RESULTS: http://www.calcupevents.com/Results/2014/14_CalCup_3.html
PHOTOS: http://www.calcupevents.com/gallery/14%20CalCup%203/index.htm
The forecast was quite windy.
However there was a windline just half a mile away which left the launching area in a dead spot.
We shloged our way upwind to the windline and started planning.
The wind was really up and down near the start line.
The line was really port biased so the whole fleet lined up on that tack.
We got a little puff during the sequence and everyone got off the line planning.
I had good angle so I was able to climb on top of the fleet during the long port tack to start the upwind leg.
The top mark was about half a mile north of the top of Berkeley pier.
I always have some trouble finding that mark so I was following people rather than controlling the fleet.
I rounded the top mark in second place I think.
The second mark was a post about a quarter of a mile south of Berkeley pier.
The wind was quite southerly so we all overlayed the mark by a bit.
I carried on a bit past the post on starboard.
Eric Christianson and Tom Purcell jibed straight away.
Their option was a bit better so I was trailing a bit at that point.
I managed to jibe in a good spot to head to the finish line on starboard in first place.
The wind was getting light towards the finish line so I had to pump to stay ahead of Eric Christianson.
Eric managed to get on the plane first off the start of the second race.
He had a 300 yards lead on the rest of the fleet.
I worked really hard to get good angle and climb from behind.
Foot by foot, I managed to claw my way back and squeeze ahead.
Eric was again fast and coming back strong close to the finish line.
Just like in the first race, he finished about 20 yards behind me.
I managed to get planning ok at the start of the third race just behind Eric.
Initially, I had good angle as usual but at some point Eric had better angle than me and I ended up a bit behind.
I persevered and eventually the wind picked up stronger and I got better angle again.
I finished that race like the first two, just ahead of Eric.
Tom Purcell was showing some flashes of brilliance upwind but he was always underpowered near the finish line
so a few guys passed him at the end.
Mike Percey was having a good event, finishing third in at least one of the races.
I was determined not to leave anything on the table for the fourth race.
I got a good start and drove the board hard upwind.
The wind was so southerly that we were hitting the chop head on during the port tack.
Sometimes, I was getting some big air so I had to be super focused to control the landings smoothly.
For the first time during that regatta, I managed to win by a reasonable margin.
As the wind was failing, that is was the last race of the regatta.
At least, this Calcup went better than round 2 for me!
See you all for Round 4 in August.