[youtube=https://youtu.be/Gbh7zVUfUGA]
Regatta Report: The race was scheduled for saturday 1PM, a decreasing wind forescast was know, but the cat guys couldn´t race the next day, so all foilers went out to start the first class combined foiling Long Distance in BA: 3 Kite Foilers, 4 F20s, 2 As, 2 Moths & 1 FP.
Just before the start the wind dropped from some good 10 knots and only one Kiter was left literally standing, but he managed to dominated the short upwind leg to first buoy and the following reaching mark +500mts to shore. The Kiter established a gap of +1 minute ahead of the Nacra 20s and the top A, Moths and the FP followed behind.
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After the Kiter, Nico Ocariz, lead through the offset he just couldn´t get going and it was race over for him as wind kept decreasing in intensity. The rest of the fleet went for a first leg upwind to the turning point mark near BA port.
It was a lottery with lulls , holes and wind from every direction as it tried to establish itself 180° from the North. Nevertheless it was a interesting tactical regatta, where you needed to see the transition taking place and act accordingly, some like the FP crew couldn´t react though as the were stuck too close to the coast while the F20 in last place at the moment went offshore searching for more breeze.
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The move payed off and the fastest F18 & F20 foiler local crew, Juan Faustin & Nico Aragones, started foiling upwind! while the others watched in awe (watch shorth video above). These guys were eating distance like melted butter. Meanwhile the leaders, Cruz & Mariano reached the turning point Mark with a good lead, although the raid was far from over…
They decided to go for the last Southern gust near the shore to raise Spi, they gained some meters but wind began to establish a solid NorthEast direction benefiting those who decided (again) to go for the outside, like Juan & Nico and Segio in the A, who was 3rd at the moment.
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So in the outside Juan & Nico’s F20 went for an upwind/reach full leg followed by Sergio DNA who was maintaining the speed rythm in that sailing course towards the second last mark that became upwind again on the wind chage direction.
Faustin reached first to that Mark while Smith-Heuser were pointing high from the coast now in 4th place behind Fede-Lucas F20. Sergio reached 3rd to the offset, really close to the leading 20s.
After the final mark Faustin did a short final downwind leg to extend lead, the A lost too much ground without any spi to raise for the last short ride to finish in 4th place overall.
In the end we could match much performance on the conditions, but it was a first good try who reinforced some aspects:
- Kite Foils (underwater & up) are simply untouchable if they are able to fly the kite, they need +6/7knots – Below that range they are useless.
- Moths did pretty well for moments considering the conditions , but then again, they are another perfect winds machine. Get a caddie for them in long Distance racing.
- The Dna / Decksweeper is quite dangerous for the double handed/ spi equipped foiler on the upwind legs, we did some tests last week downwind with spi for the F20s and it was not contest with the A foiling good.
- F20 vs FP was sadly no measurable in the end this time, so don´t start speculating cause is worthless, if lottery breeze would have established from the coast it was advantage for the FP position. The 20s had a way better start though with Juan & Nico lightweight and skills showing off their foiling abilities.
The most interesting performance measure was the start, with photo progression below with the Kite Foiler killing the fleet. Remember it was a short upwind and then a reach offset to start the way to the long distance mark upwind.
Final Standings:
1st Juan Faustin & Nico Aragones – Team Forward Sailing: 1:53:07 – F20
2nd Federico Ferioli-Lucas Gonzalez Smith – Team Código Rojo 1:54:33 – F20
3rd Cruz Gonzalez Smith-Mariano Heuser – 1:58:17 – F20
4th Sergio Mehl 2:02:12 – A-Class
5th Sergio Armesto- Ian Rodger 2:05:00 FP
6th Francisco Bellochio 2:16:45 Moth
7th Julio Saubidet 2:17:08 – Aclass
8th Pablo Volker 2:29:03 – Moth
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