Day 3 began as yet another beautiful day in Brisbane, mostly sunny, warm and a nice breeze blowing from the Southeast - what more could a sailor want?
While this was only the third day of the regatta, it is often the middle days where the regatta order gets set. Mindful of that I was determined to not let the Day 2 leaders get even more separation with my goal to remain in the hunt at the end of the day, and the first half of the event. Since my upwind speed in a hiking breeze appears to be quite good I was quite happy on the sail out to see that we would be pretty much full on hiking! So I was feeling confident that I could achieve that goal.
High tide today was for around 1:00 pm, just after our start, so it was expected that the right would not be current favored making the left side "open", at least on the first beat. With a square line I elected to start in the middle where the fleet seems to sag substantially making it possible to really get a good jump out in front. With a good start and good speed it did not take long to get into the top group and I was able to roll into the first left to go right. I determined to not sail to the wrong weather mark this race and held the port tack all the way across to pick up a nice right shift as I approached the weather mark, rounding first just in front of Andre Martinie and Jorge Abreu (who is clearly faster than anyone in full hiking going upwind). I had a good reach and run to even slightly extend a bit, rounded the left gate for the second beat, sailed about 100 yards to a nice right shift, tacked to starboard and suddenly had opened even more. This was looking like it was going to be a great race... but then it started to get soft and very shifty. The top half of the beat saw me spending lots of my lead and in the last 100 yards to the mark I fell back to just ahead of the chasing pack. Andre was making a strong charge and was in second, Rob Lowndes, who had a spectacular run to get into 3rd, was coming on strong and Wolfgang Gerz had recovered from far back to be just behind. At the weather mark we rounded effectively overlapped with me on top and I got pushed just enough to the right to find a massive hole. Wolfgang, rounding from behind, dove deep to the left and stayed in pressure. In no time he was even with Andre, sailing in more breeze, and soon took the overall lead. I spent the rest of the run trying to catch up and got onto Rob's stern by the final gate but could not capitalize on the last reach and final beat. I finished fourth which is a great finish in this regatta but I was definitely feeling like I had just lost a great opportunity to make a solid move up the leader board.
As we rolled into the next start sequence the breeze was at its peak, in the 15-18 knot range. I pretty much stuck to the game plan from the previous race, starting a bit further up the line and rolling into a tack onto port a bit sooner to get to the presumed current favored right side. While the breeze held velocity on the first beat there were some pronounced shifts and I ended up taking a few to make sure the guys out to the left did not get too much separation. Approaching the weather mark it was once again me rounding first with Jorge not far behind. I had another good first reach to maintain my gap, then a good first half to three quarters of the run to even open up a bit. Once again it started to get soft as we approached the leeward gate (it seems to be a feature of the outer loop) and I went for the left gate to sail on what seemed like a nice left shift heading right. However, a good fraction of the trailing pack took the right gate and were going left so I figured I better not let them separate and took a tack to the right. Nick Page carried on to the right while I kept pace with the boats going left. About halfway up the beat I decided to get back to the right while Nick had found a nice right shift all the way over there. I did have a good angle to the weather mark, and I remembered the previous race where I tacked way too many times on the final approach, so I decided to continue on and had to just duck Nick going back to the left and, it turns out, into oblivion. So, I managed to round the final mark still in first, still with a good lead and only a run, reach and short beat to finish. What could go wrong?
As I mentioned yesterday, there appear to be about a bazillion (physicist speak for an incomprehensibly large number) jelly fish in the water. I neglected to mention there is also a lot of weed floating about in the water. By the time we were on the final run the sun angle was such that I could not see anything in the water, just that there were waves. I knew there were jelly fish about, with the now familiar thud-thud-thud sound as I sailed through packs of them. But now something new, a GIANT chunk of really nasty sea weed grabbed onto my rudder not only putting on the brakes but also making steering difficult. Clearing weed off a Laser rudder on a run in 15 knots of wind is easy for the Olympic guys, less so for a Master sailor and even less so for one who has not been putting in the hours in the boat. So... what to do? Leaving it was not an option, I tried several times to sheet in, reach back and clear with my hand but could not quite execute before the boat starting rolling uncontrollably. Eventually I went into a big roll jibe and was able to shake it off the rudder when tipped but by now the chasing pack was getting closer, in particular Wolfgang Gerz who had managed to once again sail from oblivion to threaten winning the race!
Well, this was NOT going to happen this race, I got sorted, rounded the mark to the reach and turned on the jets. About 100 yards in front of me was the last sailor in the red fleet (starting just ahead of me) and by the leeward mark I was 4 boat lengths behind him, going to the final beat. He was obviously not comfortable with the breeze and I sailed right up to his stern before being forced to tack. Wolfgang held on to evenually sail through him but I think the damage was done and I finish first with Wolfgang far enough behind to not be a concern. Mark Bethwaite, recovering from two OCS's the day before, finished third, Malcolm Courts finished 5th. Andre had been in third but capsized at the final mark and ended 6th.
At the halfway point of the event, Wolfgang Gerz has a nice 6 point lead. He is sailing very consistently showing an uncanny ability to recover from poor positions early in the races. His line score of 4-6-1-2-1-2 is showing him to be the guy to beat.
On my side I have high confidence in my speed when the breeze is up but don't feel particularly spectacular in the lighter stuff. Still, my biggest problem in the regatta so far has been the execution errors - like hitting the mark in the first race to give away 2 points, to capsizing on the run, to sailing to the wrong mark. Yesterday I was more focused and mostly sailed well, except for the meltdown at the end of the second beat of the first race. Looking forward the current forecasts are not great for breeze, putting it into the 10-12 range for Thursday and Friday and making Saturday look outright sketchy. But it also appears that Wolfgang's worst races were in the lighter breeze of the first day as well, so the regatta is still not over!
Looking behind, Andre Martinie, after a several year vacation, is sailing fantastically well and is also still a threat to win the event. Malcolm Courts may well be the fastest sailor in the 10-12 range, and will certainly be a threat to move up, but will need a lot of help from Wolfgang to get to first. With 6 races to go and it does not seem like its too early to count positions, but there are two throwouts (if we get 10 races) and Wolfgang is currently throwing out a 6th - meaning he can have two disasters and still be at the top of the leaderboard.
Today (Wednesday here) is the lay day so most sailors are already off touring the Gold Coast and other local attractions. Unfortunately, this morning is raining fairly hard though that is supposed to clear soon so the day off should end up being great for everyone.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Did they tell you about the jelly fish?
