bids for the 2020 events.
• Latest version of the Yearbook, including all contacts, calendar, Event Manual, Results history and much, much more…
