dutch racing
sbdesign
series Championship in Scheveningen, Holland, May 10-12.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ_8dtFGx9o
The NK Formula Windsurfing Series kicked off in Holland this past
weekend at the very last possible moment.
The formula fleet attempted to run several races in the light, shifty,
offshore breeze over the first 2 days but had to ultimately wait till
the 3rd and final day to get 4 windward-leeward races in. When the
breeze did finally switch around at 4:30 on the last afternoon, the
fleet was given ideal conditions with a 15-18k sea breeze and building
seas.
Dennis Littel- NED 13 won the regatta with Adri Keet- NED 34 and
Adriaan van Rijselberghe NED 2 close behind.
To find out more about the 'dutch oven" how to keep cool on an
unseasonably hot dutch day at the beach- see the regatta report and
photos at www.stevebodner.blogspot.com
Steve Bodner
USA 4
James
Nice report, as usual.
sbdesign
Grevelingen Strand.
The dutch works is an amazing feat of engineering created after the
devastating floods in the 1950's. Since then the Dutch government has
created one of the most extensive engineering projects in the world
cited as the world's largest flood protection project with over 10,250
miles of dikes. Source: Wikipedia.
With relatively shallow water, plenty of open water, beaches and wind,
the Delta Works have created their own little a windsurfing
paradise ...at least in the dutch standard ;0
The Belgiums seem to enjoy it enough to have part of their national
series here.
The first day of the competition turned out to be a spectacular day
with the breeze building to 15-20 knots by mid afternoon.
4 formula course races were run in gusty shifty conditions before the
fleet switch to figure 8 slalom racing for the rest of the afternoon.
On late Sunday morning, the fleet got off 1 more course race in 8-10
knot marginal conditions with most of the fleet on their 12 meter rigs
before returning to the beach and waiting the rest of the afternoon
out under the postponement flag.
It was another valuable weekend of racing in a mixed fleet.
As usual the strong dutch contention was pushing the front of the
fleet with the Belgiums not far behind.
I found myself near the front but just out of the hunt trying some new
equipment along the way- all the meanwhile improving steadily!
Saturday's program started with 2 back to back formula races in 14-16
knots. It was evident, the breeze was stronger in the middle but
there were some great lifts on the outside to bring you back to the
top mark. Although getting greedy sometimes does pay, some sailors
were left stranded in the corners riding the knock back to the middle
of the course.
Slalom racing on Saturday was just as exciting with close to 50 boards
on the line. There were still some big holes around the course and
plenty of chop to contend with as the fleet stretched out and crossed
paths on the 2x around long figure 8 course.
In the slalom races, you really needed to push hard at the start as
it's all or nothing in these races.
I was black flagged in one race and send back to the beach with 4-5
other sailors as the fleet started the next race without us. In 2 of
the other races, I had great starts just at the boat as the gun went
off- keeping me in the hunt but it was Ben van der Steen NED 57 taking
the show with a string of bullets.
For more photos and a detailed race report, visit www.stevebodner.blogspot.com
Results@ www.babc.be
Steve Bodner
USA 4