Back when Peter Vessella was thinking about coming to the event he asked his Star crew, who is Aussie and has sailed here extensively, what to expect for the sailing. He said something like "its just like Biscayne Bay except there are lots of jelly fish". That assessment appears to be spot on. The sailing does remind me of racing in Miami. The number of jelly fish in the water is staggering and, unfortunately, there are patches where there is simply no avoiding them.
Anyway, the forecast for today had a bit more breeze from the standard Southeast direction and we were, in fact, already lightly hiking on the sail out to the start. After watching the Apprentice and Master fleets start it was clear the game plan was to go right soon after starting, but the line looked to give a slight pin end favor. I started towards the pin and with a good start was able to soon tack and cross the boats around me. Wolfgang Gerz had a great start in the upper half of the line and had already tacked to go right. In the 10-12 knots of wind he was flying and quickly established a good lead. And just to leeward of him was Malcolm. I started to realize I was slightly off the pace and starting to fall back into the pack and a quick look at the centerboard revealed a nice clump of weed. Once clear I was back in gear but by now Wolfgang and Malcolm were quite far ahead. As we neared the middle of course we got a nice right shift, I took that over to the left where it looked like there was more pressure anyway. From here on I started to play shifts towards the mark and really felt I was making big gains, especially since neither Wolfgang or Malcolm were tacking. I was now sitting left most boat in great position when I finally realized I was sailing to the wrong mark! With the sideways current the courses really appear to get skewed and its quite easy to end up sailing to wing mark as the "upwind" mark since the real weather mark looks to be way over to the side. Ok, reach into the weather mark now in the mid-teens, down the first reach and on to the run... I played off what would be the left side looking upwind and was making some great progress, having moved into 4th or 5th when yet another execution error struck - I capsized. Ok, get sorted out, back into the low teens for the next beat. This time pay better attention and climb back to around 4th. Another unspectacular run puts me in a pack at the last gate with Jorge Abreu on top of me on the reach. I can't get through to leeward and this opens the door for several boats to roll over the top of both of us. I think I finished 8th across the line but am saved by the fact that 3 boats in front of me are OCS, so I get a 5th!
At this point I'm realizing that I'm making lots of "execution errors" of the type you make when you have not been sailing a Laser much. Time to stop that!
Once again the race committee does not hesitate to roll into the second race. The breeze is now up nicely, the most I have seen since we have been here, probably solidly in the 15-18 range. I start at the pin in a big left shift and immediately tack to get launched out to the right side of the course. This time I pay attention to which buoy I am sailing to, I wait until solidly on the right side before playing a shift to get back right and just cross Jorge, the only other close boat and get to the windward mark first. Jorge understands the mark, has to shoot it and gets stuck so I end up with a nice lead down the reach. The rest of the race is spent staying between the fleet and the next mark and I'm able to cross the line first.
So, 5-1 for the day and I'm still sitting 4th overall on 11 points, 4 points out of first. With 8 races to go it is still an open regatta with nobody yet running away with it, though Wolfgang and Andre are counting some great finishes and are definitely quick in these conditions.
Results posted here.
Main regatta page here.
Anyway, the forecast for today had a bit more breeze from the standard Southeast direction and we were, in fact, already lightly hiking on the sail out to the start. After watching the Apprentice and Master fleets start it was clear the game plan was to go right soon after starting, but the line looked to give a slight pin end favor. I started towards the pin and with a good start was able to soon tack and cross the boats around me. Wolfgang Gerz had a great start in the upper half of the line and had already tacked to go right. In the 10-12 knots of wind he was flying and quickly established a good lead. And just to leeward of him was Malcolm. I started to realize I was slightly off the pace and starting to fall back into the pack and a quick look at the centerboard revealed a nice clump of weed. Once clear I was back in gear but by now Wolfgang and Malcolm were quite far ahead. As we neared the middle of course we got a nice right shift, I took that over to the left where it looked like there was more pressure anyway. From here on I started to play shifts towards the mark and really felt I was making big gains, especially since neither Wolfgang or Malcolm were tacking. I was now sitting left most boat in great position when I finally realized I was sailing to the wrong mark! With the sideways current the courses really appear to get skewed and its quite easy to end up sailing to wing mark as the "upwind" mark since the real weather mark looks to be way over to the side. Ok, reach into the weather mark now in the mid-teens, down the first reach and on to the run... I played off what would be the left side looking upwind and was making some great progress, having moved into 4th or 5th when yet another execution error struck - I capsized. Ok, get sorted out, back into the low teens for the next beat. This time pay better attention and climb back to around 4th. Another unspectacular run puts me in a pack at the last gate with Jorge Abreu on top of me on the reach. I can't get through to leeward and this opens the door for several boats to roll over the top of both of us. I think I finished 8th across the line but am saved by the fact that 3 boats in front of me are OCS, so I get a 5th!
At this point I'm realizing that I'm making lots of "execution errors" of the type you make when you have not been sailing a Laser much. Time to stop that!
Once again the race committee does not hesitate to roll into the second race. The breeze is now up nicely, the most I have seen since we have been here, probably solidly in the 15-18 range. I start at the pin in a big left shift and immediately tack to get launched out to the right side of the course. This time I pay attention to which buoy I am sailing to, I wait until solidly on the right side before playing a shift to get back right and just cross Jorge, the only other close boat and get to the windward mark first. Jorge understands the mark, has to shoot it and gets stuck so I end up with a nice lead down the reach. The rest of the race is spent staying between the fleet and the next mark and I'm able to cross the line first.
So, 5-1 for the day and I'm still sitting 4th overall on 11 points, 4 points out of first. With 8 races to go it is still an open regatta with nobody yet running away with it, though Wolfgang and Andre are counting some great finishes and are definitely quick in these conditions.
Results posted here.
Main regatta page here.
2012 Laser Masters Day One
In contrast to the previous days, Sunday began under increasingly overcast skies and the competitor's meeting was greeted with a good old fashioned semi-tropical downpour. As the squall exited, of course, there was no wind and the rest of the morning was spent debating the day's uniform. If light winds then drop the hiking pants? Or assume the forecast would hold and go with them? As launch time neared I went with the forecast and suited up.
