Day 4

One race today that started at 1600. The Tornados were sharing our race course today so they got to start at 12:00 and we had to wait until they were done. The wind was 16-18 knots from 125.nice big waves for surfing downwind.

We had a good start near the leeward end and going left. We were close with Percy and Bromby coming out of that but up toward the windward mark, we feel in a bit of a hole and they got lifted and rounded quite a bit ahead. In fact, we lost about 7 boats within 2 minutes of the top mark. Down the first run, those who gybe set had a lot more pressure. We lost 10 boats on that run to round the leeward mark about 20th. Up the second beat we had good speed and the left was good to us. We rounded the top mark 12th and had a fast run to pass 5 more boats and finish 7th.

That moved us up to 10th overall. We are just not consistent enough in both our speed and our tactics. It won’t take much improving to make a significant difference. But we have to do it.

Now the fleet will be divided into two groups; the top 45 and the second 45. We will stay in those groups until the end of the regatta, which is scheduled to be 5 more races.

Ian Percy (GBR) is putting on a clinic, winning again to day. He is very fast in this breeze. In the other fleet a Frenchman named Xavier Rohart is doing quite well and is just 3 points behind Percy. Percy won the Worlds last year in Marina Del Rey and Rohart was second. Freddy Loof, the 2001 World Champion from Sweden is moving up nicely into 3rd overall. Torben Grael who was second at last years worlds and first in Athens this summer, is 15th currently.

Tomorrow we start at 12:00 for two races.

Scores are at www.cadiz2003.com.