Sunday, October 27th:

The wind conditions had slightly eased, compared with Saturday. On the start line this equated to still more than enough breeze, now further to the North. The race committee noted 15knots. This surely will have to be multiplied with a kind of wind-handicap to become more realistic.

We started from the beach, delayed by individual handicaps. Then there lay a not so easy to understand course in front of the fleet: There was a leeward buoy. Straight upwind from it there was the windward buoy. And there were two wing marks halfway on both sides of the course. Starting from the beach the sailors had to leave the eastern wing mark to starboard, the windward buoy to port, the western wing mark to port, the eastern wing mark to starboard, the leeward buoy to port, the windward buoy to port, the leeward buoy to port before returning to the beach. Compared with a standard triangle-sausage course there was a transition from one wing mark to the other on the first round. This required an additional gybe at a wing mark and a gybe instead of a tack at the leeward mark. Gybing seemed nothing to look forward to in this breeze. Not only did we have additional gybes, but they also had uncommon angles. At the wing marks, they were around 135deg and 180deg at the leeward buoy. To my knowledge, nobody was lost and the starters finished their races. We had two races of this format before a little fun chase around the bottom half of the course. All up 5 Lasers (3 radial, 2 full-rigged) and an OpenBic gave their very best and succeeded by having an awesome day. 

Thank you to the 3 race officers in the tower and the 2 patrol boat crew who keep a close watch over us. We have to acknowledge the great courage of our young OpenBic sailor: Good stuff! Do I have to mention this: The last starter won both races and the chase. And he always wins because he is good - unless his master comes around from the other side of the peninsula.