As I sailed out there was certainly a fair bit of second guessing on that decision. I did the standard sail up, sail down, etc., to get the lay of the land, then stood by to watch the Apprentice fleet start in about 8 knots of wind. For their start the pin was definitely favored and it looked like the fleet was favoring the left side of the beat. Next were the Standard Masters who generated the first recall start of the regatta. Then the second. Then the third. This turned out to be quite beneficial as the sea breeze started to roll in with the velocity jumping into the low teens making the hiking pants decision a good one after all!
With the seabreeze coming in was a bit of a shift to the right making the course appear to be slightly skewed for the first beat. However, by now the ebb current was starting to run and it goes sideways, right to left, so it turned out to be a square beat. Lost opportunity #1: started just to leeward of the fleet and sailed too far left into deeper water and had to fight to get back to right. But managed to round in top group so still in the hunt! Breeze was still in low teens so the first reach and run were not spectacular for me but was happy to not be bleeding boats (good that Peter Vessella is not here!). On the outside of the trapezoid we were to the left (looking upwind) of the island at the top of the course and out of the main river. With more pressure those who went hard left made out and by the top mark the leaders changed, with Andre Martinie, after a 4 year vacation from Laser sailing, rounding hot on Malcolm Courts' tail. Breeze was now up to mid-teens and now there was a nice Berkeley Circle style chop and good surfing downwind. Andre proceeded to pass Malcolm on the run and go on to win easily. I went through the final gate in fourth with no threat from behind so just cruised down the reach. At the last leeward mark I noted the current and thought "it would sure be stupid to hit that mark"... they say when you are skiing in trees that if you look at the tree then you hit the tree and it must be something similar with marks as, sure enough, I managed to hit the mark. Execution of the 360 caused me to lose 2 boats and I finished 6th. Silly error that!
The race committee is not one for wasting time on the water and they started the second race very soon after we finished the first - just enough time to wolf down a Cliff bar and drink some water. The breeze was still solid but up the course on the right side it looked like there were some big holes. I elected to start down the line and hang to the left a bit to go for what looked like good pressure. I got a good enough start, worked my way to the left and tacked in the pressure line. Then I noticed that the boats that started at the committee boat and tacked right away were sailing into a massive right shift and the top three on that side had tacked back and were simply launched! I did manage to get back to that side and get into that breeze arriving at the weather mark in the low teens. The rest of the race was spent chipping away at the remaining boats and by the final weather mark I was in shooting range of 2-3, in 5th or so. But the final run and reach were rather unspectacular and in the end I held fifth.
The lessons from the first day appear to be that in general there is a bit more pressure to the left but when the current gets going you need to sail to the right first, getting at least downwind of the weather mark (current adjusted) before thinking about bouncing off the right.
We'll see how that plays out tomorrow!
Currently standing in fourth, results are located here.
Sail World is doing the daily write up, the first day is here.
As I sailed out there was certainly a fair bit of second guessing on that decision. I did the standard sail up, sail down, etc., to get the lay of the land, then stood by to watch the Apprentice fleet start in about 8 knots of wind. For their start the pin was definitely favored and it looked like the fleet was favoring the left side of the beat. Next were the Standard Masters who generated the first recall start of the regatta. Then the second. Then the third. This turned out to be quite beneficial as the sea breeze started to roll in with the velocity jumping into the low teens making the hiking pants decision a good one after all!
With the seabreeze coming in was a bit of a shift to the right making the course appear to be slightly skewed for the first beat. However, by now the ebb current was starting to run and it goes sideways, right to left, so it turned out to be a square beat. Lost opportunity #1: started just to leeward of the fleet and sailed too far left into deeper water and had to fight to get back to right. But managed to round in top group so still in the hunt! Breeze was still in low teens so the first reach and run were not spectacular for me but was happy to not be bleeding boats (good that Peter Vessella is not here!). On the outside of the trapezoid we were to the left (looking upwind) of the island at the top of the course and out of the main river. With more pressure those who went hard left made out and by the top mark the leaders changed, with Andre Martinie, after a 4 year vacation from Laser sailing, rounding hot on Malcolm Courts' tail. Breeze was now up to mid-teens and now there was a nice Berkeley Circle style chop and good surfing downwind. Andre proceeded to pass Malcolm on the run and go on to win easily. I went through the final gate in fourth with no threat from behind so just cruised down the reach. At the last leeward mark I noted the current and thought "it would sure be stupid to hit that mark"... they say when you are skiing in trees that if you look at the tree then you hit the tree and it must be something similar with marks as, sure enough, I managed to hit the mark. Execution of the 360 caused me to lose 2 boats and I finished 6th. Silly error that!
The race committee is not one for wasting time on the water and they started the second race very soon after we finished the first - just enough time to wolf down a Cliff bar and drink some water. The breeze was still solid but up the course on the right side it looked like there were some big holes. I elected to start down the line and hang to the left a bit to go for what looked like good pressure. I got a good enough start, worked my way to the left and tacked in the pressure line. Then I noticed that the boats that started at the committee boat and tacked right away were sailing into a massive right shift and the top three on that side had tacked back and were simply launched! I did manage to get back to that side and get into that breeze arriving at the weather mark in the low teens. The rest of the race was spent chipping away at the remaining boats and by the final weather mark I was in shooting range of 2-3, in 5th or so. But the final run and reach were rather unspectacular and in the end I held fifth.
The lessons from the first day appear to be that in general there is a bit more pressure to the left but when the current gets going you need to sail to the right first, getting at least downwind of the weather mark (current adjusted) before thinking about bouncing off the right.
We'll see how that plays out tomorrow!
Currently standing in fourth, results are located here.
Sail World is doing the daily write up, the first day is here.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
2012 Laser Master Worlds - the regatta begins!
Yes, its true that the 2011 Laser Master Worlds was just last August, barely more than half a year ago, but its already time for the 2012 edition! The regatta is being hosted by the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron located in Manly, near Brisbane, Australia, which explains the timing as we at the end of their Summer.
Christy and I arrived on Wednesday afternoon, after a 15 hour flight from San Francisco to Sydney and then a short hour flight up to Brisbane from Sydney. No drama, as they say, but we were zonked on arrival and were in bed in short order.
On Thursday we got ourselves sorted out, got our boats, put them together and made it out for a short sail at the end of the day. Light winds but WARM! Finally, the semi-tropical worlds we have not seen since Fortaleza in 2005. First thing we noticed about sailing here was the massive number of jellyfish in the water. There are patches that are so thick you simply cannot avoid them. It is also very shallow here, much like the Berkeley Circle, so one does not want to capsize else risk returning to the dock with an unwanted badge of honor at the top of the mast.
