Well we officially have 41 men's 470s racing here, not as many as last year, but a lot of good people. We were doing outer loops all day.
Race 1
We started at 11:00 a.m. in a light easterly. The rumor was that the
race committee was not going to have any general recalls. They
would just identify as many over early boats as they could and then
post the OCSs at the weather mark at which time you would be
required to drop out.
Our first start was pretty horrendous. Everyone was at the pin, and unfortunately we were trying to start there too. We were not over early, but we were definitely one of the last to start, so we had a big up hill battle to pass boats.
The wind was very shifty, and it was hard for us to tack where we wanted because of dirty air. We just tried for clear air up the first beat and probably rounded the first mark in the 20s.
We must have been going well, because by the finish we were in 9th place. I guess what happened was there were 12 boats over early and a lot of those were ahead of us, so that moved us up to 9th on the score sheet.
Race 2
Same wind as the first race. We decided to stay away from the
crowd. We had a beautiful start near the boat end and tacked
immediately on a 20 degree lefty. We had clear air and we were on
the first shift not caring if the pin had been favored.
Then we got headed and tacked to starboard, crossing all those crazy people who started at the pin. We played the shifts just like we wanted up the first beat, and what do you know, we were leading by 8 boat lengths at the weather mark!
It was getting very light and puffy now. We just ignored everyone and sailed on our shifts. We went on to win easily and found out later that there were 9 OCSs that race.
Race 3
We did not learn much from the first 2 starts. A sea breeze had
come in and the boat was a little favored. Paul wanted to go right,
so that's where we set up. Unfortunately, that's were every one else
wanted to start, so we got another terrible, terrible start and were
way behind again.
We picked what shifts we could and rounded the top mark in about 30th. We went low on the first reach and passed 5 boats and we got 5 more downwind. Then we hit some good shifts up the next beat to get to about 12th and passed 2 more on the run for a 10th. That's a lot off hard work, but at least we were not OCS. That race there were 8 boats over early.
We are 4th over all. A Greek team is winning. They had an awesome day of 1, 4, 1. The good Portuguese team had 3 OCSs. Many good teams had at least 1 OCS.
The forecast for tomorrow is for a cold front to come through.
Some other USA teams have come to this regatta. All but the Solings have had their Olympic trials. In Lasers, John Myrday is in 15th. In 49ers, John and Charlie McKee are still out racing. In Tornadoes, John Lovel and Charlie Ogletree are in 24th.
Well, that's it from here. Time to ride my rusty bike home and get something to eat and have night mares about starting.
See you later
Paul and Bob
Team 2000
Great breeze today, about 20 knots with bigger puffs. We had a nice broad blast reach out to the racecourse. After a couple of upwind runs, it was time to start, but we were postponed. After waiting around for awhile, the yellow lights on the committee boat started to flash, meaning "Head to Shore."
It was great wind for racing, so we were not too happy. It was upwind all the way in, so we started tuning with the Ukrainians and Australians, which was good. Hopefully, the wind will stay till tomorrow, and we'll go racing.
Paul and Bob
Team 2000
We had a nice breeze today, about 10 - 15 knots, shifty and puffy. We sailed outer loops all day.
Race 1
We had a good start towards the pin. We were lifted off the line, and
the boats to the right of us were looking way ahead. Eventually, we
got headed enough to cross them and we were looking good. We
played the shifts up the left side and rounded second behind the
British.
On the run, we were going much better than the Brits and got past them by the leeward mark. At the leeward mark, we had to decide how to get around all the spinnakers and chose to stay on port. The British tacked away and were ahead of us on the next crossing. We gained a bit back on them, but they beat us to the weather mark. The Australians were right behind us.
We couldn't quite get past the British on this leg. We had to do a bunch of quick jibes at the leeward mark, and on the last one, the spinnaker sheet went under the bow. Bob managed to jump onto the bow and fish it out just quick enough to hold off the Australians and finish second.
Race 2
We had an okay beat playing the shifts up the left but got a little too
far left on the last shift to round fourth. Mark Ivey and Ward
Cromwell, another US boat, were in third. We passed them on the run
and were third at the leeward mark.
At the leeward mark, we were in a big lefty and we thought it would go back right, so we carried on port behind the Australians and the Greeks. The wind never shifted back right, so we lost a few boats that got left of us. Mark and Ward were one of them. We finished the race in fifth.
Race 3
The wind was going through some huge shifts, and it was hard to tell
what it was going to do next. Our plan was to get left, but we had a
bad start and were forced out right. We waited for a right shift, and
it came half way up the beat. We were looking good. We took the
shift to the left for the last quarter of the beat and got a good lefty
to round in first. The Australians were right behind us.
The Aussies jibed before us on the run into a nice puff to bring them close. They passed us when we overstood the leeward mark. We rounded in second right behind them. We played the shifts up the left again, but they were keeping close watch on us and going fast. They gained a bit on the beat, and we couldn't catch them on the run. We finished second.
We are in second behind the Australians now with the Greeks in third. The forecast is for strong winds tomorrow. OH No! We have to put on the dreaded "Blue Dot" tomorrow for being in second place. That's always bad luck. I wonder where we get the Blue Dot?
Other USA competitors at SPA:
49er Olympic hopeful is in 11th
Finn Olympic hopeful is doing an awesome job in fifth out of 63 boats. He just jumped in and won the Olympic trials. The USA has still not qualified for this event. He needs to finish in the top nine at the World Championships next month. He is doing much better that anyone expected. If he keeps this up, he may have a chance of medalling in Australia.
Laser Olympian dropped to 41st today. Don't know what happened.
Tornado Olympians are in 15th.
Star guy just won the World Champs in Annapolis so is not here.
Soling guys are just starting their Olympic trials in San Fran.
Europe dinghy is training somewhere warmer.
Mistrals are having their European Champs in Spain.
That's all folks.
Paul and Bob
Team 2000
Today the wind was blowing 30-40 knots with rain and hail.
The Race Committee has postponed us and say they will wait until dark, then to try to get a race off. Of course it does not get dark here till 10:00 p.m., so it's going to be a long day of waiting.
More later.
Paul and Bob
Team 2000
We finished the regatta in second, behind the Australians and ahead of the Greeks.
Next stop Italy.
Paul and Bob
Team 2000