A-Class Europeans 2018 @Warnemunde: Day 3 Vid Highlights
Day 3 Highlights, from Wednesday. Results published in previous Day 3 post here
Below report sent by Gordon Upton from Day 3 (2nd of Racing):
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Weed and waves characterise day two’s racing at the Euros.
The second days racing at Warnemunde ‘A’ Cat Euros was a wet affair. The racing was scheduled for 1pm so the fleet
spent the morning in a leisurely manner standing around talking or tweaking
things on their boats after the battering they sustained the day before. Rain started to arrive at about 10am and is
was on and off most of the day.
spent the morning in a leisurely manner standing around talking or tweaking
things on their boats after the battering they sustained the day before. Rain started to arrive at about 10am and is
was on and off most of the day.
The fleet launched at 12pm from the sandy
beach at the Hohe Duene resort. All went
well except for
beach at the Hohe Duene resort. All went
well except for
one unfortunate SUI sailor who got into trouble behind a wooden
breakwater. He couldn’t get the boat moving
away enough to get his rudders down and, after jumping into the water in an
attempt to fend the boat off the structure, it capsized and a shroud slipped
between the wooden slats, resulting in his mast breaking and smashing his
tiller off. The now inverted DNA F1 was
eventually freed and swam/drifted ashore with an understandably upset sailor.
On the course, the conditions where roughly
the same in both races with breeze of 12-13kts, meaning that it could be a
fully foiling race through the light rain.
However it was swinging about so there was not really any favoured
side. But the previous nights wind had
created a bit of a sea running, with 1m waves coming in. Those who could, managed to foil surf in
these conditions enabling them to get good speed and depth before they
invariably dropped off the foils.
the same in both races with breeze of 12-13kts, meaning that it could be a
fully foiling race through the light rain.
However it was swinging about so there was not really any favoured
side. But the previous nights wind had
created a bit of a sea running, with 1m waves coming in. Those who could, managed to foil surf in
these conditions enabling them to get good speed and depth before they
invariably dropped off the foils.
But it was the accompanying seaweed that
did for many of the fleet. The stuff was
the long stringy stuff that caught around the foils and rudders causing them to
loose lift and dump the unfortunate sailor back down again. The decision to clear the weed became a
tactical one, as do you try to sail though hoping it drops off, or do you stop
and clear it. Many lost places as a
result of their decisions either way.
did for many of the fleet. The stuff was
the long stringy stuff that caught around the foils and rudders causing them to
loose lift and dump the unfortunate sailor back down again. The decision to clear the weed became a
tactical one, as do you try to sail though hoping it drops off, or do you stop
and clear it. Many lost places as a
result of their decisions either way.
The race one bullet was again taken by
Glenn Ashby in his usual clinical style on the DNA F1x. Manual Calavia on his Exploder Ad3 was
chasing, but never really challenged the America’s Cup winner in the race. SUI Champ Sandro Cavieziel on his modified Scheuerer
G7 came in a good third from Mr Bryt Sails, Maciej Zarnowski. Further down the fleet former double World
Champ Mischa Heemskerk seemed to be struggling.
Maybe his new shaped pinhead sail wasn’t the thing for those winds as
his finished 13th.
Glenn Ashby in his usual clinical style on the DNA F1x. Manual Calavia on his Exploder Ad3 was
chasing, but never really challenged the America’s Cup winner in the race. SUI Champ Sandro Cavieziel on his modified Scheuerer
G7 came in a good third from Mr Bryt Sails, Maciej Zarnowski. Further down the fleet former double World
Champ Mischa Heemskerk seemed to be struggling.
Maybe his new shaped pinhead sail wasn’t the thing for those winds as
his finished 13th.
The day’s second race started the same, but
half way around the breeze started to die and those who spotted this first had
to decide at which point to switch to a low drag mode. The Classics, of course, had no such dilemmas
as they just seamlessly switched and went deeper. One such was Micky Todd, who finished a good
9th on this Schuerer G6.
Glenn was just leading Manuel at the bottom on lap 2 when his starboard
rudder pin became detached causing the thing to swing about. He stopped to raise it but by now Manuel, and
a very happy Benoit Marie, at his first ‘A’ Cat regatta, took 2nd.
half way around the breeze started to die and those who spotted this first had
to decide at which point to switch to a low drag mode. The Classics, of course, had no such dilemmas
as they just seamlessly switched and went deeper. One such was Micky Todd, who finished a good
9th on this Schuerer G6.
Glenn was just leading Manuel at the bottom on lap 2 when his starboard
rudder pin became detached causing the thing to swing about. He stopped to raise it but by now Manuel, and
a very happy Benoit Marie, at his first ‘A’ Cat regatta, took 2nd.
After the race, an impromptu pit crew of
Paul Larsen and Adam May set about Glenns boat with carbon and resin under the
Forward WIP sponsors tent, much to the amusement of Glenn and other
onlookers. Tomorrow will tell if they
were successful.
Paul Larsen and Adam May set about Glenns boat with carbon and resin under the
Forward WIP sponsors tent, much to the amusement of Glenn and other
onlookers. Tomorrow will tell if they
were successful.
The dying wind, weed and the waves really
shook up the pack and sailors places changed dramatically as a result. There is still all to play for probably from
2nd place down. Tomorrow
promises another marginal foiling day, and possible rain again. We await with anticipation to see how this
will play out.
shook up the pack and sailors places changed dramatically as a result. There is still all to play for probably from
2nd place down. Tomorrow
promises another marginal foiling day, and possible rain again. We await with anticipation to see how this
will play out.
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