On Friday we got ourselves through registration and measurement in relatively short order and then hid under the trees (in the shade) until we thought the wind had filled before hitting the water. Big moment for me was putting the blue band, not a red band, on the mast... just "aged in" to the Grandmaster division! Will definitely miss racing in the Standard Masters fleet but I'm looking forward to the Grandmasters, it is a good group of sailors here in Brisbane and several are definitely sharks in what is expected to be somewhat less breeze than we had in San Francisco.
Christy and I did try to get in some practice time on Friday but, unfortunately, we elected to launch right as the seabreeze was fighting a fair offshore and we ended up drifting around in the transition zone getting a bit overheated. So, not really much of a practice day.
Saturday saw more fiddling with the boat and then a short sail with Brad Taylor, a local sailor who is very fast (and, fortunately, not in my fleet). He gave me some nice pointers on the local knowledge and we had several good lineups to check speed, point, etc. Given the conditions, I came back to the dock pretty happy with my setup.
Evenings so far have been clear and beautiful, have seen the Southern Cross every night!
Today is the first day of racing and Christy and I are sitting here on the back deck of the RQYS enjoying the morning. The weather has decided to change from crystal clear sunshine to overcast with possibility of showers. But the wind forecast is to push 15 knots which sounds just fine to me (ok, I'd prefer 20...).
Competitor's meeting at 10:45, on the water by 11:30, racing starts for our circle at 12:30 and the Grandmasters should be racing by 1:00. Will try to file first day report tomorrow morning!
Christy and I arrived on Wednesday afternoon, after a 15 hour flight from San Francisco to Sydney and then a short hour flight up to Brisbane from Sydney. No drama, as they say, but we were zonked on arrival and were in bed in short order.
On Thursday we got ourselves sorted out, got our boats, put them together and made it out for a short sail at the end of the day. Light winds but WARM! Finally, the semi-tropical worlds we have not seen since Fortaleza in 2005. First thing we noticed about sailing here was the massive number of jellyfish in the water. There are patches that are so thick you simply cannot avoid them. It is also very shallow here, much like the Berkeley Circle, so one does not want to capsize else risk returning to the dock with an unwanted badge of honor at the top of the mast.
On Friday we got ourselves through registration and measurement in relatively short order and then hid under the trees (in the shade) until we thought the wind had filled before hitting the water. Big moment for me was putting the blue band, not a red band, on the mast... just "aged in" to the Grandmaster division! Will definitely miss racing in the Standard Masters fleet but I'm looking forward to the Grandmasters, it is a good group of sailors here in Brisbane and several are definitely sharks in what is expected to be somewhat less breeze than we had in San Francisco.
Christy and I did try to get in some practice time on Friday but, unfortunately, we elected to launch right as the seabreeze was fighting a fair offshore and we ended up drifting around in the transition zone getting a bit overheated. So, not really much of a practice day.
Saturday saw more fiddling with the boat and then a short sail with Brad Taylor, a local sailor who is very fast (and, fortunately, not in my fleet). He gave me some nice pointers on the local knowledge and we had several good lineups to check speed, point, etc. Given the conditions, I came back to the dock pretty happy with my setup.
Evenings so far have been clear and beautiful, have seen the Southern Cross every night!
Today is the first day of racing and Christy and I are sitting here on the back deck of the RQYS enjoying the morning. The weather has decided to change from crystal clear sunshine to overcast with possibility of showers. But the wind forecast is to push 15 knots which sounds just fine to me (ok, I'd prefer 20...).
Competitor's meeting at 10:45, on the water by 11:30, racing starts for our circle at 12:30 and the Grandmasters should be racing by 1:00. Will try to file first day report tomorrow morning!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
2011 StFYC Heavy Weather Laser Slalom
One of the cameras used in the Laser Slalom this year was a Sail Pro camera, which mounts to the transom of the boat and gives a view looking forward. Its nice because it shows you what the sailor sees, more or less.
I was able to download all of the video from the Sail Pro camera (well, the one that survived!) and am planning to post clips of the four races it captured on YouTube. I did finally manage to figure out how to do the first clip:
This clip is of a race that Sean Kelly did. While its not particularly nukin' yet, it is windy enough and its remarkable how smooth Sean is in executing all of the maneuvers!
Hopefully more to come!
I was able to download all of the video from the Sail Pro camera (well, the one that survived!) and am planning to post clips of the four races it captured on YouTube. I did finally manage to figure out how to do the first clip:
This clip is of a race that Sean Kelly did. While its not particularly nukin' yet, it is windy enough and its remarkable how smooth Sean is in executing all of the maneuvers!
Hopefully more to come!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
2011 Laser Master Worlds - The Race-by-Race Summary
Warning! What follows is a long and torturous recap of (nearly) every race! Grab a six pack before wading in...
We sailed on the "North Course" area which was situated just off the west side of Alcatraz Island. We sailed one of two course configurations with Course 1 a windward-leeward arrangement where at the end of the second run one would proceed on a triangle (two reaches) to a leeward mark which gave a short beat to a finish line located just below the start line. Course 2 was a windward-leeward with a finish upwind of the windward mark. The idea was to run Course 1 as the first course each day, Course 2 for the second race so that it would be easier to get back to the beach after racing.
Race 1: Bad start and spent first part of first weather leg finding a lane. Arrived to weather mark in the pelaton but not far from first. Was starting to sail a great first downwind and was on the verge of breaking clear into the top 5 when I nose planted into a big wave and rounded up, filling the cockpit full of water.
Wipeout! Almost taking Ville with me! (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
That pushed me back into the low teens again (it was that close!). In what was to become a theme for the regatta, I sailed left but tacked well short of the layline to allow for some shifts to come back - but those who banged the left corner came out ahead. Last run held even, on the reach managed to get by Peter Drasnin to finish 11th. For an opening race, not a disaster, will take it!
Leading Peter Drasnin down the reach (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
Race 2: The race committee signalled course 1 again, with the bottom triangle to a finish. Another bad start, another race digging out on the first beat. The wind was a bit stronger this race so I was able to use a bit more speed to get closer to the front, especially as the tide had turned to flood and the first beat was really long. Again gave boats up by not going far enough left, otherwise not much to report. Race Committee wisely shortened the race at the second weather mark (after almost an hour of sailing!) and I finished 6th. So, ok day to start the worlds!
