Up for the final

August 15, 2019

Two races to go and we are leading our class. However, we are far from out of the woods.

A first would make us win the series, so that was our goal. We started with the tide agains us from 25% up from the Committee boat end. Yesterday we had the start of the week, port tacking the whole fleet, even the guys from Cowes Radio were impressed and they have seen it all: hear them talk!

Today, we had a great start again, but as you cannot have two starts of the week, we did ‘only great’ by starting form the committee boat end, which made us just make the first mark and round it in first place. Closely followed by Elaine again (again). They are the only threat to us in winning the series and they do a really good job at trying to take it from us.

Winsome just after the start:

Laura at the start:

We just made it across a tanker (but hush, nobody knows).

The fist part of the race was beating and reaching across the Solent all the way op to Lymington (Mark “2C”). We were leading with Elaine again closer and further away from us at times. In the end the venom was in the tail. We had a really long kite ride 20-25 kts gusting 29 from Lymington via Mark Elephant Boat Yard to the RYS. We gave it all we got with the Kite II, Ruby, even hoist G II at times, but we did not manage to keep down wind planing Elaine in sight. She took/stole/earned the lead from us by planing downwind. Significant detail as she is the former Straight Dealer, the even overtook the new Straight dealer (LEON) while he is supposed to be slower. Well sailed guys, we gave it all we had, Elaine again Pheonixed and sailed to victory, while our friends of MALICE also did great, wrecked a block, wiping out and still coming in. Elaine won today and only if she win it tomorrow they will sail into eternal fame by winning IRC 5A in 2019. But hey, we are there to prevent it and have the silverware come our way.

WINSOME towards the finish:

Harry, Leen, Laura, DJ, Joost (3x) and Floris, it was a great day! Well sailed, I just hope, the is much to come. Let’s give it all we’ve got tomorrow and sail the race of our lives.

Cheers!

Boj

Pictures by Paul Wyeth as always.