Sunday 26 April 2009

Stumbras Cup

This weekend we had good races.


On Saturday there was not much wind so there was only Raceboards races. I haven't sailed with raceboard for a few years so it was a nice experience for me. There were two fleets because there were a lot of competitors and too little of boards. After the first heat 3 best sailors went to the golden fleet and other to the silver fleet. During the first two heats the wind was blowing at about 1-2m/s. So it was not much but enough to keep going. But during the golden and silver fleet race the maximum of wind speed was 0.5 m/s.


I am not a very good racer in raceboard class so during the first heat I was the fifth and during the silver fleet I was the fifth too. Darius LTU37 won the race.


On Sunday there was Formula(FW) and Freeslalom(FSL) races. I was competing in FW class. During the first heat I made a terrible start because two sailors jumped into the water right infront of me. They were bathing and I was sailing arround them. The wind was very fitful. Sometimes we were standing and sometimes we were going overpowered. I was sailing with Gaastra GTX 8.5 and Starboard Formula Prokids. This board is going at the good angle to the wind but it is quite slow. When the wind is 6-9m/s I can go quite good , but when the wind is low I am going slowly. And at the finish I was somewhere in the end.


During the second heat I have taken a good start near the pin end. But all competitors have overtaken me because of my speed. The wind was going up and down just like in the first heat.To the winward mark I was going quite good-I have came there at the same time with Vytis LTU47, Vladas LTU 202 and Irmantas LTU666. During the second lap Irmantas and Vladas have overtaken me but Vytis not. So the second heat was quite good. Then there was a break.


After the break I went out and I saw that the wind is more fitful. During the third heat I realized that these conditions are not for me. During the wift I was going overpowered and in the hole I was paddling. When I was going to the windward mark I thought that I am sailing bad , but when I was going to the leeward mark it was a complete tragedy-everybody was overtaking me and going away. During the second lap it was the same.


Before the fourth heat I thought it can't be worse, but during it I realized that it can. The wind was very low and very fitful. Almost all the way from windward to leeward mark I wasn't planing. But the worst leg was in second's lap from leeward to windward mark about ten minutes I was going from one side to other but the windward mark was the same distance away. In the end I decided to go back home.

And the result of this event is the last place. GedasLTU76 has won.

Tuesday 21 April 2009

Daily training

Yesterday I and Arnas went to Girionys to windsurf. When we came, on the water there were a lot of sails. We also joined in.
The wind was blowing from HE and it was fitful. So we all sailed towards JK. There the wind was normal. We had there quite a good training. But after two hours the wind stopped blowing and we went back.
After all sailors packed their inventory the wind changed its direction from West to North and started blowing again. But nobody went into the water again.

Saturday 18 April 2009

First season race

Hello, the race was excellent. At least in SL, in the FW I could not participate, because before this I was taking an exam. I was sailing with my favorite Neilpryde RS Slalom 6.2 Sail and JP 109l slalom board. This board is quite wide (69cm) for my weight (58kg) so sometimes it was a bit too big.
Before the first start I decided not to speed too much. So I went quite calmly.
After the second start I speeded a little bit more, but everything was destroyed at the second mark. When I came to it, Donaldas LTU178 and Mindaugas LTU646 were already bathing there. When I noticed that, it was too late. I tried to sail around them, but I didn't managed. I felt in too. Up to finish no one has overtaken me.
The third and fourth heat were similar to the second. Always I felt in once. I also saw how few guys in the front were fighting, Arvis LTU789 and Audrius LTU51.
However, the last fifth heat surprised me. At the first mark one of the leaders, Arvis LTU789, felt in. The first who started planing was Audrius LTU51, other sailors stopped. Shortly Giedrius LTU11 started planing, after him - me. Nothing has changed until the last mark. I took it very beautiful, full planing. I was still third. I decided to look back ... and I saw a terrible view-towards me Arvis LTU789 was going at full speed. Finally on the very last meters he has overtaken me by half-board.
Everything would have been good if not those holes near the second and third mark. There almost everybody stoped, and some felt in.
I was very surprised to see mister Cibas in the distance. And he was going very well. The first of two heats all the time he was going in front of me. But at the third I saw how he made a half-minute falstart.
In conclusion the first slalom races this season was good.

Friday 17 April 2009

The season opening

I and Arnas opened season two days ago.
The wind was light so at first we were only traveling across the lake. But afterwards the wind get stronger and we started planing. After about 1 hour the wind stoped blowing so we get back to the land.
For the first time it was good.