Race 3: For this race I was convinced that the left would have the best combination of current (we were earlier in the ebb tide cycle) and wind and was the way to go. The boat end of the line was a bit favored, but I figured that boats starting up there had to sail across the Alcatraz current shadow before hitting the main channel and starting at the pin would more than overcome this. So, there I was almost all alone at the pin with a good start shooting out to the left. At 2 minutes things were looking just as I expected, I was moving out ahead and starting to come up under the group and this time I was going all the way! But then, as I've seen happen many times in San Francisco, a vacuum hole suddenly opened on top of me and the wind died to nearly nothing, leaving me sitting on the rail hardly moving. The lead group from the committee boat end were still in the breeze, pointing higher and moving faster and now in the same current. With no obvious end to the vacuum hole I decided to tack, which took me back to the pelaton for another mid-fleet position! The rest of the race is a blur of trying to keep open lanes upwind, go fast downwind, etc., but the best I could get back to was 12th. This was a disaster!
Race 4: This race had a pretty even start line and a lot more company at the pin end. I managed an ok start and with the increased breeze just legged out to the left with the lead group. This time I did pick the right time to go back and managed to round the weather mark overlapped with another boat for the lead. Brett Beyer finally found his sailing legs and turned on the jets, I managed to hang on for a fourth, my best finish so far.
Race 5: Unfortunately, my memory has faded on this race already... I finished 9th.
Race 6: We were starting relatively late in the day, and very much at or just after maximum ebb. I reasoned that at this point the right side of the course would have stronger ebb and should be favored. So, my plan was to start nearer the boat end and aim for an earlier tack to go right. Great plan, only lacked in execution. I had carefully researched my line sight and I had a clear view from my position to the pin and could see my line sight well. However, I'm well known for over respecting ebb current on the start line AND I'd not had a good start this regatta. So, at 10 seconds when the boats above me started to go I decided my line sight must have shifted and I'd better stay with the front rank. Sheeted in and off to the races with, finally, a great start! The boats above had a slightly better start so I could not immediately tack as was the plan (and as I could see that Russ had done) and I had to leg out left while waiting for things to thin out. While I tacked well short of the port tack lay line, I was definitely left and, it turns out, lucky for it as the right was definitely NOT the way to go! I rounded the first mark in second but had a massive knot in my mainsheet (note to self, if you have deck cleats it is easier to unravel the knots before the weather mark!) and had to stop at the offset mark to untie it before I could go downwind. Not fast. This dropped me to 4-5 on the first run and I pretty much held steady to cross the finish line in 5th. But... I should have paid attention to my line sight after all as I (and 5 other boats, including Brett) were OCS! Ok, these always come back to bite you, and it did hurt to throw away the 5th.
After a day of rest I was determined to come back and start getting better starts. My speed in the breeze was fine, I needed to get better starts and then execute better on the upwind legs in terms of positioning. Speed on the runs was adequete but it was clear that Brett, Arnoud and maybe Scott and Russ were faster, even in the bigger breeze.
Race 7: Get a better start, that was the plan, that is not what was executed. Another poor start, another race of digging back out to finally arrive 10th at the finish. This is getting old! Worse, at this stage of the regatta the top positions are starting to get out of reach. One needs to turn this around!
How to get a bad start! I'm the boat behind Bern Noack who is second from right in picture! (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
Race 8: My memory of this race is finally getting an ok start near the pin but not being able to necessarily hold my lane. Since the left was so favored there was no choice but to sail to the left in bad air, hanging on to the lead group as much as possible. By the time we needed to tack it was sufficiently clear going back right that I sailed clear to the weather mark and rounded in good position. I finished 5th in this race.
With four races to go it was clear that getting into the top three was not really going to happen but I still had a shot at getting to 4th, or at least into a cube (5th). When I got to shore this day I did my standard boat inspection and noticed the rivets at the end of the boom were getting loose. Probably not enough to worry about but this is San Francisco and it is windy so I elected to change those out on Friday morning.
Race 9: While we were starting late (I recall after 2:30 pm), we were still before max ebb so the left was the way to go. I don't remember much about this race, except that I beat both the Danes (who were ahead of me) but lost to Peter Shope (right ahead of me at this point) and I needed to keep track of points on these guys. Still, finished 5th so a good race.
Race 10: This race will, I'm sure, be remembered by all who sail it for a very very long time. It was getting near 4 pm when we started, which is in the window of the windiest time of the day on San Francisco Bay. Windy it was with steady over 20 knots and gusts registered by the committee boat into the 25+ range. Because we were at or just over max ebb they had extended the distance to the weather mark... and I did think it a bit odd that I couldn't really see the weather mark when we started the race, but, hey, its up there! This race I really thought the right would be the way to go and this time managed a good enough start to get going right relatively early. Peter Shope came across and tacked up to weather, but not really on me so I kept going right. As we sailed upwind it wasn't exactly clear where the weather mark was and at one Point Peter started yelling "where's the mark?" At that point the finish line boat stopped a few hundred yards ahead, and slightly to leeward, and appeared to be trying to anchor. Assuming they would be flying an "M" flag, Peter started reaching down to it - to the point where he was right on top of my air. I shouted "What are you doing?!?" and he said "Where's the mark?". At this point I actually saw the weather mark, about another mile (it seemed) to windward up near the Golden Gate Bridge! I said "there it is!" and Peter promptly sheeted in, consolidating his position right on top of me. Argh! So, reach off to get clear air, hike a bit hard to get some forward mojo, etc., etc. With mark in sight its clear now that the right corner will be huge, not only for current but also for the Yellow Bluff shift. Hey! We're racing big boats now! After about 40 minutes of upwind sailing we finally near the windward mark and its nukin' now! The ebb chop is huge, its gotta be 25 knots solid with higher puffs and we're almost under the Golden Gate Bridge! What a race! Russ rounds in first, I'm just behind but have to get sorted out again before turning down. Brett Beyer and Arnoud come in not too far behind, with Scott and Otto not far behind them. Now we are on a run from about the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge back to Alcatraz, in 25+ knots of wind with huge waves. Spectacular! Russ, Scott and I break to the right side figuring we'll fight less of the ebb coming down that side (we, of course, KNOW this being local). Arnoud, Brett and Otto break down the left side. At first things are going according to plan and we start to leverage around the other three. But about halfway down the leg it gets light for us (15-18) while the guys outside and in the middle look like they have more wind. I start to work back to the middle to maintain position, Russ stays to the right and Scott splits the difference. As we approach the leeward mark, the three outside boats have made a huge gain and, even with Brett capsizing, all three round well ahead of us. I'm leading the group on my side in to the mark but then at the last minute Russ and Scott ride puffs up the inside and round just in front of me. So, I start heading upwind just behind Scott and with Russ just ahead. At this point we've been racing for something like 50-55 minutes.
