It looked windy at Sebonac Inlet on Sunday, but when we launched on 5.2’s and big boards, not much happened. At first it was Scott and I shlogging ¾ time and planing the rest, then Jeff and the Wolf joined us, and there may have been a few good minutes scattered amongst the lulls. Any time Peconic Jeff and I are on big boards when the wind dies you can pretty much count on us starting up with some freestyle tricks, but in sub-40 degree water temperatures there is cause for pause: Freestyle works best with a devil-may-care attitude…when the water is so cold that said devil’s snowballs will stay frozen in hell the tendency is to hold back a bit. Still, the season’s firsts helitacks, fin-first sailing, upwind 360s, push tacks, ducks etc were seen. And if they were shaky, blame it on the 7mm boots and heavy gloves (and lack of winter practice.)
While talking about winter styling, I’d like to say a word about the winter Olympics. They’ve been tremendous fun to watch, particularly the downhill ski races and Shawn White’s megadomination of the snowboarding events. But you may be surprised (or may not, or may not even care) that I’m a big fan of women’s Olympic figure skating. 
My all-time favorite skater is Oksana Bauil, who back in 1994 when everybody thought the big battle was going to be between Nancy Kerrigan and Tanya Harding, came out and just blew away the competition athletically and artistically. It was the best thing I’d ever seen in skating, and nobody has touched those performances since.
Anyhow ten years later I was talking with a Russian friend at work…somehow the Winter Olympics came up…somehow I mentioned how spectacular I thought Oksana B had been a decade earlier, when my friend said “really? You’re a fan? I’m friends with Oksana Bauil…I’ll bring her in to say Hi!”
“Okay” I said. What do you say to that?
About a week later there’s a knock on my office door, and in comes Oksana. I raved about her uncontested genius, but as I was apparently the ten-millionth person to say it all to her, she had to work to get a decent smile going. But she did.
I own three autographed photos. One of Robby, one of James Brown, and this one of Oksana Bauil.
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