CALCUP ROUND 2

25 May 2013
 
 Results : http://www.calcupevents.com/Results/2013/13_CalCup_2.html
 Pictures: http://www.calcupevents.com/gallery/13%20Calcup%205-25/index.htm


The weekend started with a bit of a panic as the new Neilpryde Sail didn't turn up.
 Lynn kindly gave me her sail so I could test the new 7.8 EVO V.
I was late for the first race in round 1 so this time I made sure I arrived in good time to rig up.
The wind was reasonable but quite gusty. The direction was much more southerly than usual in the bay. My first start was spot on. I didn't have great angle but good speed. The starts were on port all day long. The course was biased with a long beat on port almost all the way to the weather mark. As you were heading upwind on port there was a big heather towards the top of the beat. So the whole fleet lined up behind me. During the downwind leg the wind was pretty strong at the top, so I had good speed compared to Tom Purcell. However, near the finish line the wind was getting light so Tom came back strong with his 10.0. I was able to stay just ahead by sailing a wide board.

During the second race was out sailed upwind but there was good pressure during the downwind leg so I managed to regain the lead.
Race tree started fine for me but the wind dropped considerably just before the finish line. Al Mirel and Tom squeezed ahead of me, I finished in third.
The fourth race was close all the way through. I managed to squeeze ahead during the down wing leg. The wind also dropped a bit light near the finish line but I got some good shifts to stay ahead of the guys with bigger sails. At that point there were quite a few holes in the wind, so the race officer called a day.
Despite the course being laid at a funny racing to the wind I enjoyed the racing.
It reminded me of racing in the UK, where the weather is so changeable that is not uncommon to sail on courses which are not square to the wind. Many thanks to Berkeley Yacht Club for organising the event with the support of Mike Percy.

We are looking forward to round three of the Calcup Series.