February 10, 2019
As it was in Miami
Alexei Selivanov talks about how, together with the American helmsman Luke Lawrence, they won the first junior (under 30 years) World Championship in the Zvezdny class, which ended in Miami a few days ago.
Of course, you know about the victory of Luke Lawrence and Alexei Selivanov at the World Championships in Miami: Yacht Russia reported about what happened overseas as quickly as possible. But, of course, I wanted details. Therefore, immediately after the end of the regatta, the YR correspondent phoned Selivanov to interview.
Alas, the connection with Miami was terrible: half of the words spoken by Alexei could not be made out. Therefore, we decided this way: we at Yacht Russia will prepare questions, Alexey will answer them in writing.
And that's what we did.
Yacht Russia: – We congratulate you once again, Alexey, on the world title. What was your biggest achievement before?
Alexey Selivanov: – The third place was the biggest at the World Cup stage in Medemblik in 2012. I spoke at Finn and overtook then, for example, Dutchman Peter Jan Postm (on his home water!), A strong Slovenian yachtsman Husper Winchek … The difference with the second place was just one point, with the first one, if I'm not mistaken, two. The finish of this race was generally interesting – the first 4 places were decided on the last ten meters.
YR: – How did you get the idea to play at the junior world championship in Star class? Did you keep her in mind when going to America? And how did you become a participant in the World Cup stage in the Olympic classes, which also took place in Miami?
AS: – The idea with the junior championship was suggested by my friend Josh Revkin. He used to race in the Finn class, and for the last 5 years he has been performing in Star; together with the Norwegian helmsman Peter Melebi, they became world champions in 2017.
So, Josh called back last October and asked how old I was. The fact is that in the rules of the junior world championship they wrote down: at the time of the beginning of the tournament the helmsman must be less than 31 years old. It turned out, I do not pass: I am already 31 years old. But for crank this rule does not apply. Therefore, Josh and I decided that I would find the helm myself on the spot, in Miami (especially since the World Cup was due to take place before the championship, and there are always plenty of people who want to stay in Florida), and we are in pursuit of pleasure.
The plan was this – I had to fly to Miami, get used to the time difference, take a walk for a week – and then drive away to the Star. But life made adjustments: in the sailing center, I accidentally met with my acquaintance, Professor Charles Heimler (he sometimes performs in the Finn Masters class), who made an offer “that you can't refuse” – he offered his yacht to participate in the World Cup and paid for the launch contribution.
They really do not refuse such offers, because if I had gathered myself to pay for all this, I would have to pay about $ 2,000 in the region. Participation in the Cup was very good preparation for the World Cup races.
The Finn class is now at the peak of competition – the technique of walking on new yachts has been mastered, young guys have not stopped daily training for 6 years now, their former senior rivals, Olympic medalists, are training, and adds to the fact that there may be the last Olympics ahead and last chance to enter the Olympic history class "Finn".
They didn’t relax at the World Cup, there were no complicated, stable winds, you are the first to enter the first mark – and you can easily be the 16th and the next one. I was not pleased with the result of the regatta (Selivanov took the 20th place. – Approx. YR), but strong competition and the opportunity to remember the racing strategy, to feel the water area were very useful.
YR .: Have you ever met Luke Lawrence before? When did you meet?
AS: – I met Luke back in 2010. Class "Finn" is very friendly. We trained together, fought in competitions. It happened, we went by the same car, I ran on his boat during the World Cup days in Miami in 2015. He was born in Palm Beach – it is near, also in Florida. It turned out that our characters are similar – the southern ones, and the interests are the same. Luke is a funny, honest, open, talented guy and loves us in our walk.
YR .: – Who is Dr. Jim Revkin, who, as the American press wrote, provided you and Luc a boat to participate in the championship?
AS: – About this is a separate story. The role of Jim in our victory is really great. It all began in 2012 at the Kiel regatta, when Josh Revkin, Jim's son, asked me to "Finn" to participate in competitions. His yacht was in England, and my reserve was on a trailer 20 meters from the launch. I said, “Velcom” – and the next day Josh joined our group on my yacht.
And on the last day of the Kiel regatta I had to rescue him two miles from the coast. The wind increased from 25 to 50 knots by the end of the second race, and only 5 of the 34 yachts were able to reach the finish. There were both coups, and torn feathers, and broken masts.
Josh rolled over in the middle of the finishing forvind and froze for 15 minutes of swimming so that he could not bend his fingers and reach the dagger out of the water. I had already finished and walked into the harbor when I saw an upside-down boat, approached, took it out of the water to my Finn, and I jumped to turn over the second one. So, exchanging yachts, came to the yacht club.
Well, sort of nothing special, which of us would not do the same? But now we are like brothers. And Jim is our father 🙂
Jim is 66 years old, he is a cardiologist, he is looking for a protein in the research team that can stop the synthesis of “harmful” cholesterol by our liver, and spends his free time working on a yacht or in the mountains. As a child, he was taught to walk safely on a cruise yacht, so in racing he prefers to give up and does not show Olympic results, but this does not stop him from participating in competitions.
So this same Jim offered me his yacht for the World Cup, paid the entry fee and advised him to take Luke into the helmsman. Said: you can win together. And he was right.
YR: – Did you go, Alexey, before on the “Star”? Can you say that you immediately found a common language with Luke? Which of the world championship races did you remember the most?
A.S .: – I had 4 regattas in my asset as a squat on Star and 7 competitions in the waters of Biscayne Bay, where the world championship was held. For Luke, this bay is his home, where he participated in the regattas in the Star class 15 times.
But we were both helmsmen and at one time in the World Cups in Miami were on the same level. I was, of course, bothered by the question of how we could interact in the same crew. I got the answer in the first race, and she remembered the most.
Together we chose the side for tacking, Luke made a great start, and then I said where the wind was and when to turn. 3 minutes of separation from rivals when we crossed the finish line, and he, satisfied, asked me: how? I replied: if I were driving, we would bring 6 minutes :)) In general, it went.
YR: – Do you plan to continue playing together with Luke? And does the victory in the junior championship guarantee participation in the Star Sailors League 2019 final?
AS: – As for the SSL final – so far no information is available. Luke has already taken part in this regatta, and, quite possibly, he will be invited again.
As for the joint speeches – we'll see. So far we have agreed together to defend the Silver Cup that we won in 2020 at the next World Cup in Italy. It remains only to find a boat. Jim is far away, and the “Star” class in terms of costs is not Finn at all.
354 February 10, 2019 # 8786
Chief Editor
miami
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