Remember the changed rivets? Apparently the stainless steel rivets I used to replace the loose ones did not seat properly. As I give the mainsheet one last tug to head upwind the lead rivet pulls out, the block comes out of the bale and suddenly I'm sheeting from the strap in the middle of the boom! At first I'm completely depressed that I'm out of the race when it was such a good one. But then rational though returns and I realize that a) I'm still sort of sailing, b) its ebbing, c) they are most likely going to shorten at the weather mark because we've been racing so long. So, I crank down the vang as much as I can possible get it, tack to go right and limp upwind as best as possible. I'm clearly not pointing with the other boats but the pelaton is far enough back that I might **just** hold enough of them off to get an ok finish - if they finish us. Thankfully the weather mark has been pulled back in to a more normal position and, sure enough, I see a finish boat near it. I undertack the finish line and limp back over to the left with 3 boats crossing me. Then, just when you can't think it can get any worse, the screw holding the mainsheet ratchet block comes out! Now I have to hold the main directly from the boom block - the only block still working! Ack! Still, not far to go and I manage to get across the finish line in 12th place. Not the 6th I was in but still not a DNF either!
Anyway, back onshore and EVERYONE is psyched to have done that race. What an epic adventure! And I take my boom with me to get it fixed (again).
The final day: Positions are now solidifying. There is no way to get to the top four, there is an outside shot at 5th but requires Otto to have two throwout races. 6th is in range but unlikely. I'm in 7th but only a few points all the way back to 12th. If I don't sail I can't be worse than 18th. Boom is repaired... head to start line. Sheet in mainsail and "ting!" the lead rivet pulls out with the block falling off AGAIN! I cannot describe the emotion, I'm disgusted with myself that this is happening, I'm depressed I can't sail, etc., etc. I limp by the pin boat to tell them I'm headed to shore when the vice commodore yells "why don't you tie it?" I tell them I don't have a line and they come back with "We have a line, get over here!". Wow! They throw me a piece of cheap 3/16" something (not spectra) and hold my bow while I wrestle with tying the block to the boom in 20 knots of wind. Not pretty but manage to accomplish the task. I give it a quick try sailing upwind, I'm not going to get the main in quite as tight as if normal, but its going to work. Back to the pin boat where they give me a knife to trim things up and then I'm off sailing. Thank you!!!!
This is NOT faster than the standard configuration!
Race 11: Ok, not much time to think here but whole regatta (save race 10) has been all about the left, no time to change now. I finally have a good start just above Russ at the pin end. We go left, left is the way to go. But, again, I tack too early. Russ bangs corner and is in lead group at weather mark, I'm just behind. Bern Noack has a great run and race to finish 3rd and move ahead of me in the standings. Peter Shope and I have a bit too much of a battle, in particular on the bottom reach he took me way up into the ebb current and we both lost Scott Ferguson at the leeward mark. I end up 8th. Otto was ahead, 4th is now out of reach. 6th is not gone, but I'm probably in 8th or 9th right now. Getting back to 7th is all about the last race.
Race 12: On the good side, its windy. On the bad side, the cheap line used to tie the blocks on has stretched so I can't sheet in all the way. There is a big crowd at the pin but do manage to get a front row start and am able to hang until I find a good lane to go back towards the mark.
Start of Race 12 with me just to windward of Russ at the pin. (Photo Chuck Lantz - ChuckLantz.com)
I managed to just cross a few starboard tack boats and am able to sail in clear air to towards the mark and get there in the 3rd-5th range with Bern and Russ. Its probably pretty solidly mid-twenties now and Bern takes a bit higher road down the run, I go with a lower road and also manage to get hooked up with a nice freighter wake. At the leeward mark I'm just ahead of Bern as we head left. As is always my case, I take an earlier tack towards the mark, Bern goes a bit further and we come back together at the windward mark with him just ahead. Another epic run where I'm able to round ahead again. On the final beat I finally decide to not be smarter and just stay between him and the finish line. In the meantime, Brett and Arnoud are having an epic battle just ahead of us for the regatta. Its amazing to watch and on the final beat Brett tacks early to go right, with Arnoud splitting and going left. As they come back together up near the finish line, Arnoud just crosses Brett on port and, from where I am, as they both shoot the finish line I can't tell who won. In the end its Arnoud by some fraction of a boat length to take the last race win and the regatta title. Had Brett won the race, he would have won the regatta on a countback! What a way to finish!
And in the end, Icross the finish line just ahead of Bern to finish tied on points but beating him for 7th on the countback. And, as it turns out, 7th is just good enough to get a trophy to remember my last Master Worlds in the Standard Master division!
The memento of my last World Masters in the Standard Master Fleet!
Finally, I was not the only member of the Usher household racing this event! Christy "RastaGurl" raced in the Standard Apprentice fleet and had a great time, so good that she's already booked our room for Brisbane!
RastaGurl! (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
We sailed on the "North Course" area which was situated just off the west side of Alcatraz Island. We sailed one of two course configurations with Course 1 a windward-leeward arrangement where at the end of the second run one would proceed on a triangle (two reaches) to a leeward mark which gave a short beat to a finish line located just below the start line. Course 2 was a windward-leeward with a finish upwind of the windward mark. The idea was to run Course 1 as the first course each day, Course 2 for the second race so that it would be easier to get back to the beach after racing.
Race 1: Bad start and spent first part of first weather leg finding a lane. Arrived to weather mark in the pelaton but not far from first. Was starting to sail a great first downwind and was on the verge of breaking clear into the top 5 when I nose planted into a big wave and rounded up, filling the cockpit full of water.
Wipeout! Almost taking Ville with me! (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
That pushed me back into the low teens again (it was that close!). In what was to become a theme for the regatta, I sailed left but tacked well short of the layline to allow for some shifts to come back - but those who banged the left corner came out ahead. Last run held even, on the reach managed to get by Peter Drasnin to finish 11th. For an opening race, not a disaster, will take it!
