“We had a shocker” today as they would say in New Zealand. We did not even finish the second race.
The wind was 0-4 knots from 060-100. Very spotty.some spots of complete calm. The race committee did not hesitate to run races in these conditions..no delaying.
In the first race we had a great start, came into the line up late with losts of speed and the timing was perfect. We shot out in front of the crowd and were in a strong position half way up. Then we missed a big left shift and then the subsequent right shift. Then a huge hole and we were in last. We clawed our way back for the rest of the race to finish 14th.
In the second race, we had again a good start and were amoung the top three boats half way up. But we continued to work the left side which had been good to us up to that point. Then the wind which was 2-3- knots, filled in at 4-5 knots from the right. We got to the top mark about mid fleet. I can’t really remember how the rest of the race went expect that we were in company with Torben Grael and Freddy Loof, actually ahead of them for the rest of the race. On the last run the wind went basically calm. Then we the misery was about to end, we were one boatlength from the finish line, the committee blew the gun signaling the end of the 30 minute time limit. If you don’t finish within 30 minutes of the leader, you don’t finish. So us the next 10 boats got scored for 35th. We would have finished 24th so hopefully it doesn’t matter to our final score as it will be a discard.
Ross Mac Donnald(CAN)and Peter Bromby(BER) sailed excellently in that stuff, each scoring a 2-3. Ross is now leading with 22 points to Bromby’s 27. Third are the Spanish with 30 points, fourth Loof (SWE) 30 points, and fifth is Percy(GBR) 32 points.
In the end of the day, somehow we are still 8th over all with 50 points.
Don’t know what the forecast is for tomorrow but it can’t get worse. THE SUN IS OUT!. I think that is the problem. High pressure is over the area so we have sun but now wind.
All for today.
Full results at www.SPAregatta.org
Paul Cayard