Day 5

God likes us. Nothing bad happened to us before the start, we had a good start sailed well on the first lap and rounded the first downwind mark in 5 th . Then, the wind started getting weird. First it was our turn to loose a bunch. People on all sides of us had a better shift and more pressure. By the time we got to the 2 nd windward mark we had lost 7 boats and were in 12 th . Pickle (GER) was winning with Bromby in 2 nd, (NED) in fourth, Grael (BRA) was behind us. Then on the second run, god smiled on us and wasn’t kind to the others. We passed 8 boats and rounded the second downwind mark 4 th . Up the final windward leg the wind totally died at one point. Bromby got the worst of it and went from 2 nd to 15 th . Pickle went from 1 st to 5 th . A complete reshuffle. We managed to stay in fourth, somehow.

The last run was almost a reach until the end when the wind dies and shifted back to the right to make a square finish. We had a photo finish with Pickle (GER) and Marazzi (SUI) and we got both of them on the line.

Beashel (AUS) won, MacDonnald (CAN) got the French on the finish line, (FRA) third, ( USA ) fourth, (GER) fifth, (SUI) 6 th . Notables were Grael (BRA) 8 th , (NED; who we were tied with this morning) 12 th , and Bromby (BER) 15 th .

The overall situation is: BRA 35 points, BER and GER 39, USA 40, NED 49, CAN 54, AUS/FRA 58.

Only one race was scheduled and only one race could have been sailed anyway. The Finns and Yngling’s did not get a race in. Only other class to get a race in were the Tornado’s.

We have a lay day tomorrow and the last two races are scheduled for Wednesday. We are planning to train with MacDonnald on the water and then go to the gym after that.

Wednesday will be a big day! We have said many times out there, “Imagine if this was for a gold medal?” It is crazy sailing here.