SATT Archives - Page 3 of 15 - Rising Tide Leadership Institute

Training while racing: Leg 1 from Bahrain to Qatar

February 13, 2014 by katie pettibone

Bahrain to Qatar – 4th place!

After finishing fourth on the first leg from Bahrain we stopped here in Doha Qatar for a day of in-port racing just outside the Pearl Marina. 8-12 knots of wind gave us great training for our novice crew. I see a noticeable progression in the Omani women’s skills. Our 3rd place finish in race 2 was a great confidence boost to the team – thanks to a great start and good wind/strategy calls. We moved Raham, the young woman from the Oman Navy, up to helping at mast and floater position, and she is really enjoying the increased physicality of those jobs. She had previously been on main. Being a novice at both sailing and English proved a big challenge for everyone, as the main position is integral to the communication flow on board. Like any team, each position requires different skills and delivers unique attributes to the success formula, so figuring out who fits best into each role takes time. Ideally this would have been done far in advance during practice sessions. But with last minute team changes we are on a steep learning curve in the midst of competition.

Pearl Marina, Doha – Qatar

Next leg – The longest from Doha Qatar to Abu Dhabi

The wind for our next leg looks stable and manageable. It should be a quick run. We will be under spinnaker with wind behind us the entire way, except for the short upwind leg with a turning mark. The route is filled with many navigational hazards such as oil fields, islands and shallows. Liz Baylis, our experienced navigator, will have her hands full plotting waypoints and keeping her eyes peeled for unlit marks – an increased challenge when racing under spinnaker. The current routing puts us into port early morning, around 6 am. This will give us a needed rest day in Abu Dhabi.

Getting into a Groove

As the event progresses and we continue to tune our boat, our team is starting to settle in and find a rhythm. I hope the progression continues for us. The other team competitors have commented to me on how well we are sailing, and it feels good to have them recognize the potential in our novice young women. Currently we are on the heels of the Dutch team, chasing them for third overall, with a lot of racing left to go. We have developed a great relationship with this team. In Bahrain, their navigator was very helpful with some of our electronic problems, and when their batteries died (no engine) after the finish of the first leg we threw them a tow line until a power boat came by to take over the job. This is a great part of the culture of sailing – although we are competitors, we are friends, allies and have each other’s backs.

Today we head off on the longest leg of the SATT – 160 nautical miles from Doha to Abu Dhabi.

Ok – off we go… wish us luck!
−Katie

Filed Under: Execute/Manage, Inspiration, Leadership, SATT

Delay of start allows much needed prep/training time!

February 10, 2014 by katie pettibone

The first leg from Bahrain to Qatar of Sailing Arabia The Tour (SATT) 2014 was delayed. Katie Pettibone shares how she and her crew used the additional time before the race began:

More race delays = More time to train

Well, I didn’t envision on this chilly and windy night writing a blog from – well- Bahrain. Here we are though, and as an aside it is the right call, delayed on our leg from Bahrain to Qatar. The Race Committee boat was finally allowed out of customs and was put into the water this evening. As it had a bunch of needed safety gear and it is our escort vessel, it was the right call. We took advantage of the day as well to get a new boat GPS because we had been having electrical problems. Additionally, taking this new crew out on a windy sleigh ride in what will be a race during daylight hours instead of a cold night is simply much more enticing! I am really looking forward to heading south down to Doha and the warmer climes. Maybe living in California has softened me, but I do like my warmth!

Debriefing the unexpected breakdown

We took the chance to do some practice in today’s 20+ knots. While out sailing, the tack clip on our new jib blew up. It had been sadly underwicked (to small for the loads) so it was bound to happen and it turns out it did happen to another boat. We got into the dock and quickly fixed it with the help of our hard working shore crew so that we will be able to use it tomorrow. These things go with a loud bang and lots of flapping so it seems all more the dramatic than it is, but it was really good training for the Omani women. Learning that the boat cannot move without the main sail being eased and what to do when something unexpected happens was a good learning moment. After we got to the dock and had the jib being sorted, we talked through what had happened and going forward how to better handle the situation with some taking the jib down and others getting the new jib ready.

Equipping for the future

The act of handling, accessing and planning for the unexpected is a trait that sailing is particularly adept at honing and is why sailors do well in all areas of life. By the end of this race, these Omani women will be able to take this skill forward and use it in whatever industries or adventures they pursue.

Filed Under: Execute/Manage, Leadership, SATT

Katie checks in before Leg One ~ SATT 2014

February 9, 2014 by 4RT

Sailing Arabia The Tour 2014 runs from February 9-24, and will span four countries with stopovers in Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Musandam, Mussanah and Muscat. Katie shares the team’s progress and obstacles before the start of the race:

Omani Women’s Sailing Team ~ SATT 2014

Delayed in Customs necessitates MacGyver-like ingenuity

It’s the morning of Leg one, and I am grabbing a quiet moment to check in. It has been a whirlwind couple of days. Upon arrival to Bahrain, we found that our boats, sails and gear were stuck in customs – and had been for a week. Eventually they were released – three days before the start. It has been a mad panic to get the masts in, brand new electronics installed and working, and of course the brand new sails set up. With no facilities, such as a workshop or sail loft, it is definitely a “make it work” kind of theme.

