chris williams
Active Member
There is a link to the results at www.sunfishclass.org. It was generally a windy regatta. All races were in southwesterlies. The first race of the event was in relatively light air - probably 8 kts or so - and Amanda Callahan won, with three of the top five being women in that race. The next three races were sailed in windier conditions, topping out at 15 or 16 kts. Each race was a 3 leg W/L, and they were loooongggg W/Ls.
The next day also started with a race in lighter air, and Tom Donahue knew to go right (the outgoing tide seemed to have more current running towards the weather mark towards the right side of the course) and won by a large margin, with Amanda second. Again, it was much windier for the three remaining races of the day. The last race saw gusts to 20 or so. The first three races on Friday were 5 leg W/Ls, but with the higher windspeeds, the last race was 3 legger.
There were three final races on Saturday. Despite lots of talk on the shore that it was howling out on the course, the first two races probably did not see gusts even hitting 15, although everyone had to hike pretty hard. The last race saw winds of probably 15 kts. The first and third races on Saturday were 3 legs, and the 2nd was 5 legs.
Venezuela's 16 year old David Gonzales Arria won. Despite the fact he appeared to be about 5'5" and weighed perhaps 130 lbs., he was fast in the breeze. I was behind him for the final race of the regatta, and he kept the boat flat and and slowly pulled away on the last weather leg. I weigh 165 which I would have thought would be an advantage, but it was not!
There was a fair amount of seaweed, so you had to clear your board every one or two minutes. There was also a steep chop (the water on the race course was no more than 4 feet deep) which made for a pounding ride upwind, but surfing conditions downwind.
Brant Beach did a great job running the event (I belong to BBYC so am biased, but there were LOTS of compliments.) The starting lines and courses were square, there were only a few general recalls, and the on-shore food and activities were well done.
I was on the island for the youth NAs and Worlds, but don't have a lot of detail about the conditions, other than to say that the winds were lighter and less predictable. There was one day with a westerly, one with a northerly, and I believe it was blowing from the north or northeast the final day.
Chris
The next day also started with a race in lighter air, and Tom Donahue knew to go right (the outgoing tide seemed to have more current running towards the weather mark towards the right side of the course) and won by a large margin, with Amanda second. Again, it was much windier for the three remaining races of the day. The last race saw gusts to 20 or so. The first three races on Friday were 5 leg W/Ls, but with the higher windspeeds, the last race was 3 legger.
There were three final races on Saturday. Despite lots of talk on the shore that it was howling out on the course, the first two races probably did not see gusts even hitting 15, although everyone had to hike pretty hard. The last race saw winds of probably 15 kts. The first and third races on Saturday were 3 legs, and the 2nd was 5 legs.
Venezuela's 16 year old David Gonzales Arria won. Despite the fact he appeared to be about 5'5" and weighed perhaps 130 lbs., he was fast in the breeze. I was behind him for the final race of the regatta, and he kept the boat flat and and slowly pulled away on the last weather leg. I weigh 165 which I would have thought would be an advantage, but it was not!
There was a fair amount of seaweed, so you had to clear your board every one or two minutes. There was also a steep chop (the water on the race course was no more than 4 feet deep) which made for a pounding ride upwind, but surfing conditions downwind.
Brant Beach did a great job running the event (I belong to BBYC so am biased, but there were LOTS of compliments.) The starting lines and courses were square, there were only a few general recalls, and the on-shore food and activities were well done.
I was on the island for the youth NAs and Worlds, but don't have a lot of detail about the conditions, other than to say that the winds were lighter and less predictable. There was one day with a westerly, one with a northerly, and I believe it was blowing from the north or northeast the final day.
Chris
