After racing on Monday three races we couldn´t race any more in Lima so the organisers decided to move the event to Paracas, 250km south from Lima, where the wind is from 10-20 most of the year. The decision make as move on thursday morning in two buses.
We arrive on Thursday and waited until 3 pm when the wind picked up to 10-15 knots. My brother Rodrigo, took the responsability on the water now so every body was happy to know good racing will happen. We did three super nice races for 12.5 or 11 conditions.
I won both two first with 1 minute and half over Wilhem and the last one won it but had to battle with him until the end. Conditions were quite different to Lima as the bay of Paracas had really steady wind and flat, really flat water. In the third position was Paulo and then Leo and Urubu, both from Brazil battled for the 4 and 5 place. Urubu took the lead on Masters winning all three.
The Peru team went a little bit down. Nico got some good positions like a fourth in the overall but did win on Formula Experience all three races. The national star Ricardo had a bad day but seemed to promise a come back on Friday. I have to say that Ricardo was one of the organisers and took a lot of time to arrange all this move. Everybody was really happy after racing three races on steady wind but nobody did know what was the normal wind on Paracas.
On friday the wind came from the south early at 10 am. The skippers meeting took over at 1030 and races were schedule at 1130 first posible star. The race crew took the opportunity to play with courses and set an upwind downwind combinating with reaches on one of the laps. the wind was strong and I went out directly with my 11.
The first start happend to be bebfied to start on port. We had an excellent start on port with Ricardo crossing in front of all. I took the lead and Ricardo, a little bit relaxed now, took the second place most of the race. The wind picked up more so in the last downwind Ricardo happened to get a “catapulta” and went back to 6 but really happy for his come back. The brazilian guys happened to repete there score finishing WIlhem n second, a promising third from Paulo making him be steady on second on the overall, and then Leo and Urubu.
Second race was similar but on third race a “catastrophy” happened to me. Wilhem took the race!!!!!!! The wind pick ed up to 25-30 knots and I was with 11 and Wilhem went out prepared for survival conditions with his 9.8, 66 cm fin and even the chicken strap. I took the lead but in the second down wind Wilhem happened to pass me with a big smile and comfortable style on his envious by me, chiken strap!!!!!! We battle the last up wind coming back to pass him from below but the last down wind to the finish he took it again!!! Paulon, the master of Capoeira, had a terrible catapulta braking two battens and scratching his face with the nose of the board!!!
We had a rest as most of competitors were tired by this last race, We got some quick lunch on The Hangar, Guillermo Pryde show room. We got two last races on 9.8 and upwind downwind. the nice chicken strap and the comfortable 9.8 make me take two races leaving wilhem on second and the other guys on same positions. Wilhem got his three discards and took the second position on the overall.
We came back to Lima at night and went for some rest. saturday, final day made us have a couple of “fun races” infront of the sponsors that didn´t count for the event. Then we moved to the “Herradura” where we tried to start a couple of races but he wind was really light. At 5 pm the wind wasn´t there so the evnt finished.
The prize ceremony was held on the same Club Regatas Lima on a nice restaurant. Prizes were espectacular and everybody was really happy of the event. We had a nice dinner where you could herd mix languages trying to comunicate each other and having fun.
We had competitors from Colombia, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Spain and Argentina. The next Southamerican will be on Vitoria Brazil and hope it gets bigger and bigger.
Best regards, Gonzalo.