Leading Peter Drasnin down the reach (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
Race 2: The race committee signalled course 1 again, with the bottom triangle to a finish. Another bad start, another race digging out on the first beat. The wind was a bit stronger this race so I was able to use a bit more speed to get closer to the front, especially as the tide had turned to flood and the first beat was really long. Again gave boats up by not going far enough left, otherwise not much to report. Race Committee wisely shortened the race at the second weather mark (after almost an hour of sailing!) and I finished 6th. So, ok day to start the worlds!
Race 3: For this race I was convinced that the left would have the best combination of current (we were earlier in the ebb tide cycle) and wind and was the way to go. The boat end of the line was a bit favored, but I figured that boats starting up there had to sail across the Alcatraz current shadow before hitting the main channel and starting at the pin would more than overcome this. So, there I was almost all alone at the pin with a good start shooting out to the left. At 2 minutes things were looking just as I expected, I was moving out ahead and starting to come up under the group and this time I was going all the way! But then, as I've seen happen many times in San Francisco, a vacuum hole suddenly opened on top of me and the wind died to nearly nothing, leaving me sitting on the rail hardly moving. The lead group from the committee boat end were still in the breeze, pointing higher and moving faster and now in the same current. With no obvious end to the vacuum hole I decided to tack, which took me back to the pelaton for another mid-fleet position! The rest of the race is a blur of trying to keep open lanes upwind, go fast downwind, etc., but the best I could get back to was 12th. This was a disaster!
Race 4: This race had a pretty even start line and a lot more company at the pin end. I managed an ok start and with the increased breeze just legged out to the left with the lead group. This time I did pick the right time to go back and managed to round the weather mark overlapped with another boat for the lead. Brett Beyer finally found his sailing legs and turned on the jets, I managed to hang on for a fourth, my best finish so far.
Race 5: Unfortunately, my memory has faded on this race already... I finished 9th.
Race 6: We were starting relatively late in the day, and very much at or just after maximum ebb. I reasoned that at this point the right side of the course would have stronger ebb and should be favored. So, my plan was to start nearer the boat end and aim for an earlier tack to go right. Great plan, only lacked in execution. I had carefully researched my line sight and I had a clear view from my position to the pin and could see my line sight well. However, I'm well known for over respecting ebb current on the start line AND I'd not had a good start this regatta. So, at 10 seconds when the boats above me started to go I decided my line sight must have shifted and I'd better stay with the front rank. Sheeted in and off to the races with, finally, a great start! The boats above had a slightly better start so I could not immediately tack as was the plan (and as I could see that Russ had done) and I had to leg out left while waiting for things to thin out. While I tacked well short of the port tack lay line, I was definitely left and, it turns out, lucky for it as the right was definitely NOT the way to go! I rounded the first mark in second but had a massive knot in my mainsheet (note to self, if you have deck cleats it is easier to unravel the knots before the weather mark!) and had to stop at the offset mark to untie it before I could go downwind. Not fast. This dropped me to 4-5 on the first run and I pretty much held steady to cross the finish line in 5th. But... I should have paid attention to my line sight after all as I (and 5 other boats, including Brett) were OCS! Ok, these always come back to bite you, and it did hurt to throw away the 5th.
After a day of rest I was determined to come back and start getting better starts. My speed in the breeze was fine, I needed to get better starts and then execute better on the upwind legs in terms of positioning. Speed on the runs was adequete but it was clear that Brett, Arnoud and maybe Scott and Russ were faster, even in the bigger breeze.
Race 7: Get a better start, that was the plan, that is not what was executed. Another poor start, another race of digging back out to finally arrive 10th at the finish. This is getting old! Worse, at this stage of the regatta the top positions are starting to get out of reach. One needs to turn this around!
How to get a bad start! I'm the boat behind Bern Noack who is second from right in picture! (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
Race 8: My memory of this race is finally getting an ok start near the pin but not being able to necessarily hold my lane. Since the left was so favored there was no choice but to sail to the left in bad air, hanging on to the lead group as much as possible. By the time we needed to tack it was sufficiently clear going back right that I sailed clear to the weather mark and rounded in good position. I finished 5th in this race.
With four races to go it was clear that getting into the top three was not really going to happen but I still had a shot at getting to 4th, or at least into a cube (5th). When I got to shore this day I did my standard boat inspection and noticed the rivets at the end of the boom were getting loose. Probably not enough to worry about but this is San Francisco and it is windy so I elected to change those out on Friday morning.
Race 9: While we were starting late (I recall after 2:30 pm), we were still before max ebb so the left was the way to go. I don't remember much about this race, except that I beat both the Danes (who were ahead of me) but lost to Peter Shope (right ahead of me at this point) and I needed to keep track of points on these guys. Still, finished 5th so a good race.
Race 10: This race will, I'm sure, be remembered by all who sail it for a very very long time. It was getting near 4 pm when we started, which is in the window of the windiest time of the day on San Francisco Bay. Windy it was with steady over 20 knots and gusts registered by the committee boat into the 25+ range. Because we were at or just over max ebb they had extended the distance to the weather mark... and I did think it a bit odd that I couldn't really see the weather mark when we started the race, but, hey, its up there! This race I really thought the right would be the way to go and this time managed a good enough start to get going right relatively early. Peter Shope came across and tacked up to weather, but not really on me so I kept going right. As we sailed upwind it wasn't exactly clear where the weather mark was and at one Point Peter started yelling "where's the mark?" At that point the finish line boat stopped a few hundred yards ahead, and slightly to leeward, and appeared to be trying to anchor. Assuming they would be flying an "M" flag, Peter started reaching down to it - to the point where he was right on top of my air. I shouted "What are you doing?!?" and he said "Where's the mark?". At this point I actually saw the weather mark, about another mile (it seemed) to windward up near the Golden Gate Bridge! I said "there it is!" and Peter promptly sheeted in, consolidating his position right on top of me. Argh! So, reach off to get clear air, hike a bit hard to get some forward mojo, etc., etc. With mark in sight its clear now that the right corner will be huge, not only for current but also for the Yellow Bluff shift. Hey! We're racing big boats now! After about 40 minutes of upwind sailing we finally near the windward mark and its nukin' now! The ebb chop is huge, its gotta be 25 knots solid with higher puffs and we're almost under the Golden Gate Bridge! What a race! Russ rounds in first, I'm just behind but have to get sorted out again before turning down. Brett Beyer and Arnoud come in not too far behind, with Scott and Otto not far behind them. Now we are on a run from about the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge back to Alcatraz, in 25+ knots of wind with huge waves. Spectacular! Russ, Scott and I break to the right side figuring we'll fight less of the ebb coming down that side (we, of course, KNOW this being local). Arnoud, Brett and Otto break down the left side. At first things are going according to plan and we start to leverage around the other three. But about halfway down the leg it gets light for us (15-18) while the guys outside and in the middle look like they have more wind. I start to work back to the middle to maintain position, Russ stays to the right and Scott splits the difference. As we approach the leeward mark, the three outside boats have made a huge gain and, even with Brett capsizing, all three round well ahead of us. I'm leading the group on my side in to the mark but then at the last minute Russ and Scott ride puffs up the inside and round just in front of me. So, I start heading upwind just behind Scott and with Russ just ahead. At this point we've been racing for something like 50-55 minutes.
