Well the forecast wasn’t quite today, it was windier than yesterday but not 20-25 knots like it was supposed to be. It was very light in the morning but by the 11am skippers meeting it was already starting to build. We did not get started until around 1pm and it was still pretty light but slowly building and windier than yesterday.
In the first race Gonzalo kept to the form he has been on the last two days and won easily, Devon was in second and I was getting closer to him on the last upwind but I gambled and tacked to early and missed the mark while he tacked perfectly and finished second easily. In my gamble Phil was close enough to take advantage of my risk and moved into third while I finished fourth.
In the next race Gonzalo was gone again while Phil, Devon and I battled for the remaining spots. In the end it was Devon who had the speed but I was able to get Phil this time for third and he had fourth.
After a short break we were right back out there, the wind was still building but ever so slowly, up to only about 15 knots by the start of the third race. Again Gonzalo was untouchable and Devon was keeping his second place. I had a very poor start and after being rolled by Jimmy tacked off to the inside hoping for a lucky shift that never came. I ground back a few spots but only managed to come back to fifth behind Jimmy in third and Wilhelm in fourth. In this race I broke my 11.7 right in the boom area but was able to finish so I quickly came in and switched to my back up 11.7, this would prove to be a lucky break.
In the fourth race I finally found some speed, I rounded first around the top mark and was able to pull away the rest of the race. It was almost spoiled though by a collision with Gonzalo at the first top mark, he came across on Port while I was coming on starboard he decided not give way and at the last minute I tried to avoid a collision but hit him in the middle of his sail which caused him to go over the front. I later protested him out of this race. In second was Devon again followed by Phil in third.
In the fifth and last race of the day I again had some good speed but Gonzalo was still firing and rounded first again followed by Phil then me. I passed Phil on the second upwind to finish second behind Phil but both Gonzalo and I were over early so Phil took the win followed again by Devon then Wilhelm then Jimmy.
A very up and down day for me which is how the whole event has been. It is still up for grabs though as Gonzalo has three last place results so he can not afford one more mistake. With the chance of doing five more races tomorrow very good it is any ones ball game, I just hope the wind comes through a little more solid!
Stay tuned!
Micah
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