Round 5
September 10,
2016
Photos:
There was a lot at stake for this final round of the 2016
Calcup!
The first round was cancelled due to lack of wind.
Eric Christianson had won round 2 and 3 where I’d come second.
I had won round 4 so it was down to the last round to decide the winner of the 2016 Calcup.
I had to win the last round to win the series.
The first round was cancelled due to lack of wind.
Eric Christianson had won round 2 and 3 where I’d come second.
I had won round 4 so it was down to the last round to decide the winner of the 2016 Calcup.
I had to win the last round to win the series.
The first race started well as I completed the first lap in
the lead.
Eric tacked early during the second beat to go to the North side of the course.
That was a good move as he rounded the windward mark with a comfortable lead.
I wasn’t able to catch him downwind so he won that first race and I came second.
Eric tacked early during the second beat to go to the North side of the course.
That was a good move as he rounded the windward mark with a comfortable lead.
I wasn’t able to catch him downwind so he won that first race and I came second.
Race 2 was the long distance race, counting double and which
you couldn’t discard.
It started well as I was leading the fleet upwind after a port start to go straight to the North side of the course. I’d never done that course before, all the way to R2 and back downwind to the South side of the pier. The issue was that I was struggling to find R2. I ended up overlaying the line so much that I went from first to fourth, way behind Mike Percey in the lead on the foil, with Tom Purcell second and Eric third.
It started well as I was leading the fleet upwind after a port start to go straight to the North side of the course. I’d never done that course before, all the way to R2 and back downwind to the South side of the pier. The issue was that I was struggling to find R2. I ended up overlaying the line so much that I went from first to fourth, way behind Mike Percey in the lead on the foil, with Tom Purcell second and Eric third.
I was going well downwind, catching up Eric slowly. We passed Mike quite
quickly. Tom was tougher to pass but eventually, me and Eric worked our way
passed him. I had a good advantage as we got closer to the eastern most gap in
the Berkeley pier and the wind was getting lighter. I squeezed in first place as we were approaching
the gap and made sure to have a clean run to the finish line close by.
Eric dropped off the plane approaching the gap and Tom squeezed ahead of him.
That result boosted my chance of winning the regatta as all I had to do was to get one second place in the last two races.
That result boosted my chance of winning the regatta as all I had to do was to get one second place in the last two races.
Race 3 started well as I was leading at the first windward
mark. I made a silly mistake during the downwind though, heading to the wrong
committee boat. That cost me the lead at the downwind gate as I rounded in
third place. I went on the North side of the course and caught up a little
during the last upwind. I was still
third at the windward mark. Tom gybed early to go to the pin end side of the
finish line (which was also the start line). I gybed later to go to the boat
end of the finish line. That move paid off big time as I managed to squeeze
ahead of Eric and beat Tom by a foot! At that point I’d won the event and the
series so that last race was going to be for fun really!
The last race was round the top of the pier and down on the
south side.
I was battling with Tom during the upwind leg. Tom got his lay lines a bit better than mine at the top and rounded the post in first place with about 100 yards lead. I was catching up slowly as we were going downwind to the south on starboard. It was close racing and Tom stayed ahead most of the way down. I managed to squeeze ahead shortly before reaching the gap (which is effectively the downwind mark) and stayed ahead until the finish. I was so happy to win that last round in convincing fashion. Four firsts and a second place was a pretty good score line for the deciding event of the 2016 Calcup series!
I was battling with Tom during the upwind leg. Tom got his lay lines a bit better than mine at the top and rounded the post in first place with about 100 yards lead. I was catching up slowly as we were going downwind to the south on starboard. It was close racing and Tom stayed ahead most of the way down. I managed to squeeze ahead shortly before reaching the gap (which is effectively the downwind mark) and stayed ahead until the finish. I was so happy to win that last round in convincing fashion. Four firsts and a second place was a pretty good score line for the deciding event of the 2016 Calcup series!
See you
next year for the 2017 edition of the Calcup and the US Nationals which will be
hosted by the Berkeley Yacht Club from August 2 to 5th.