Friday, July 9, 2010

Skudd class IFDS world Champs





Im coaching the skud 18 class again and we are at the wolrds in Holland.


Practice day today, a chance to test our boat after many hours spent in the boat park, getting the yacht out of its bubble wrap and into racing shape.

We got off to a slow start slightly late towards the boat end of the line. We played catch up and enjoyed some good upwind boat speed which kept us in the hunt. We rounded in 8th at the first mark but had 4 boats within 2 lengths of us. Across the reech we stayed in touch with them and sailed fast down the run to the gate. 3 boats fell to us on that run and we rounded the mark overlapped with GBR and SIN.

The last beat was a long port tack and we used our speed to sail clear of the other boats. We rounded the last top mark in 6th position.

Down the final run the boats ahead started to bow to the pressure of the age old superstition “don’t win the medal race if you want to win the regatta,” this handed us a 2nd place for the day and a few things to work on.

We would like to thank predict wind.com for choosing us as a winner for a free year’s subscription to their excellent forecasts, by the way, the forecast was spot on today!! Thanks also to Air NZ for giving us a large baggage allowance which got us and all our required equipment to Holland. Thanks to The Glenn Family Foundation for sponsoring us, without them we wouldn’t be in Holland competing in this prestigious event.

Thanks also to all our friends, family and supporters.
We will bring home the goods tomorrow in the first 2 races of the regatta!