Close Racing ALL Night
The seventh night of the 2011 Cabrinha Race Series saw close racing throughout the entire fleet. Thirty racers took to the waters with 11-13s as Anita and TI were both reading 21. Anticipation grew as time ticked towards the first start…who would be on the podium tonight as some of our regulars who are also some of the top racers in the world were away in Germany collecting medals?
Once again we would like to CONGRATULATE Johnny Heineken, the new 2011 Kite Course Racing World Champion. Second was Adam Koch followed by Brian Lake…a podium sweep for our regulars and the USA riders. Chip Wasson, the 2010 Cabrinha Race Series Champion was ninth, while more regulars, Adam Vance and Andrew Koch finished 12 and 13 respectively. Not regulars, but former participants and part of the USA contingency, Sky Solback and Damien LeRoy were fourth and sixth respectively. This week, many if not all of them will be back in action in Puerto Rico for the 2011 North American Championships. So, again the podium is up for grabs.
The first race saw only seven of the fleet start on port, although it was the favorite for sure. At the windward mark it was Stefaans, the 2010 Cabrinha Champ and Geoff Headington, a perennial podium fixture, first and second. They both missed the mark on the first try and had to take an extra tack. Headington was on the inside of Stefaans around the mark but before they rounded the offset they both exploded and were in the water. Later, I found out that Stefaans forgot about the offset, dove his kite to go outside to head towards the lee mark and took Headington out. Stefaans retired from the race and the evening while Headington continued on and finished sixteenth for the race. They were followed by John Gomes, Chris Brown, Eric Due, Kevin Richards and John Von Tesmar. At the lee mark it was Gomes, Brown, Due and von Tesmar And that’s the way the finished followed by Richards and Wittke.
In the second race, a few more racers joined in on the port start…it was still favored.
Gomes got a delayed start as he was blocked by Wittke who was just ahead in the water. Headington took a quick lead, but Gomes, Brown, Richards all seemed to have a better angle. Headington tacked first to the lay line while the others continued on a bit before tacking. The question was, would Headington make the mark, or did he tack too early? He made the mark and took about a 10second lead at the windward mark followed by Gomes. It was light at the windward mark and everyone had trouble gaining traction for the downwind leg. Headington, Gomes and Brown all took an inside line. Headington fell and Gomes took the lead at the start boat. Richards took a more outside line as well as von Tesmar, while Tom Gore took an inside line. At the lee mark it was Gomes, Richards, Headington and Brown. Headington then passed Richards half way up on the first windward leg to the finish and von Tesmar passed Gore. At the finish it was Gomes, Headington, Richards, Brown, and von Tesmar.
The wind lightened a bit more for the third race with more holes appearing on the course. For whatever reason, the entire fleet got a terrible start. Again, it was Gomes, Headington, Brown and Richards with Gomes way upwind with a better angle than the rest. Almost at the start boat on the downwind leg to the lee mark it was very tight and then Gomes put his kite in the water and watched five racers pass by…Headington, Richards, Brown, Gore , and Wittke. At the half way point to the lee mark, Headington, Bown and Richards took a more outside line. At the lee mark it was Headington, Brown, Richards, Wittke and Gomes who had picked off one of the racers who had passed him earlier. While on the port tack back out side, Headington was the first to tack to the lay line. Brown covered, but Headington had more speed and a better angle. It was Headington at the finish, while Richards passed Brown for second as Brown needed an extra tack and finished on port. Gomes picked off another racer and finished fourth followed by von Tesmar.
For the evening the official results would show Gomes on top with a total of 6 points (1,1,4), Brown second with 9 points (2,4,3) and Richards third with 10 points (5,3,2), von Tesmar with 14 points (4,5,5) and Headington fifth with 19 points (16,2,1). They were followed by Eric Due with 19 (3,8,8), Wittke with 23 (6,10,7), Gore with 26 (10,7,9) and Segura with 31 (19,6,6). Headington filed a protest that I understand Stefaans will concede. Headington also filed for redress. If he receives a redress of 2, which I believe he will, then he will have 5 points (2,2,1) and will win the evening over Gomes.
A couple of notes: Gomes returned to prior year’s form with good starts, good speed and angles. John von Tesmar had his best night EVER; he was always in the mix and consistent. Chris Brown also had his best night of the season on a new larger board, Marcello Segura had a 6 in the final two races, Wittke had a 6 and 7, Tom Gore had a 7 and 9, Kevin Growney had a 7, Eric Geleynese an 8 and Bruce Johnson with a pair of 9s….Good night of racing by ALL up and down the entire fleet.
For the women, the first set of results posted were incorrect, and I was quickly notified of that fact by Boriana who with the corrected results finished on top with 4 points (1,1,2). She was followed by Erika Heineken with 5 points (2,2,1), and Cynthia Brown with 10 points (3,4,3). They were followed by Eugena Georguieva with 13 points (4,5,4), Sandy Parker with 15 points (DNF,3,4) and Lydia Snider who is chasing her first finish….keep at it Lydia; it’ll happen.
In the production fleet it was John von Tesmar with 4 points (2,1,1), Eric Due with 5 points (1,2,2) and Bret Herscher with 9 points (3,3,3).
This Thursday July 14 is the eighth night of racing. The Silver fleet will be formed after the completion and they will then have a 5 night series (nights 9,10,11,12,13) with one throw out. We will still start everyone together, Gold, Silver, Women and Production. The Silver Fleet will still be scored in the Gold Fleet in addition to the Silver Fleet…just like we currently do with the Women’s Feet and the Production Fleet. As of now, I see the following riders being scored in the Silver Fleet. Any rider who is listed and does not want to be scored in the Silver Fleet, please inform me. If any rider is not listed below and believes they should be in the Silver Fleet, please inform me:
Brett, Nick, Hugo, Erin, Tobin, Kevin G, Shawn, Bruce, Amil, Felix, Tim, Ariel, Alex, Dallas, Boriana, Erika, Eugenia, Sandy, Lydia.
The Cabrinha Race Series is sponsored by Cabrinha, Ozone Travel, and Captain Kirk’s and hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club.