A very green team

Onboard is Mary Rook and Liz Baylis, each returning from a previous version of SATT. Ibtisam was with us last year, but never sailed in the offshore legs, so although she understands the nature of the race, the endurance aspect will be new. The rest of the team is brand new, including very novice sailors. Our vision is to continue to train the new Omani women in becoming not only good racing sailors, but also in the qualities that make good teammates and leaders in their own right. Things like ownership, teamwork, processing mistakes and learning from them, resilance, and of course communication. They are excited and have already been taking on the jobs – big or small – on the boat needed to get things done.

Omani Women’s Sailing Team ~ SATT 2014
Katherine Pettibone (USA)
Raiya Al Habsi (OMA)
Ibtisam Al Salmi (OMA)
Khaloud Al Uraimi (OMA)
Huda Al Mashrafi (OMA)
Raham Al Shezawi (OMA)
Elisabeth Baylis (USA)
Mary Rook (GBR)

Managing expectations & keeping focused on the goal

Unfortunately, we only have about one hour collectively sailing as a total team, and we are facing tough competition. All but one boat is a returning, talented team from previous versions of the SATT. The one which is the exception – EFG Bank, armed with incredible professional talent and two of Oman’s top sailors, and is currently the favorite of the race. The good news is this sets a high bar to work for, and that is good for performance goals. The bad news is that it can be tough on morale if realistic goals aren’t set. Myself and Liz Baylis (who is navigator and tactician) will have to manage those expectations.

The calm before the storm – girls stretch and relax an hour before the start of Leg 1.

Opening ceremony then a shakedown leg in the dark

This morning is the opening ceremony with a member of Bahrain’s royal family expected. The weather is rainy and cold however, so he may not come. After that the start is supposed to be at 1:00 pm, with a northwest wind of 20+ knots to send us flying over to Doha, Qatar. I believe the start will be postponed, so we are probably looking at 4:30 or 5:00 pm start. Just a tiny bit of time to sail in daylight before sailing all night in the dark, honing off downwind, turning right at the tip of Qatar. Thankfully, the course is pretty straightforward for the first leg. It will be a short leg, and it will get our team comfortable with off-the-wind sailing and entail a spinnaker peel, which we did practice in yesterday’s one hour of sailing. Looking forward to seeing how we handle the night.

…and Big Thanks!

My profuse thanks to Predict Wind for sponsoring us, and allowing us use of their product – the widely known best routing and information over here in Oman. It’s a fantastic aid. We encourage people to check it out and their soon-to-be released iPad app. www.predictwind.com

Wish us luck!
−Katie Pettibone

Filed Under: Execute/Manage, Inspiration, Leadership, SATT

Interview w/Katie Pettibone on her way to Oman

February 5, 2014 by 4RT

Katie Pettibone returns to the Oman Women’s SATT (Sailing Arabia the Tour) Team for the third year, now as Skipper/Leader. The RTLI team was able to catch up with Katie before she boarded the Emirates plane off to Oman:

RTLI: Katie, you are headed back to Oman for your THIRD year to coach these young Omani women sailors – what have you seen change in the attitude toward the women sailors within the Oman Sail/SATT community?

Katie: Oman has continued to rally around and support the women’s sailing effort, and internally watching the women and the men’s team get integrated into a training and sailing regime has been terrific. When we first started, the girls were completely separated from the rest of the Omani sailing efforts, as there was not yet a high level women’s racing team. Many people I met in the first year (2012) had doubts that a novice team of Omani women could do this physically demanding competitive adventure. When people saw the Omani women’s team not only survive, but excel – they were excited and inspired by what the women had achieved, so the effort continues. I look forward to seeing this project fulfill His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said’s vision.

RTLI: Dee Caffari has left the Oman women’s sailing program to pursue her dream of co-leading a Volvo Round the World team. This leaves you as leader. What do you see as your biggest challenge(s) as you step into her leadership role with the team?

Katie: Dee leaves big shoes! She is a dynamic, empathetic personality that has set the tone and focus from the start – to build the Omani women’s skills. My big challenge will to be to continue to fulfill that mission as the priority, and accept gains in skill sets as a win – even if race results don’t reflect that significant progress.

RTLI: Only a few of the Omani women are returning to this year’s SATT team. Who will be the Omani women leaders on the team? What are their roles, and what do you hope they can each achieve individually and as a team?

