Latest news with #Malizia
South Wales Argus
7 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Harris hopes for surge in interest as Ocean Race heads to Portsmouth
Weybridge sailor Will Harris hopes a growing British influence in The Ocean Race Europe can ultimately result in a team being based on these shores. The 31-year-old is co-captaining Team Malizia in the 4,500-nautical mile multi-stage offshore race which began in Kiel this week and ends in Montenegro on September 20. Harris is one of seven British sailors taking part and will have the chance to sail on home waters, with Portsmouth marking the end of the first leg on August 14 before the second leg begins from there three days later. He moved to France to pursue his sailing dreams but hopes more British investors and commercial partners come on board to make a UK-based team a reality. 'It is really good to see that we are finding pathways into this top level offshore racing world,' Harris said. 'But we really need to see a British team on the start line. That is the next step and hopefully that will happen at some point in the future. 'We need to find some backing from the British market. We are really trying to encourage the British population to follow the sport, get behind what we are trying to do and try and win some of these big and famous races. 'If we can do that, hopefully we'll get these British companies or partners to sponsor a team to go and try and win The Ocean Race. 'The other one is the Vendée Globe, the solo around the world race which was made quite famous in the UK by Ellen MacArthur about 20 years ago. 'We have never won that race so that would be a historic moment. If we could manage that, it would be massive for any company associated with it.' Harris was part of the Malizia crew who finished third in The Ocean Race two years ago and is particularly excited to be heading on to British waters for this instalment. 'It is really cool to bring the boats to Portsmouth and show people what this race is about,' he said. 'It is the top level and most exciting offshore racing that we have now. 'It will be a challenging race and we will have to adapt quickly. But we are going to some really cool places and finishing in Montenegro will be a whole new experience.' Sustainability is one of the key aspects of The Ocean Race Europe and it is also a topic close to the heart of Harris, the holder of a degree in Oceanography. 'We do our own scientific research,' he said. 'Wherever we are sailing, we have sensors on board collecting ocean data such as CO2 levels and temperature. 'We submit this to different scientific institutes we are partnered with, they can treat the data and put it into their models to see how they oceans are changing both naturally and due to human impact. 'Each time we do a race, we can see how things are changing and hopefully this can help us better understand our impact and see what we can do to improve and regenerate the oceans as well. 'It is basically free research - we don't have to send out a research vessel, we can do it while we are racing and it doesn't hinder us in any way at all. 'The Ocean Race are very involved in inspiring and educating the next generation about why our oceans are so important. 'We get to sail in very remote parts of the ocean and we really rely on our oceans so if we can show what is in them, what we experience while we are out there, we can use that as a tool to inspire and educate, as well as how we can make changes in our day to day life to help protect them.' Seven international teams, seven stopovers, 4,500 nautical miles, racing for the ocean. The Ocean Race Europe comes to Portsmouth 14 - 17 August - the city where the race first began in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race
Rhyl Journal
12-08-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Harris hopes for surge in interest as Ocean Race heads to Portsmouth
Weybridge sailor Will Harris hopes a growing British influence in The Ocean Race Europe can ultimately result in a team being based on these shores. The 31-year-old is co-captaining Team Malizia in the 4,500-nautical mile multi-stage offshore race which began in Kiel this week and ends in Montenegro on September 20. Harris is one of seven British sailors taking part and will have the chance to sail on home waters, with Portsmouth marking the end of the first leg on August 14 before the second leg begins from there three days later. He moved to France to pursue his sailing dreams but hopes more British investors and commercial partners come on board to make a UK-based team a reality. A post shared by Will Harris (@willharrissailing) 'It is really good to see that we are finding pathways into this top level offshore racing world,' Harris said. 'But we really need to see a British team on the start line. That is the next step and hopefully that will happen at some point in the future. 'We need to find some backing from the British market. We are really trying to encourage the British population to follow the sport, get behind what we are trying to do and try and win some of these big and famous races. 'If we can do that, hopefully we'll get these British companies or partners to sponsor a team to go and try and win The Ocean Race. 'The other one is the Vendée Globe, the solo around the world race which was made quite famous in the UK by Ellen MacArthur about 20 years ago. 