Overall Results - top ten

Day 4 - you're not going to believe it!

We entered into the final day of racing trailing the third place by 12 points and leading the 5th place by 1 point.
It was going to be far easier to loose our 4th place and slip into 5th than to move into 3rd (near impossible)
We got to the beach and waited..... it rained, we waited some more.... more rain.....more waiting........ a bit more rain and then the race committee decided that the wind was not going to come so no more racing would take place.

Which leaves us with 4th.
Great as it's the best position that we've ever had at an event of such magnitude.
Bummer as we really wanted that podium spot.
But on the whole, great.

We fell that we sailed extremely well, good starts, good boat-speed, manoeuvres, mark rounding etc, good tactical decisions.
Best looking boat at the event as well, which is nice.

So lovely old job. We'd like to thank everyone who sponsored us to come to this great event, it has been fantastic and we are very grateful for all of the help.

So the long journey back to Vassiliki tomorrow (and Monday) apparently the busiest day on the roads of the year in Italy.
We're ready for it, just keep riding the horn Luigi!!!

- I was going to post the full list of results but for some reason i can't get them just now.
I'll try again in and bit and hopefully will be able to get them up.

Day 3

A Mixed Bag of Luck - Day 3

The day started with nothing short of plenty of wind from the north. Fabulous news we thought as we tightened our dusty harness’.

So exited with the prospect of some real wind, we were first boat on the water (twin wiring by 0845) 

After a glorious 5 minutes of good wind, it dropped to nothing at all with the added bonus of HUMPING choppy little waves - worst imaginable conditions.

The race committee kept us heavily bobbing for about 2 hours and then we were allowed to return to the beach.

The wind from the south started creeping in after a bit, the postponement was dropped and we were allowed out.

Nice enough conditions - wind between 12 and 16 knots, short steep waves and sunny sunshine (which always helps)

Race 1 - nothing out of the ordinary, ending up 5th 

Race 2 - we were standing 3rd, looking at 2nd, banging hard down wind, very hard. With the overtake looking so good we pushed the boat beyond it’s natural limits and launched ourselves into what must have been the most spectacular pitch pole of the day. After righting we were DFL but we continued around the course (while Marko rebuilt the boat)

Around the top mark, some back end victims looking good for a down hill battle. The kite went half way up, halyard (rope) snapped in half, kite wouldn’t go up or down.

Balls!

So we sailed quickly into the beach, retiring from the race, assuming that we’d have to loose that race + the next one (using up both of our discards)

However

Race 3 - we managed to get the new halyard on pretty sharpish. We saw from the beach that the wildcats had had a general recall - hope was delivered. 

We leapt onto our ship and hooned it back to the start line just in time to cross with our fleet as the gun was going.

7th

Race 4 - great start, very well sailed, just done at the finish by competition leader - 4th (should have been 2nd if we’d done it better

So with all that went on we lost our 2nd place and replaced it with 4th which is still good considering the mess that happened in Race 2.

Day 2 - The new light wind specialists!

We got to the boat this morning to find that there was wind from the north, gusty, perhaps 10 to 16 knots.

Great! maybe we'll get to use the trapeze harness (that is feeling a little neglected)

So we got out on the water and sailed a test lap, very good pretty full power stuff.

However, by the time that the race committee got around to starting us, the wind had dropped t what could only be described as 'drifting conditions'

We banged left off the start line, going inshore to take advantage of the flatter water with the same light wind as the other side. We had the feeling that when we tacked we were either going to be last or first.

We were first.

And extended our lead throughout the whole race, which was shortened due to the wind becoming non existent.

1st

then we went in for lunch.

Then in the afternoon we were given pretty classic Lake Garda southerly around 14 knots, not enough of us but it'll do, a step in the right direction.

Each race was quite similar for us scoring:

4

5

4

our overall result is now 2nd and having done the calculations, even after tomorrow when we'll get another discard (throw worst result away) we should still be in 2nd.

Hopefully it'll be windier tomorrow but it probably won't be.

Lovely old job!

Day 1 Of Racing, not what we signed up for!

But it never is.
First start was due to be at 0830 which meant getting up at the crack of dawn. Then down to the sailing club and postponement flag was quickly hoisted so that the race committee could finish their cappuccinos.

Marko getting into the 'zone' during the postponement

We eventually were let out onto the course where the wind was between 6 and maybe 10 knots at a push - not our conditions at all.

Race one:
              start - 6/10
              upwind speed - 8/10
              downwind speed - 10/10 (new spinnaker pulling like a horse with big legs)
              manouvers - 9/10

not a bad performance although being a bit pinned in at the start cost us.

6th

Race two:
  not so good really, the wind was all over the shop. The old boat with yellow sails was first to the windward mark! That says a lot.
We came in to the mark a little hot, crash tacked, hit the bouy, did a 360, that was it for that race.

10th

Race three:
   a band of wind was approaching on the left side - we decided that the best course from the start was to get into it as quickly as possible so we smoked it down the line to hit the pin flat out (although it was still only around 8 knots of wind)
Nailed it, had a bit of a scrap round the course with the leading RSA boat but ended up pulling away from him on the last leg.

1st (yay)

Race 4:
  same strategy as the previous race although some others decided that it looked like a good idea.
Podium most of the way round but got stitched up quite badly on the last downwind so lost 2 spots there.

5th

Overall position now 4th, so not a bad start given the worst possible conditions for our weighty crew.

We are sharing a course with the Wildcat worlds. They are definitely quicker upwind, but we are able to keep up downwind and in some cases we're able to wipe their smug F18 expressions off their pointy bowed faces as we leave them behind.

Smashing.

Similar program tomorrow, hopefully with better, stronger wind and better results.

Wildwind spinnaker is the bad boy!

Arrived, Boat Built, Registered, Tested. Ready to Race!

After something like 26 hours of travelling, we finally arrived in Gargnano, Garda, Italy.
It's a really spectacular spot, about two thirds of the way down Lake Garda. Very nice.

We got the boat registered, got weighed, sails measured and we're ready to roll.

 From the parking a rather precarious launch followed down the slipway of doom.
We decided afterwards that launching from the beach would be more practical.

Pulling well!

 The conditions for the 'shake down' were very light. We still went well and the boat felt good.
We were (of course) hoping for strong winds. We'll still give it the beans and have a good go in the light stuff.

The boat's new home for the week - the rocks look quite familiar though.

First advertised start for tomorrow is at 0830, so we'll be ready to be on the water at 0730 - of course, we'll be expecting plenty of postponements along the way. 

Training Done, Time to go!

Yeah, that's right. We've done all that we can training in Vassiliki.
Leaving on Sunday to get the ferry to Italy, then around 4 hours drive to get to the new event site at Garda.
Marko has got the boat looking like new. Feels very quick.

Banging it upwind!

Banging it downwind!