1st Race Day

The locals said it was a good day..13 degrees centigrade just a little rain but not too windy.8-14 knots. Still, it was cold, grey and overcast out there. The wind was oscillating around 330, plenty of opportunity out there.to go up and down.

We had a fantastic first race. Had a good start, didn’t feel fast, but kept staying in phase and probably got more than our fair share of luck and ended up winning by 200 meters.the biggest margin I have won a race by in the last four years. Unusual for us, we were fast downwind today. We passed boats

on every run!

Freddie Loof did a very good job of working one edge of the last run to pass about 7 boats and finish second. Mansfield (IRL), Percy(GBR), Neeleman (NED) and Rohart (FRA) rounded out the top six.

We are getting a new mast sorted out and not 100% sure of all the settings yet. Yesterday we tuned with Percy and he pretty much blew our doors off. So it was nice to go out there and do well in the first race.

We had a bad start in the second race, cleared out to the right. Being back a bit meant fighting for our lanes which is tough but good practice. We got around the first windward mark about 14th and went well down the run, maybe passing a boat or two. Up the second beat we did well. The left was good and we were most of the way on the left. We rounded the second top mark 9th and passed two on the final run to finish 7th.

Rohart won the race(FRA) and Percy was 2nd, followed by Serge Kaats (NED), Marazi (SUI- second at the world Championship in Italy last month), Loof (SWE), and Ross McDonnald(CAN) rounded out the top 6.

Over all;

1) Percy(GBR)-6 points,

2) Rohart(FRA)-7,

3) Loof (SWE)-7,

4) Cayard/Trinter(USA)-8,

5) Neeleman (NED)-14.

To say that the field here is deep is an understatement. All the Olympic participants are here plus a few who were in the top of their qualifications. 40 boats in all. If you get behind it is tough to climb back through the fleet.

You should be able to get the full results at www.SPAregatta.org

Paul Cayard