Katie: We only have two returning sailors – Eptisom and Raya. Looking at the girls who have been involved and moved on to other things, the involvement of these women in the program has really furthered their problem solving skills, dedication to hard work and belief in self – which is translating into successful careers and lives outside of sailing. Raya is still sailing, and preparing for a career in Finance – and she tells everyone that she wants to be like me(!) – a strong reminder of how important women leader role models are to young women everywhere. Intisar, who last year won Oman’s first Woman Sailor of the Year award, is now running an athletic program, and deeply believes in women in sports. She is an emerging leader, and will enable many girls to compete for generations to come.

Both Raya and Eptisom will help prepare the new women for the pace, requirements of taking care of the boat, and themselves, as well as what is required to be a part of a team. For three of them, this is a first. Both Eptisom and Raya will remember their first time, their doubts, fears and the struggles… and be great mentors to these new young women. I want each of them to leave this experience with a sense of accomplishment, that they learned skills and what it means to truly part of a team. Teaching them the value of team and what it takes to be a great team member is not easy. The concept of ‘team’ is ingrained here in the U.S., in our sports crazed nation. What it means to put something else above self, even if self would benefit from doing something different, is a critical and new concept for these women. Not everyone gets it, and my hope is through this competition the girls can begin to experience and see the benefit, and great joy of team.

RTLI: You will have Liz Baylis from the U.S., and Mary Rook from Great Britain, on board helping you coach the Omani’s. What will each of them bring to the team?

Katie: Liz brings incredible talent, and also wisdom in teaching new sailors new skills. She is returning as navigator and knows what to expect from the Omani women. With her role as WIMRA (Women’s International Match Race Assoc.) executive director, she understands that this team and effort is planting seeds for long-term growth in yacht racing and leadership opportunities for women in the Middle East. Mary Rook is a young Olympic sailor from Great Britain who is fiercely competitive, and has an amazing can-do attitude whether she is showing the girls how to jibe the pole on the bow or trim a spinnaker. I refer to her as my ‘fire fighter’ since she will be the trouble shooter on board. The girls look up to both Liz and Mary, and they relate to Mary because she is close to their age.

RTLI: As you prepare to board the plane to Oman what are some of the thoughts and emotions going through your head?

Katie: Heading to Bahrain – preparing for the long flight. I am excited to compete in the race with the team and eager to see how this new batch of Omani women sailors fare. Sprint Offshore racing is hard. It is the hardest, in my opinion, because you can’t get into consistent routines and it is tremendously physically and mentally demanding. I think this young team has tremendous growth potential, and at the end of SATT 2014, I want to instill in them the satisfaction of a job well done… of completing a journey, and to be able to look back on everything they have learned. My challenge is to translate the depth of knowledge I have gained over decades, to lessons on the water that are impactful and immediate, so they can make rapid improvements in this short time of the event. This is just the beginning of Oman Sail’s great project and sporting adventure, that will reap huge benefits as those who gain technical, team and leadership skills succeed in sailing, and then go on using those new skill sets, to be successful in business, politics or in whatever they choose to pursue!

Read more in this great article: EFG Sailing Arabia The Tour – All women team ready for action -Sail World

Filed Under: Inspiration, Leadership, SATT

ISAF & Rolex Announce World Sailor Nominees

October 23, 2013 by 4RT

Rising Tide Leadership Institute would like to announce that two of our sailing friends, and competitors, Raiya Al Habsi (Oman) and Deneen Demourkas (USA) have been nominated by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and Rolex, for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2013. Having sailed with each of them, Rising Tide Ambassadors Katie Pettibone, and Linda Lindquist-Bishop, offer their congratulations!

ISAF received nominations for the 2013 Award from across the world, for sailors representing all aspects of the sport. The nominees are put forward based on achievements made during the qualifying period from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013. Only one nominee wins in each of the male and female categories.

Raiya Al Habsi (Oman)
“Seeing Raiya get nominated is inspiring and exciting for women in sailing. It is a budding sport in Oman. As her coach, I have been deeply impressed with her hard work, perseverance and spirit. She is helping to bring this sport to a whole new generation and region,” shared Katie Pettibone. Read more about Raiya.

Deneen Demourkas (USA)
“I’m thrilled to see Deneen nominated for the 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year! I’ve raced against Deneen for almost a decade on the Farr 40 and Farr 30. She is a formidable competitor (3-time World Championship winning), and a great leader. As president of the Farr 30 global class association she has built communication, a sustainable event schedule, and kept the Farr 30 an internationally competitive class. Way to go Deneen!” -Linda Lindquist-Bishop. Read more about Deneen.

The ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs), the national governing bodies for sailing around the world, will be selecting the winners. The MNAs may vote for only one nominee in both the male and female categories, whom they believe most deserves the award. The winners will then be announced at the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award presentation and dinner, taking place on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. The venue for the event will be at the El Bander Hotel, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Good Luck Raiya and Deneen!!!

Filed Under: Execute/Manage, Featured, Inspiration, Leadership, SATT