Race 1, the wind was looking light at first but then picked up quite strong.
I had a good start on the pin end but didn’t match Wojtek’s flying port tack start rounding the top mark in first, I was struggling a little with my light wind set up in the stronger wind, and Wojtek increased his lead on me with Pieter Bell following close behind. Then Andrea Cucci got a good wind shift to take me on the second up wind but then on the last jibe before the finish Andrea went wide around one of the female competitors and I took the inside of her to race for the finish being my closest finish ever beating Andrea by half my nose and exploding up just after crossing the line into each other, giving me 3rd behind Wojtek and Pieter, and Andrea 4th.
Race 2, I adjusted my gear for the stronger wind and had another good Starboard tack start on the pin end but Wojtek managed to get another great Port tack start with over 100 guys on the line. Then I made the mistake of going too far to the inside into a whole loosing a lot, and this causing me to make many other mistakes in this race leaving me in 10th with Wojtek having a second win.
Race 3, I decide to go for the port tack start with Wojtek and we both got through clean but Wojtek had very good speed pulling away but I was pointing a little higher before sailing into a little whole and Wojtek being further out and down got a lift to come up into my line. I managed to round the top mark in 2nd position and I sailed a good down wind to close the gap a little on Wojtek, but then rounding the bottom mark Wojtek got another lucky shift pointing much higher than me and the rest of the fleet pulling ahead for a very comfortable lead. I still had a good lead on Patrice F-81 for 2nd position until this older Italian sailor was not looking where he was going on the down wind causing me to dive off down and almost stop in order to miss this idiot who was about to kill me. I then lost all the ground I had on Patrice and then rounded the top mark in 3rd and I was unable to catch Patrice back on the down wind leaving me in 3rd thanks to this idiot.
Race 4, The wind had dropped a little and I had another good port tack start but this time Wojtek was not so lucky to get through clean, I was sailing ahead of all the other Port tack starters also but wished I had changed back to my lighter wind settings although I was still going very good rounding the top mark in 2nd just behind Andrea who came through on a good shift from the other side of the course. Then on the bottom mark I was quite unlucky hitting a plastic bag in the water making Jump in to the water to get it off my fin letting 2 or 3 guys pass me. Then I just sailed they way I felt right and didn’t look at anyone else again before the top mark and some how I managed to come back to 2nd position, although Andrea now had huge lead and I just held off my team mate Arnon Dagon to finish in 2nd behind Andrea or not really behind him as I could hardly see him.
So after 4 races with 1 discard Wojtek is in 1st I am 2nd and Andrea 3rd.
Best Regards,
Steve
