On the last day of the event (Sunday), the race committee decided to run the final formula race and the traditional long distance.
For the final formula race, Gonzalo (1st), Mathias (5th) and I (Wilhelm) (2 nd), decided not race as our position couldn’t change anymore, and watch what was the deciding race for 3rd place, as Edward (COL 1111) and Jean Paul (COL 1) were tied in points.
Sailors set out with 10 to 11 meters sails as the winds were a steady 12-15 knots. At the start, Edward ended up being OCS which left the door open for Jean Paul to secure the third place at the podium. At the first upwind, Mauro Medina rounded in first followed by the fleet. Jean Paul showed superior speed downwind and overtook the lead to control the race until the end. Ricardo Conde (BRA 8), had a incredible race to finish in second followed closely by Santiago Grillo (COL 4), Mauro Medina (COL 11) and Eduardo Herman (CHI 11).
After a short brake we got ready for the long distance race, the course was; start at Club Velas y vientos (downwind start) reach for about 6-8 km all the way down the lake, round a marc and come back upwind to the club.
The lake is long but not very wide, so lots of jibing and taking and tactical sailing required.
At the start, Gonzalo and I stated close to the pin end and blasted downwind on 10.7, Mathias was close behind with Jean Paul and Edwar Castillo.
My first jibe was a bit earlier than Gonzalos thinking I would get the gusts coming down from the mountain on the left side, but it didn’t happen and Gonzalo opened a lead which he controlled it and opened up the gap by the time he rounded the bottom marc after about 14 minutes.
I rounded about 1 minute behind Gonzalo and Followed by Mathias and I think Edward.
Going back upwind, the winds picked up to around 18 knots and a small chop had build up. I had a few good shifts and started closing the gap on Gonzalo, halfway to the finish, Gonzalo started covering me and we started a tacking battle, as I tried to get clear wind and the shifts. Behind me, Edward Castillo was coming strong and passed several and was in third place followed by Mathias and Jean Paul and Ricardo Conde.
Coming close to the finish, Gonzalo and I where only a few meters apart and the full match racing was going on, I had a lucky brake when about 100 meters from the finish, I tacked and manage to get planning before a small lull came in, this caught Gonzalo and it took him a few seconds to get planning, with this I overtook him by a few meters and as we approached the finish line, we tacked again.
The winds were going everywhere and gusty at the finish, and as Gonzalo did the last tack, I covered him but a bit late, he passed bellow me with speed as I tried going for angle to cross the line desperately.
After an exiting race, Gonzalo took the win completing the race in 44 minutes and 20 seconds; I came in second 6 seconds behind, followed by, Edward Castilla one minute and a half behind. Ricardo Conde came back strong on the race to finish in 4th just ahead of jean Paul in fifth and Eduardo Herman in sixth. Mathias Pinheiro came in 7 th, Mauro Medina in 8th, Cesar Zavala in 9th and topping the top 10 was Jose Miranda.
In the Super Masters, James Cock was the champion and Jhon Alexander took the Junior. In the Womens, Monika Villegas took the win followed by Maria Loaiza.
Once again, Lake Calima showed why it’s one of the best locations for competition ou there, a total of 12 formula races, 10 rounds of slalom and one long distance race were completed during the event. The organization was superb, great food, great racing, great location and most of all, the super hospitality of the Colombians made us fell at home.
Special thanks to Mario Otoya who made it all happen and to the sailors from Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia that all came down for the event.
Regards, Wilhelm Schurmann
BRA-999
