It is almost 7pm and while men are still out there trying to make some more races, I am sitting here with KJ in the Race Office. Girls had two hot races today. We started late afternoon, when the wind finally kicked in. There were some problems with the men fleet start and they were sent ashore, while we completed two races. Christine Becker (Gun Sails, Starboard) from Germany was a sailor of today and with 2 and 1 place she is currently a leader. Christine Johnson (Gaastra, Starboard) was sailing fast, making easy win of the first race and finishing 3rd in the other one. Both of them had very good starts and sailed very fast in 12 knots, shifty winds. I didn’t have the best day today. I blew the first start trying to make it on port tack from the pin end, which soon appeared to be tactical disaster. I reached the top mark on the 5th position and fought the rest of the race to finally finish 3rd. Wendy Littel of Holland (Gaastra, Fanatic) had very good race giving it up to me just few meters away from the finishing line. In the second race I started very close to Christine Johnson and tried to keep up with her unbelievable speed. Meanwhile Christine Becker had a killer starboard start closer to the Race Committee and pointing very high made it clear from the beginning she was the master of situation. On the top mark I found myself on the 3rd position behind Christine and Verena Fauster of Italy, while Christine Johnson was far behind on the 5th place. I managed to catch up with Verena, but Christine was to far in front to reach. Christine Johnson sailed very good upwind to climb up again. So the finishing line saw Christine Becker first, me second and Christine Johnson third. Overall it was really good racing out there today, a lot of excitement and rush. Weather forecast is good for tomorrow, so stay tuned for more action..

Dorota Staszewska

Starboard/Gaastra

We had some terrific racing today. After about one hour waiting on the water we finally started race one. Wind was about 10-12 knots. Fleet was split up into a group starting port and a group starting starboard. Fortunately for us (Dutch girls) port tack turned out to be the best. We had a very good start and right wind because we choose to sail close to shore (side shore wind). Positions at the first mark: Cindy Koopman (Fanatic), Christine Johnston, Christine Becker, Wendy Littel, Dorota Staszewska. Both Christines turned out to be better on the downwind and Dorota passed at the last mark. Final positions race 1: Christine Johnston, Christine Becker, Dorota, Cindy Koopman, Wendy (Fanatic/Gaastra), Verena, etc.

Women started together with youth, who only had to sail one round. The only problem they had was that the finishing line wasn’t there when the first youth (Dorian van Rijsselberghe) finished. At the time women finished men were already sent back to shore to have lunch (?!?). We did two races back to back with stronger wind at the second race. We all had a good start and the level of racing was pretty high. Christine Becker was in the lead the whole race (we didn’t even see her L). The rest of the fleet was having a hard time beating each other. Final positions: Christine Becker, Dorota, Christine Johnston, Jenny le Bihan ?, Verena, Cindy, Sarah, Wendy, etc.

The men broke the record of general recalls we think (they had 6 or 7). Unfortunately races were held to far away from the beach so the people on the beach were not able to have a clear view from what was going on.

Dutchies:
Wendy Littel (NED-335) and Cindy Koopman (NED-166)
(Fanatic/Kater Surf/Gaastra/Denmar Design)