Day 1, race 1, I had a good start on port tack then just before tacking to the upwind mark I hit a rope in the water catapulting me over the front splitting the nose of my board in 2. After struggling for quite some time to get up and off the rope in this light wind I still managed to round the top mark in 5th position and then the wind became too light and the race was cancelled, no more wind that day.
Day 2, Race 1 again, I had a good starboard tack start on top of Wojtek and pointing higher before I tacked off to the inside of the course as the wind was better there. Unfortunately on this tack my down haul rope broke making my sail very heavy and hard to sail, but I was still going ok for some time as the tack strap was holding a little pressure but became continually worse. The youngster Alberto ITA-456 had a killer port tack start going all the way to the inside and tacked perfectly to make the top mark far ahead of the rest and continued to race well to take the win. I managed to round the top mark in 4th close behind Wojtek POL-10 and Alex POL-86 but I was struggling to stay with them with my sail becoming looser and looser. I still held 4th around the bottom mark but as I was going so bad on the next upwind I tacked to the outside to get clean air even though I new it was a little worse there, but turned out to be much worse than I thought and instead of perhaps dropping back to 5th if I went to the inside I fell back to finish a very disappointing 8th in this race.
Race 2, I had an excellent port tack start this time on top of all the top guys with clean wind but then it was cancelled for a general recall and with the wind dropping fast we were unable to race more this day.
Day 3, the last day. Race 2 again, they called us out on the water very early before the wind had even filled in yet trying to make the most of the wind when it would come. After waiting on the water for about 1hr as they were waiting for the wind and trying to shift the course to the windiest area we finally had a start. Most of the top guys went off on port as this side of the course was much better, and I had one of the best port starts covering the rest. Then most of the guys tacked to soon for the mark and I continued on further and tacked, I was then making the mark all the way and would have been far ahead before getting a header just before the mark and I had to double take rounding the mark in a very close 3rd. Then the race was cancelled for lack of wind, and getting back to the start line Andrea was standing there as he didn’t get off the start, well I guess he gets a little judge favor in Italy like Wojtek gets in Poland, not being so good for me.
Race 2 again after waiting another 30 min on the water before we finally started again with much lighter wind on the start than the race before. Then unfortunately it was myself and quite a few others that were stuck and unable to get planning off the line this time, well I am not Italian so I figured I better pump hard not that it did me much good as after I finally got going I must have rounded the top mark in around 30th. I then sailed very good on the second lap to come back to a very disappointing 12th position in this incredibly light wind that was no better than the race before but with Andrea getting a great start and now winning this race there is no way they would cancel it.
Race 3, finally the wind came in a little better filling in the outside of the course. I had a good start this time on starboard above Andrea and Ben NED 57 but Andrea out pointed me just before taking for the mark. I managed to hold on to round the top mark in 4th position and passing Roy NED 97 and Ben on the down wind to get into 2nd behind Andrea. Then Andrea tacked early for the mark and I went as far to the inside as possible before tacking and I was making the mark all the way before getting a header just before the mark while Ben and Roy took a lucky lift behind me making the mark while Andrea and I had to double tack. Andrea had enough of a lead to still round in 1st but Ben and Roy over took me there, and then being so frustrated I made a costly mistake on the down wind as I could not see the mark and jibed to late letting Michal POL 16 pass also, leaving me in 5th.
Race 4 the last race. I was fuming after the mistakes and bad fortune of the last race and went for the port start feeling the inside of the course being better again and it paid off as I tacked on the good lay line to round the top mark in 1st finally. Then on the 2nd lap going to the inside I went as far as possible as I got screwed in the race before not making the mark and Michal and Andrea tacked at a similar time behind me and it was me to be screwed again as I sailed into a whole almost falling off the plane while they got the lift from below this time taking them directly to the mark dropping me back to 3rd with Michal taking the win and Andrea 2nd.
Well this contest was one huge frustration for me and I am very glad to be on my way to the next event with hopefully better racing and wind. However I am very happy for Andrea to take the 1st place in this event being a good friend of mine and training partner as we were training hard together leading up to this event and as we also helped each other in tuning before this event last year where I won and it was now nice to see him win, Well done. 2nd position was Michal POL 16 and 3rd Roy NED 97 which was also good to see to of the young guys getting up in the top 3. I was to finish a disappointing 7th and I hope to have some of my bad luck and stupid mistakes in racing behind me now.
Best Regards,
Steve