Remember the changed rivets? Apparently the stainless steel rivets I used to replace the loose ones did not seat properly. As I give the mainsheet one last tug to head upwind the lead rivet pulls out, the block comes out of the bale and suddenly I'm sheeting from the strap in the middle of the boom! At first I'm completely depressed that I'm out of the race when it was such a good one. But then rational though returns and I realize that a) I'm still sort of sailing, b) its ebbing, c) they are most likely going to shorten at the weather mark because we've been racing so long. So, I crank down the vang as much as I can possible get it, tack to go right and limp upwind as best as possible. I'm clearly not pointing with the other boats but the pelaton is far enough back that I might **just** hold enough of them off to get an ok finish - if they finish us. Thankfully the weather mark has been pulled back in to a more normal position and, sure enough, I see a finish boat near it. I undertack the finish line and limp back over to the left with 3 boats crossing me. Then, just when you can't think it can get any worse, the screw holding the mainsheet ratchet block comes out! Now I have to hold the main directly from the boom block - the only block still working! Ack! Still, not far to go and I manage to get across the finish line in 12th place. Not the 6th I was in but still not a DNF either!
Anyway, back onshore and EVERYONE is psyched to have done that race. What an epic adventure! And I take my boom with me to get it fixed (again).
The final day: Positions are now solidifying. There is no way to get to the top four, there is an outside shot at 5th but requires Otto to have two throwout races. 6th is in range but unlikely. I'm in 7th but only a few points all the way back to 12th. If I don't sail I can't be worse than 18th. Boom is repaired... head to start line. Sheet in mainsail and "ting!" the lead rivet pulls out with the block falling off AGAIN! I cannot describe the emotion, I'm disgusted with myself that this is happening, I'm depressed I can't sail, etc., etc. I limp by the pin boat to tell them I'm headed to shore when the vice commodore yells "why don't you tie it?" I tell them I don't have a line and they come back with "We have a line, get over here!". Wow! They throw me a piece of cheap 3/16" something (not spectra) and hold my bow while I wrestle with tying the block to the boom in 20 knots of wind. Not pretty but manage to accomplish the task. I give it a quick try sailing upwind, I'm not going to get the main in quite as tight as if normal, but its going to work. Back to the pin boat where they give me a knife to trim things up and then I'm off sailing. Thank you!!!!
This is NOT faster than the standard configuration!
Race 11: Ok, not much time to think here but whole regatta (save race 10) has been all about the left, no time to change now. I finally have a good start just above Russ at the pin end. We go left, left is the way to go. But, again, I tack too early. Russ bangs corner and is in lead group at weather mark, I'm just behind. Bern Noack has a great run and race to finish 3rd and move ahead of me in the standings. Peter Shope and I have a bit too much of a battle, in particular on the bottom reach he took me way up into the ebb current and we both lost Scott Ferguson at the leeward mark. I end up 8th. Otto was ahead, 4th is now out of reach. 6th is not gone, but I'm probably in 8th or 9th right now. Getting back to 7th is all about the last race.
Race 12: On the good side, its windy. On the bad side, the cheap line used to tie the blocks on has stretched so I can't sheet in all the way. There is a big crowd at the pin but do manage to get a front row start and am able to hang until I find a good lane to go back towards the mark.
Start of Race 12 with me just to windward of Russ at the pin. (Photo Chuck Lantz - ChuckLantz.com)
I managed to just cross a few starboard tack boats and am able to sail in clear air to towards the mark and get there in the 3rd-5th range with Bern and Russ. Its probably pretty solidly mid-twenties now and Bern takes a bit higher road down the run, I go with a lower road and also manage to get hooked up with a nice freighter wake. At the leeward mark I'm just ahead of Bern as we head left. As is always my case, I take an earlier tack towards the mark, Bern goes a bit further and we come back together at the windward mark with him just ahead. Another epic run where I'm able to round ahead again. On the final beat I finally decide to not be smarter and just stay between him and the finish line. In the meantime, Brett and Arnoud are having an epic battle just ahead of us for the regatta. Its amazing to watch and on the final beat Brett tacks early to go right, with Arnoud splitting and going left. As they come back together up near the finish line, Arnoud just crosses Brett on port and, from where I am, as they both shoot the finish line I can't tell who won. In the end its Arnoud by some fraction of a boat length to take the last race win and the regatta title. Had Brett won the race, he would have won the regatta on a countback! What a way to finish!
And in the end, Icross the finish line just ahead of Bern to finish tied on points but beating him for 7th on the countback. And, as it turns out, 7th is just good enough to get a trophy to remember my last Master Worlds in the Standard Master division!
The memento of my last World Masters in the Standard Master Fleet!
Finally, I was not the only member of the Usher household racing this event! Christy "RastaGurl" raced in the Standard Apprentice fleet and had a great time, so good that she's already booked our room for Brisbane!
RastaGurl! (Photo Chris Ray - crayivp.com)
Friday, August 19, 2011
Starting to catch up
Well, it has been a whirlwind month! I'm decompressing this week by being about as sick as I've been in recent memory, am hoping to recap more in the next week (famous last words!).
But yesterday the video for the slalom was distributed and it needs to get posted here! That was definitely a fun event and Vince Casalaina put together a short, but fantastic recap:
But yesterday the video for the slalom was distributed and it needs to get posted here! That was definitely a fun event and Vince Casalaina put together a short, but fantastic recap:
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