14 Questions to … Luis Soubie

Luis Soubie, Snipe sailor from Argentina

– 1) Your first time on a sailing boat?

It was – I guess – when I was 1 or 2 months old, in my father’s boat. There is a photo somewhere.

– 2) Your first time on a Snipe?

I was sailing optimist in 1984 or 85, and a guy from the club approached with a snipe and a sailed it for  5 minutes in a 6 knot wind, it was fantastic, it seemed very fast !

– 3) The most bizarre thing that happened in a regatta?

It was with Cecilia Granucci at the 1999 Nationals. A 30 knots gust came in the last downwind leg of a 5 knots race. We were in the back of the fleet, we saw it coming and we sailed it with pole all the way to the top of the fleet while everybody was capsizing. Finally we capsize too and another boat sailed over Cecilia and injured her with the center boar. A power boat took her to land and i was left capsized, with main out of the mast up to the spreaders, the jib with no cunningham and up to the spreaders too and a broken pole hanging from the boom.  I waited and I was approaching to the land, very dangerous, so I tried and I put the boat up, try to fix the jib and cut the pole and started sailing away from the shore going to the club, upwind. I sailed a few minutes and the finish line was there, so I finished the race !! ….. In 4th position, and with that we won the mixed Nationals by 0.25 of a point.

 

– 4) What is the thing that most angers you in a race/regatta?

People who ruin your race by not knowing the rules and people who yell all the time

– 5) Which is the race/regatta that you remember with the most pleasure?

The last race at the 2010 Odesur games, with Cecilia, when we won the gold medal against Alexandre Tinoco. Our only chance was to grab him to the end of the fleet and use the discards, and we did it. It was amazing.

– 6) And the race/regatta you would like to forget?

In 1987 at the qualification for a Cadet world championship, in the last race guys from another club waited in turns during the race, as a team, to stop me and help a friend. I lost the regatta for 1 point, didn’t go to the worlds and I was sad for a whole year. I didn’t even protest.

– 7) Your “dream in the peak”? (Your sailing dream?)

I never wanted to be professional and I really did more than I expected and for sure more than I worked for, so I don’t know. I could say winning a Worlds, but I’m not going to do what it takes, so I don’t know. Maybe win some regatta with my son in 15 years, or a Master Worlds with my wife.

– 8) Sailing goals for 2013, and beyond?

I moved 1000 km away from the water, to the mountains, so 2012 was a tough year to sail. For 2013 I will be happy if we do a good Southamerican, a good National and maybe qualify for some international games, Odesur or so.

– 9) The most important people for you in sailing and in the Snipe?

In the snipe and sailing in general my model always was Santiago Lange. For me, personal, in the snipe, the 12 years I had with Cecilia on a boat where magical. And know, this last 2 years with Diego were great too, we travel a lot and we enjoy very much. now I can sail only because of him, who drives the boat everywhere we need and I arrive to sail

– 10) Why the Snipe?

Because it is the only little boat who sails like a boat. Is tactical, is physical, is fun, is technical and is tough

– 11) Your perfect sailing venue and your perfect sailing conditions?

I enjoy winds from 4 to 12. I really like to have the boat all sheeted in, and the mind in the tactics. More wind requires for me too much physical effort and I cannot think at the 100%.

– 12) Besides sailing which other sport do you practice?

I use to snow sky but know no more. I enjoy very much scuba diving. Also play soccer but at my 42 I need to take care of my knees for sailing so I never do it.

– 13) Are you superstitious?

Zero superstitious. Zero religious. I believe in “the force”.

– 14) Your perfect holiday?

Island on the Caribbean, scuba in the morning, sailing in the afternoon with a nap in the middle, and a straight line of piña colada to my veins all the time.