What was the first boat you sailed?
Anna Tunnicliffe: The first boat I ever sailed was my parents’ yacht when I was very young. The first boat I started to sail by myself and race was an Optimist.
Is there a mentor or role model that has impacted your sailing career?
AT: When I was young, I didn’t really have a role model, I didn’t like sailing until I was about 12 years old and moved to America. When I went to college, I really admired Sally Barkow. She was probably the first person that I looked up to, and because of her I realized I could take my sailing to the next level. Now that I’m sailing the Radial, I would have to say that Robert Scheidt is my role model. I admire what he has done, both in the Laser and now in the Star.
How did you learn the racing game?
AT: I learned by just doing it. I was okay as a junior sailor with my tactics starting off, but as I got tired on one tack I would tack over to give my legs a little rest. Over time I got into the same situations over and over again and I learned what to do. College was really where I got a big jump on the game. It was such a valuable experience because of the amount of time on the water in each situation.
You were Quantum’s Female Sailor of the Year and a three-time All American—how did your college sailing experiences help you succeed on the international circuit?
AT: College sailing really prepared me for the international circuit. Every weekend I made at least 18 starts and dozens of mark roundings. Now I feel comfortable starting in large fleets and approaching marks in a crowd. It became second nature, letting me stay focused on boatspeed and wind moving down the course.
What attracted you to the Radial as opposed to other boats like the 470?
AT: I’m a very physical person. The Radial appealed to me because of this. I never really had a great experience with the 420 growing up, but loved sailing the Laser, so I knew that singlehanded sailing was where I was heading.
You sail very well in windy conditions, what’s your secret?
AT: Hike hard and have fun. Practice is very important when it’s windy so that you get comfortable. Plus, the great thing about the Laser is that if you do capsize in practice, the boat is very easy to get up again. Also, don’t be afraid to use your control lines, especially the vang!
Do you have any rigging tricks you could share with us?
AT: The Laser is a pretty simple boat as far as rigging. Two little things that I do which I think really help are putting measuring strips on the boom and vang to always know where my settings are, and putting rubber hosing on all the control lines for handles. Measuring tape allows you to always rig the boat the same and get the same settings on the water. The handles allow for easier grabbing in tight situations and help keep the line from getting tangled.
Any specific uses of Harken?
AT: All of my blocks are Harken. I really like how light they are and I have faith in their durability.
How do you physically and mentally prepare for a race?
AT: I plot out my schedule for the year in about October of the year before. I pick my peaking events, and events I am doing for practice. I plan my physical schedule around the peaking events so that I’m in peak condition for them. Mentally, I’m working on ways to find what works best for me. Lately, it’s just to go out there and have fun—not think of the outcomes if situations arise, just deal with what happens when it happens. I’m only one person on a course and there are 30 to 50 people out there that I have no control over, so I just need to take control of what I can and have fun doing it.
How do you deal with the stress of racing?
AT: I enjoy myself the whole time and the stress stays away. I take every situation, both good and bad, as learning experiences. But keeping it fun is most important.
How do you prepare your boat?
AT: I check over all of my lines, blades, and spars for damage. I wash my boat at the beginning of each regatta. I use McLube™ on the end of the boom to help the clew strap slide freely.
What would you miss on your boat if you forgot it?
AT: It’s pretty hard to forget most things on a Laser being that it’s a pretty simple boat, but I would miss my wind indicator if I forgot it. It really bothers me if I lose it when racing.
What is your most memorable race?
AT: I’m not sure I have a most memorable race. My most memorable regatta was the college singlehanded nationals in Minnesota my senior year. The first day I had an ok day, but I finished the day with a 10 and was really upset about it. I told Mitch, my coach, that I was going to win every race the next day, and I went out and won all 7 races that day. That was probably my most memorable regatta.
How do you feel the scrutiny of on-the-water judging affects sailors, especially in a physically demanding boat like the Laser?
AT: I think that on-the-water judging is great. It’s not allowed in our class rules to work the boat say like 470s or Finns, so having the judges there to keep us within the rules is a good idea. At first I thought that they were a little inconsistent and were not allowing us to sail the boat the way we needed to, but now I think that the judges have seen enough of us sailing that they have a very good idea when we are pushing it too much and they need to tame us back.
Is there another side of you would like to share with the readership?
AT: My other hobbies are running, reading, and playing the cello.
What do you find most fun and rewarding about the sport?
AT: I really enjoy that every day is different. No race is exactly the same, the wind is always slightly different, and the sea is always different. It never gets boring. If it gets to that point, it’s time to take a break because something is missing out on the course.
What advice would you give a sailor that is new to the sport?
AT: Have fun. My motto is, ‘sail for fun’, winning is an added bonus!
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