The first race went as badly as it could have done with a black flag. However the first day ended well with a 10th. A result like this in the strong winds is great with the limited training hours that we have been able to have so far.
Day three for our flight was blown off despite a short sail before it was abandoned which was somewhat good fun.
The third day will always be one to remember. It was a steady 10-14 knots and swell coming into weymouth bay round Portland bill. On the first beat of the first race we started averagely and rounded the windward mark in pretty much last place, we pulled up slightly to 22nd position. We had overstood the windward mark because we had underestimated the tide sweeping us from right to left looking up the racecourse. For the rest of the day we were determined to use the tide to our advantage rather than loose out again. We did this very well showing our good boatspeed and handling finishing with two 10ths. These are very good 'gold fleet standard' results. We can explain the results being 10ths rather than top 5's because of our inability on the starts to 'punch out'; from the boats around us. None the less these were conditions where you had to do the basics very well and we showed we could sail to a gold fleet standard.
We missed gold fleet by a slim 9 points that we can hope to close by the next grade 1 event. This was a very high standard event with all the olympians attending at the olympic venue.
We sailed a distinctly average silver fleet regatta and finished in 11th place putting us 36th overall out of the 59 entered boats.
For results and photos exc please visit http://www.skandiasailforgoldregatta.co.uk/
James & Ed
Thursday, 19 August 2010
New Boat 1187
After deciding that investing in a brand new boat was a crucial step in our improvement plans, we took the long trip up to newcastle and back to collect the boat. We spent a good few days race-preparing the boat. This was greatly helped by English Braids for supplying all the best racing ropes that are of the very high quality we need to race with.
We took 1187 out for the first time at Weymouth in the week before sail4gold. It felt great and we couldn't wait to get her racing.
We took 1187 out for the first time at Weymouth in the week before sail4gold. It felt great and we couldn't wait to get her racing.
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
European Championships Report
Dissapointing but essentially positive would be the best way to sum it up.
The first race of qualification started with a 6th in a steady light breeze. Our boatspeed was one of the best in the fleet and on the odd occasion when we do everything else right, we have the opportunity to make it count. Lack of experience on the startline of race 2 leaves us without a gap to leeward. It wasn't that we didn't know that this was very important, more that we didn't react fast enough or have the time to re-position.
Going into the last day of qualification, we should have been lying comfortably half way down silver fleet (35- 40th probably) had it not been for a German protest. We were disqualified unfairly because we were not aware of the fact that we were being protested even though the noticeboard was checked with 10 minutes to go until the time-limit. Again lack of experience and attention to detail meant that we had it all on as our 2nd best result (10th) is now replaced with a DSQ.
Windy and wavy and our boathandling was holding up well rounding the last windward mark of the first race in around 12th. A large wave on the last few meters to the finish resulted in a capsize whilst trying to lay the finish line. 10 boats stream past us. Average next race, miss silver fleet overall by 2 points.
Absolutely gutted and feeling fairly hard done by, we focus on the final series and win confidently by a good 15 points.
So much to take from the event, it is one that would be easy to forget but we are both aware of the importance of taking the learning points from it. The new English Braids ropes held up significantly better than the previous rope which is a major positive.
Ready and rearing to go for training in weymouth in the build up to Sail For Gold.
The first race of qualification started with a 6th in a steady light breeze. Our boatspeed was one of the best in the fleet and on the odd occasion when we do everything else right, we have the opportunity to make it count. Lack of experience on the startline of race 2 leaves us without a gap to leeward. It wasn't that we didn't know that this was very important, more that we didn't react fast enough or have the time to re-position.
Going into the last day of qualification, we should have been lying comfortably half way down silver fleet (35- 40th probably) had it not been for a German protest. We were disqualified unfairly because we were not aware of the fact that we were being protested even though the noticeboard was checked with 10 minutes to go until the time-limit. Again lack of experience and attention to detail meant that we had it all on as our 2nd best result (10th) is now replaced with a DSQ.
Windy and wavy and our boathandling was holding up well rounding the last windward mark of the first race in around 12th. A large wave on the last few meters to the finish resulted in a capsize whilst trying to lay the finish line. 10 boats stream past us. Average next race, miss silver fleet overall by 2 points.
Absolutely gutted and feeling fairly hard done by, we focus on the final series and win confidently by a good 15 points.
So much to take from the event, it is one that would be easy to forget but we are both aware of the importance of taking the learning points from it. The new English Braids ropes held up significantly better than the previous rope which is a major positive.
Ready and rearing to go for training in weymouth in the build up to Sail For Gold.
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Summer Schedule
- 49er European Championships, Sopot, Poland. 1-11th July
- Olympic Development Squad camp, WPNSA, England. 19-23rd July
- ODS camp, WPNSA, England 27-29th July
- Sail For Gold, WPNSA, England 9-15th August
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