Wednesday 28 August 2013

FW JYM Worlds Day 2

Today we have offshore wind again. That means that the water is totaly flat, however very gusty.
We had two races already. In the first race I was first and in the second race I was second. Now I have 3 points and sit in the second position. First is Christian Justessen DEN 26. He was second and first.

Tuesday 27 August 2013

FW JYM Worlds Day 1

Today there were no races completed. Although the race officer got us out on the water and gave 2 starts for the youth fleet. However, the wind was too light and not stable enough for proper racing.
I am feeling really well in these flat water light wind conditions. So we will see how it goes tommorow.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

FW Europeans summary


Third year in a row Latvia we have a major FW event and third year in a row I can say that the event was really successful. This year we had 15 races overall - the maximum.
The organisation was really nice. We had a huge tent on the beach where we could hide from rain showers, chill on sitting bags or leave the equipment. We also had lunch provided, although the portions were really small (had to eat 3 to be half full :) , and the quality of the food wasn't always perfect.

Tuesday 20 August 2013

FW Europeans Day 5 Formula

After the slalom racing was done we moved on to formula racing. The wind was average around 16-20 knots, but the wave was really steep and difficult to climb over. Especially difficult for me, the only one in TOP 30 on SB 167 wide board.
For the first race I went out on 10.7 and it was OK, - I could control the sail but the board was doing everything it wanted on the upwind leg. As that was not bad enough I got a bad start. This one goes for a discard.
I changed down to 9.6 for the second race. It was very easy to control the sail - almost no efforts at all. So I dedicated all my energy to control the board. It was going a bit better, but another terrible start messed it all up again. Once again race for a discard.
After the break I concentrated and just went for a perfect start. Struggling in the upwind, but just flying downwind. I was overtaking 3-5 guys on every downwind leg and they were doing the same to me in the upwind. 21st at the finish line - reasonable result for such conditions.
The last race was a bit similar to the third one. Just that I missed the lay line to the downwind gates in the first lap. As a result I lost 4 places. Finished 25th.

So overall I was 22nd and 2nd in youth. The result like I was expecting in these wavy conditions.

Saturday 17 August 2013

FW Europeans Day 5 slalom

I was not sailing slalom in this competition so I had a perfect opportunity to watch it from the beach. Actually I was helping to watch other people as well - I took the role of the speaker-boy. It was a really interesting and fun experience and I hope that others enjoyed it as much as I did.

3rd race
1) Arnon Dagan ISR 1
2) Maciek Rutkowski POL 23
3) Steve Allen AUS 0
4) Michal Polanowski POL 16
5) Valentin Brault FRA 823

2nd race start was with a lot of drama. A lot of anger on the beach.
1) Maciek Rutkowski POL 23 takes a bullet again
2) Arnon Dagan ISR 1
3) Michal Polanowski POL 16
4) Steve Allen AUS 0
5) Casper Bouman NED 52

1st race of slalom is over.
1) Maciek Rutkowski Pol 23
2) Valentin Brault FRA 823
3) Steve Allen Aus 0
4) Arnon Dagan
5) Casper Bouman NED 52

18-20 knots outside. Guys are getting ready for 3 full fleet slalom.races.

Friday 16 August 2013

FW Europeans Day 4

Another day full of intense racing here in Liepaja.
We had 4 races in light wind but full of  action, - at least for me.
The first half of the day was terrible for me. I was going quite well, but at the first mark I almost crashed with Janis Rencis LAT - 0. I was going on starboard and he was on port, however he failed to keep clear. So on the last second I beared of and then I tried to go back upwind, but I ended up in the water. I finished the race in 23rd place.
On the second race it was all over before I even got over the starting line. Just before the start Timo Runge EST 233 came from behind and crashed into my leg. I could not continue the race so I went back to the beach.
The races after the break were much better. Even though I made some mistakes I finished 16th and 17th.
After the race I continued racing on the beach - protests. I launched protests for both accidents and I won them both. My opponents were disqualified and I got redress.

