"AFTER our crash at the worlds, Freddie got bandaged up, 13 stitches, and we were able to sail the rest of the day and hold our lead," Asher Beck relates now. "All in all, not too bad a day, except for Freddie's stitches and using our drop." He got that out with a straight face.
Even with a driver who couldn't bend one knee, the pair went on to win two more races and, finishing seventh, become the only boat with three firsts at the 420 Youth Worlds of 2023. Looking back at the 12-race series sailed out of the Spanish port of Alicante, Parkin says: "We finished up well, but there was an eighth that turned out to be a black flag. We had to eat 45 points." There went the podium. And the rest is philosophy because, as Parkin's mom observed, "You can't win them all."
No, and a near miss takes nothing away from a story worth telling, a story that began a year ago off a beach in the Netherlands. Call it a roll or call it a ride, but Parkin and Beck did not see it coming. They entered the final race of 2022 with a solid hold on second and no reasonable hope for first. Their consistently good finishes included nothing in the top three, while the 2021 bronze medalists from Israel, Roi Levy and Ariel Gal, wore the yellow bibs and carried a comfy cushion. For the final race, Parkin and Beck ignored the leaders.
Beck says: "There were only two boats remotely close to us, challenging for second, so managing them was important. Winning the race was not important, but it turned out to be a pretty easy win. Crossing the finish line, we had no idea what had just happened." What had just happened?
This story is from the Fall 2023 edition of Sailing World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Fall 2023 edition of Sailing World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Tips for More Successful Epoxy Projects
That have nothing to do with epoxy mixing or application techniques
THE MULTITASKING MULTIHULL MOM
Competing in Olympic sailing's most challenging discipline is one thing, but doing so with a tyke in tow takes the campaign hustle to a higher level.
BORN TO SOAR
The kiteboard racing superstar is leaning into the sport that has defined her entire young adult life, propelled across wave tops with an all-consuming goal of a medal.
THE SECRET WEAPON
The top one-design teams know exactly who to call when the job description entails flawless crew work, unrelenting boatwork, and a commitment to winning.
The Arrivals
For more than four decades, photographer extraordinaire Sharon Green has captured sailing in a way that is all her own: impossibly rich and colorful images that are always technically perfect and composed. The arriving yachts of the Transpac Race are her favorite subjects, and for this year's arrivals, the elements all aligned.
HOT COMBINATION
THIS BUDDING TEAM-RACE REGATTA PROVIDES MORE THAN JUST GOOD, FAST-PACED RACING; IT'S SETTING WOMEN'S SAILING ABLAZE.
Jacques Coon's Drift Boat Build
In the summer of 2018, I saw a Jason Cajune drift boat in the lobby of the Sage Lodge located near the Yellowstone River, in Montana's famed Paradise Valley
THIS IS GOING TO HURT
Everyone makes mistakes on the racecourse-that's how we get smarter and faster. But sometimes, as the saying goes, you just can't fix stupid
THESE BADGERS GO BIG
Collegiate offshore regattas provide inland teams the opportunity to develop big-boat skills and sail in premier offshore locations
BREAKING THROUGH THE BOTTLENECK
One local initiative proves that funneling dinghy sailors out of college sailing and into big-boat racing takes commitment from all sides