You Can't Handle This

Rolex Miami OCR


This event was the antithesis of CRW last year. I felt I should be well-rounded, though.

For those who don't know, OCR is "Olympic Class Racing." The event is an Olympic qualifier bringing in about 800 sailors from around the globe in the 10 Olympic + Paralympic classes. (470s, Skuds, RS:X, Stars, Lasers, etc)

What was I expecting? I thought all my previous conceptions would be proved wrong. I was hoping all the rumors and events floating around were isolated incidents.

Needless to say, I was disappointed in the event. It wasn't that the event wasn't run properly; it was the communications going on inside the event.

Lesson #1 in International Communications:
When someone can't understand you, it doesn't mean they can't hear you. No one was deaf in any of the circumstances I witnessed.

Lesson #2:
Be Patient. Short tempers don't solve problems or answer questions. Enough said.

Lesson #3:
Don't dismiss someone just because they're not on the US Sailing Team Alphagraphics. Give everyone the same treatment and amount of attention.

Lesson #4:
If you welcome a problem with a smile, 9 times out of 10, they'll reciprocate.

Another problem was one that was publicized by a high profile individual. The way the event was being promoted and covered was behind the times. "Cover It Live" is a great platform and it was implemented well. Though, the daily video highlights should have been done differently giving more attention to each individual class and more international sailors. Then, the Facebook photos were only 10-20 per day. That is not near enough to get a good grasp on the event if you're not there. Talking to locals outside the event, they didn't even know anything about the international sailing regatta.

Well, it might be just that train of thought that got me sentenced to the RS:X course. That or they figured that I just wasn't fitting in. I wasn't going to change my ways to fit their "type," so long as I was doing my job well. 

Low and behold, I had a fantastic time with some great people running the social media on the race courses. These were my kind of people out there on the water. They fit my type and my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed myself outside the office. 

The nightlife wasn't too shabby either after I discovered a fantastic place called The Sandbar. The Sandbar boasts 1/2 price tacos on Mondays and 1/2 off hurricanes on Wednesdays in conjunction with Redneck penny PBR's and pudding wrestling. Needless to say, good food, great portions and cheap prices. It quickly became my second home after I discovered $3.50 drafts.