I recently competed at the 2017 Orange Bowl Youth International Regatta in Miami Florida in the c420 with my skipper Gray Hemans (BYC). The regatta consisted of five days of sailing, including one day of clinic and four days of racing. 
Leaving California Christmas morning, we saw a couple sailors on our flight and enjoyed talking about what was in store for us in Florida. The next day, Gray and I walked from our hotel to the venue, and rigged what would be our c420 for the next three days. With winds around 15 knots, the conditions looked promising for the rest of the week, and we were able to test out our boat with a couple other teams from southern California and our coach from Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, Maryland.
The first two days of racing were the qualifying round. With a fleet of 80 boats, teams were put in two randomly selected fleets. Despite the forecast, the conditions were very challenging, with very light winds and heavy pleasure boat traffic. After the first day, we filed for protest for an incident at the leeward mark, but due to the contrasting testimonies given by both skippers, we were disqualified and thrown out of the race because of reasonable doubt.
Because we had a very high score we needed to compensate for, Gray and I knew that the next day was crucial in order for us to qualify for the gold fleet. Luckily, we sailed the rest of the regatta without contact with other boats, and we were able to showcase the time we spent training together. Throughout the rest of the week, Gray and I learned a lot about our skills as a team and within the fleet. Participating at the 2017 Orange Bowl Regatta has enabled me to work on my skills in a variety of conditions that will translate to other types of sailing, including interscholastic and offshore. I have strengthened the connections I have made in the sailing community, with other sailors and coaches from around the country, and I look forward to continue training and competing with them in the future.