This photo was taken back in January when I was training full power in Tarifa for the “upcoming” 2020 season. France, Japan, South Korea, Portugal and then a summer in Greece! I crashed hard that session and after multiple crashes on the foil throughout the winter, this was the final impact that gave me concussion (although I didn’t know it at the time). Fast forward 6 weeks, the doctor told me to have a month off and that I might just about be ok for the first event in France in April… Then COVID happened and everyone’s world’s changed – whilst disappointed, I breathed a sigh of relief as the full extent of my concussion was realised. I was lucky to be surrounded by family in this time who lovingly looked after me as I dealt with my own battles – most people were infuriated at being stuck at home, I was struggling to find the energy to get out of bed as my brain healed. Slowly as the lockdown lifted, my recovery perked up and I slowly made it back on the water, but not in time for what turned out to be the only event of the year in Croatia! I held out hope for the Worlds in Greece and a postponed PWA in France in October but equally knuckled down and got my degree finished as more and more events got cancelled. Today would have been the first day of the Worlds, and also the day we found out that the PWA in Marignane is cancelled.

It leaves me with mixed feelings – sad at having not raced now since the end of last season, and not going to race internationally again until (hopefully) next season but also relieved that having taken the time to heal, I haven’t missed out on anything this year and I’ve given my body and mind some time to recover and embraced the healing process. With no events in the calendar to train for, as an athlete, it’s a weird feeling, especially in a sport where we don’t normally have an offseason and actually September to November is normally mad busy.

What will the next few months bring? Who knows… All I can hope for is good health, fun times and some wind to get back out doing what I love, and if not it’s time to get on the bike and get fit to come back fighting next season!!