Kona Day 1

Fleet split into two groups - one start did outside loop trapezoid and the next group did inside loop trapezoid course. Light wind this morning by the breeze kicked in just as course was being set for race 1. Got to 15 mph, then 20, and I heard that there were recordings to 28 mph during R1. I had a poor start near the boat with too much traffic around so didn't get going very well. But got into the second clump of people by the windward mark and could see 4 guys that were out in front. Then it got pretty windy during the first time downwind in the outside loop - probably the gusts of 25+. I ended up taking one swim and lost track of the top 4 guys but wasn't really getting passed much as everyone else was flaming wreckage as well.

I eventually got my act together and finished a bit behind Ron Kern who finished 6th I think. So I was probably 7 or as low as 10th.

Probably less than half the entrants finished race 1.

Lunch break had many people saying we shouldn't be out and that much wind plus it was already 3:00. Oh yeah, and it was offshore wind so some people were drifting and couldn't get back so needed boat ride in.

To fox's credit he got the course set closer to shore and told people to head back out. Another thing - first race was very long course - took me 25-30 minutes to finish (5-10 mins was swimming around though on the downwind leg and a blown tack). So, he also said he would shorten the course. We did two races after that and the wind was more like 15-20. I got 3rd and 5th. Andy Gratton got 5th and 3rd. I could have got 2nd in R2 but brain farted coming to finish and let a guy squeeze me out for 2nd.

I think I have speed to hang with all the guys in my group except probably the guy that won all 3 races. He's pretty quick upwind and especially off the line. Smooth translations too. Other than that I don't think the guys in my group are much better than me. I just need better starts. But I've been a beast downwind usually passing 3-5 people on the first downwind every time. The problem obviously, is that there are always more than 5 people in front of me at the first mark.

The winner of my groups races is Tim Angstrom or something like that. He a euro. So is the guy that has been getting 2nd. Joachim Larsson is in my group and got 4th in R1, DSQ from R2 for sailing wrong course, and 4th in front of me in R3.

Andy Gratton and Ron Kern are the only americans in my group near me I think. Haven't seen results yet - just based on where we see people finishing.

Nevin Sayre won R1 and R2 in his group. Won R1 by a lot - he finished just before I finished and I started 10 mins before his group did.

Nevin's son, Raz, came in 2nd in R2 and won R3. It doesn't seem like there is as many speedsters in the group besides them.

Later,
Arden