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Cabrinha Races: Down to the Wire!

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:22 pm
by experienced1
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Cabrinha Races: Down to the WIRE!!!

With only three race nights to go in the 2009 Cabrinha Race Series, 26 riders competed in an attempt to improve their overall season positions or to just improve their racing skills. Wind was very light on the beach and some thought/hoped the races would be cancelled as it wasn’t much better at Anita where it was blowing 10-15. Racers rigged 13 and 14s and the races were on. Turns out, the hardest maneuver of the evening was getting off the beach, and the second hardest was returning to the beach. Also turns out the racers were nicely power outside, and of course, the occasional hole always finds the windward mark. Only two races were held due to winds tuning very light at the end of the second race.

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The first race saw Jeff Kafka get a good start but fell on the second tack and then missed the lay line to the windward mark, so Stefaans Viljoen took advantage of the opportunity and was first to the windward mark and never looked back leading everyone around the course with a comfortable lead. Geoff Headinton, Eric Due and Rob Lindt also took advantage of Kafka’s errors and pasted him at the windward mark. However, Kafka caught and passed Due and Lindt but couldn’t catch Headinton. So it was Stefaans, Headinton, Kafka.

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In the second race, Kafka, again got a good start and battled Mike Gebhardt to the windward mark with Gebi taking a 5 second lead. However, Kafka caught and passed Gebhart and took a 5 second lead around the leeward mark…think mike went outside too far. However, Kafka fell making his final jibe to the lay line and Gebhardt took advantage crossing the finish line 5 seconds ahead of Kafka, followed by Headinton.

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So, overall for the evening there was a three way tie for first with 5 points; Stefaans (OR) with a 1,4, Kafka (Cabrinha) with a 3,2, and Headinton (Ozone) with a 2,3. The tie was broken by Stefaans as he had the only first, and the remaining tie was broken by Kafka as he bested Headinton in the last race….Stefaans 1sst, Kafka 2nd, Headinton 3rd. They were followed by Eric Due (Cabrinha) with 9 pts(4,5) and Rob Lindt (Ozone) with 11 pts (5,6). Chip you ask? He was fulfilling his race committee obligation.

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After the races an impromptu free raffle was conducted at the beach…yes it was warm and beautiful. Cabrinha hats, rashguards, solar showers were handed as well as Ozonetravel long sleeve Ts..very cool. And of course a lot of sharing of available refreshments.

The second to last race will be held Thursday September 24, with Karen from Ozonetravel on the committee boat and in the yacht club for drinks afterwards. The last race night of the season will be the following Thursday October 1 with the podium participants still up for grabs. We will be also be conducting our last free raffle of the season. And don’t forget, the awards PARTY will be Saturday October 3!!!!!! The GRAND PRIZE will be announced Friday September 25, and a SPECIAL PRIZE will be announced Sunday September 27.

The Cabrinha Race Series is sponsored by Cabrinha, Ozonetravel, Adventure Sports Miami, and hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club.

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