'We have never won that race so that would be a historic moment. If we could manage that, it would be massive for any company associated with it.' Harris was part of the Malizia crew who finished third in The Ocean Race two years ago and is particularly excited to be heading on to British waters for this instalment. 'It is really cool to bring the boats to Portsmouth and show people what this race is about,' he said. 'It is the top level and most exciting offshore racing that we have now. 'It will be a challenging race and we will have to adapt quickly. But we are going to some really cool places and finishing in Montenegro will be a whole new experience.' Sustainability is one of the key aspects of The Ocean Race Europe and it is also a topic close to the heart of Harris, the holder of a degree in Oceanography. 'We do our own scientific research,' he said. 'Wherever we are sailing, we have sensors on board collecting ocean data such as CO2 levels and temperature. 'We submit this to different scientific institutes we are partnered with, they can treat the data and put it into their models to see how they oceans are changing both naturally and due to human impact. 'Each time we do a race, we can see how things are changing and hopefully this can help us better understand our impact and see what we can do to improve and regenerate the oceans as well. 'It is basically free research - we don't have to send out a research vessel, we can do it while we are racing and it doesn't hinder us in any way at all. 'The Ocean Race are very involved in inspiring and educating the next generation about why our oceans are so important. 'We get to sail in very remote parts of the ocean and we really rely on our oceans so if we can show what is in them, what we experience while we are out there, we can use that as a tool to inspire and educate, as well as how we can make changes in our day to day life to help protect them.' Seven international teams, seven stopovers, 4,500 nautical miles, racing for the ocean. The Ocean Race Europe comes to Portsmouth 14 - 17 August - the city where the race first began in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Can't Stop Chunking Wedge Shots? These Tips Will Improve Your Short Game
Envision this scenario: You've hit the fairway off the tee, navigated the hole with expert-level course management, and just missed a green-in-regulation, so all that's left for par is getting up-and-down. As you grab a wedge and take your chip shot, the worst outcome happens — chunked. Advertisement Outside of vulgarities and possible Patrick Reed-level frustration, you've got to quickly clear your mind and refocus on your next shot, hoping to correct any mistakes from your previous wedge shot from just a few seconds prior. To be successful, you need to go back to your fundamentals and execute them to perfection — which can be easier said than done. Thanks to some golf tips from top-ranked golf instructor Mike Malizia, you can dial in your wedge shots and avoid chunking ever again. The video below explains how. 3 Reasons Why You're Chunking Wedge Shots 'We're talking about the worst shot in golf, and that's when you chunk it,' Malizia says. Advertisement But what's the root cause of chunking golf shots? The top golf instructor shares the three most common reasons why you're chunking — which most amateur players can identify with. 'The first mistake is driving with your knees. When you do that, it'll lower your trail shoulder [leading the club to dig] into the sand. The second reason for chunking is having the chest come down and get lower. That puts [the club] back down in the ground. The third thing I see for chronic chunkers is when they try to elevate the ball by falling back, causing your low point of the club to hit way behind the ball,' Malizia explains. How to Stop Chunking Chip Shots Now that you've got the common reasons for chunking golf shots, Malizia provides the necessary recipe to fix the problem. Advertisement 'If you want to hit clean, solid chip shots, here's what you have to do,' Malizia says. 'Setup correctly, using a narrow stance and putting your weight [forward]. I'm going to keep my knees and my chest the same height, and I'm going to make a nice tempo swing.' How to Stop Chunking Bunker Shots In addition to chunking shots from the rough, it's not uncommon for a player to struggle hitting out of a sand trap. Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I've taken three shots just to escape a greenside bunker — which makes me want to toss my club into a pond. But Malizia says to avoid the bunker chunks, you've got to reimagine your technique. Advertisement '[It's so old school] to just open the clubface and aim left,' Malizia says. 'Let's simplify this by taking the sand wedge and just slightly opening it. There's no need to open it so much that it's looking like you're going to shank it.' Now that you've got more control of the clubface, Malizia suggests updating your aim. 'We're going to setup square [to the target],' he explains. 'If you watch the modern day PGA Tour player, they setup square.' By just making those two easy adjustments, you'll be able to swing the club on its plane and utilize the bounce of the golf club from the bunker — helping you avoid chunking golf shots. Advertisement Related: How To Hit a Knockdown Shot When Dealing With Windy Conditions Related: How Do I Stop Topping the Ball? It's Simpler Than You Think Related: Try Nick Dunlap's Easy Practice Drill for Straighter Putts
