On March 8th, I departed for Mexico to compete in the Hydrofoil Pro Tour event in La Ventana. Accompanied by my two close friends and training partners, Thomas Carlton and Michael Brodeur, we flew from Montreal to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico.
After a long flight and a 2 hour car ride we arrived at La Ventana. This small village in an isolated part of Mexico is a wonderful destination for kiteboarding. The white sand beaches and predictable wind make it a perfect venue for a foiling competition.
The host site was Delaney’s Beach Resort, only a few steps away from where we rented our AirBnB apartment for the duration of our trip.
Delaney’s Beach Resort, La Ventana
Our first two days of training were spent sailing in light to moderate breeze (8-12 knots) followed by heavy breeze for the remaining days leading up until the event. Plenty of kinks were worked out in the heavy breeze.
The event had 55 riders representing 20 nations. All of which started on a single start line.
The first 2 days of the event were in very light breeze with only a small group of advanced riders finishing the majority of races followed by 2 days of moderate to heavy wind. So much wind that the committee boat ended up swamping and needed to be towed in before sinking. The regatta was a good training event for me where I learned much about spatial awareness and boat handling in large crowds.
Among many other things to work on, I found that I struggled most in big breeze and particularly with downwind maneuvers. I am hoping to improve on upwind speed and angles through practice and replacement of my foil as well as a few kites this season. As for downwind, I believe I need more time on the water in +15 knots of wind and waves which Kingston should deliver this summer.
During the time we were there I started to really understand how much of an impact exercise can have on managing my diabetes. Since, Mike, Tom and I were spending so much time on the water using energy I needed to reduce my overall insulin intake to a bare minimum. The increase in exercise required I eat more and take fewer injections. It almost felt like I didn’t have type-1 diabetes anymore. This was a feeling of freedom I hadn’t felt in almost 2 years since my diagnosis.
Outside of racing we spent time socializing with new friends, snorkeling nearby and exploring the desert. We hope to see many of the riders at our event, FORK, in Canada this summer.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Left-Right: Thomas Carlton, Mac Morrin, Michael Brodeur
Mac Morrin Kite Racing 
Leave a Reply