Thursday 15 August 2013

FW Europeans PHOTOS

FW Europeans Day 3

We had 4 races as planed. The wind was about 12-14 knots all the time. For me it was a difficult day: I was struggling on the upwind and on the downwind starboard tack as well. In the upwind my board was always flying into the air because of the wave. It was the wave which made it difficult to go downwind as well. I actually felt in twice during the day on the downwind leg. Another bad part of the race for me was the downwind gates. It seemed that whichever direction I would go there would be a bunch of guys who would try to bring me into the shadow. The only part I was happy about was the start. In all 4 starts I got clear of the line. 10 10 The plan for today is to do 2+2 Formula. The wind is around 12 knots and should stay like this for all day with a slight increase in the afternoon. There is a bit of a shorebreak which might be difficult to cross due to the straight onshore wind.

Wednesday 14 August 2013

FW Europeans Day 2

Today we had quite a lot of waves in the beach and a bit less wind. The race director Bruno decided to keep formula equipment safe on shore and gave the start to slalom.
There were 2 eliminations completed. I was watching all the heats from the top of the conteiner and I can say that the view was really good.
Steve Allen won both eliminations and Arnon Dagan was second in both.
Lithuanians (Giedrius, Mindaugas and Arvydas) were not used to these wavy conditions and did not show a good result

Tuesday 13 August 2013

FW Europeans Day 1

Later on the day we had 3 races in the wind from 10 to 16 knots.
I got a realy good start on the first race, but after I sailed to close to yhe shore I got into a hole and was standing still for 30 seconds - the race was done. And later I felt in on a gybe. 25th
On the second race I started between Arnon ISR 1 and Casper NED 52. Guess what happened next. Arnon just spritzed me from behind and Casper killed me with his well known angle. 26th
And finally in the third race I got a reasonable result. I got a good starboard start and even when I missed the layline to the 1st mark  I still managed to finish in 16th position.
Juozas LTU 14 is 18th
I am 22nd
Arvydas LTU 789 23rd
Giedrius LTU 11 24th
Mindaugas LTU 64 25th
14 00
The first day in europeans is freaking cold and rainy. Bruno has send us on the water once but after two canceled start we had to surf home without any wind.

FW Baltic Cup Day 3

The Baltic Cup has finished for 2013.
On the last day of Latvia's stage we had 2 races in average wind and 2 races in high wind. I was going very fast in these lighter winds, however I didn't managed to use that out. I tried to start on starboard side even though it was not that favorable. And even there were not to many people around me I managed to get into the shadow of others. Later I fought back around 10 places and finished 14th and 15th. After the break the wind increased up to 8-9m-s and the wave picked up. I became really slow and finished 18th in both races.
Overall results:
1) Valentin Brault FRA 823 managed to keep his 1st place
2) Janis Preiss LAT 23 was just 0.7 points behind the frenchman
3) Sebastian Kornum DEN 24

Youth:
1) Christian DEN 26 was really fast in these condition
2) Joel FIN 2 overtook me on the last two races
3) me. Not the place I wanted to be in, but I have to admit that those two guys were faster this time.

Lithuanians:
14) Me
17) Giedrius LTU 11
....

Follow the reports from Europeans

Saturday 10 August 2013

FW Baltic Cup Latvia

Aloha dear readers!
I am writting to you from the city where the wind is born - Liepaja. Yesterday we had 4 races in quite rare conditions. The wind was around 18-22 knots for the most of the time and we also had to enjoy the wave up to 2 meters high.
The first challenge was to get out through the shorebreak, which has proven to be quite nasty. More than half of the fleet have broken some piece of their equipment. Luckily I was not one of them.
For my the race was really hard, especialy the upwind part as my 167 wide was trying to take of and fly downwind. Luckily I was very fast on the downwind.
Another important aspect of the race as always was the start. Unfortunately I only managed to get the start right in the first race. On the other races I didn't have enough control of the board to cross the line exactly in time. I finished in 9th, 22nd, 12th and 10th. Now I am standing in 12th place overall, 2nd youth and 1st lithuanian.
The leaderboard:
1) Valentin Brault (boy with good education) FRA 823 is leading even though he did not have chicken strap.
2) Local hero Janis Preiss LAT 23
3) Frenchmen from London Edwy FRA 1642
Today it is raining and no wind.