the 2008 Pumpkin Regatta
Fanshawe YC * London, ON * October 4-5
Race 1.12
photos by Bob Steer, Steve Currie and Paul Chesman
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Rick Goldt is taking full advantage of a starboard lift that is letting him sail almost right at the windward mark here.
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With this wind direction, the wind is blowing more parallel to the shore nearer to it where Al is. Note that Al is sailing a much "lower" starboard than Rick who is further off the shore. But Al doesn't want to tack here, since there is a real risk that the windward shore will becalm him. By holding starboard, Al will, with luck, get ...
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... lifted as he gets further away from the shore.
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Jens (7663) and Matt McClure wait for their starboard lift. Failing that, this nice gust will do!
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It's still anybody's race between Jens and Sue (4677).
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Passing the mouth of Wye Creek (across from the Race Hut), Roger (7700), Dwight (4606) and ...
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... Matt Dietrich (109562) sail into a nice lift which, at least for the moment) moves ...
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... Matt past Ben Harrison (179220).
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Oops! Someone's gone swimming as Jeff starts his 2nd beat.
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Mike and Kirk with their share of the starboard lift.
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Kieran finally seems to have everything functioning as it should.
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Not much doing on starboard for Len here, but soon ...
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... his patience pays off in a nice lift.
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Not too far from the windward mark: With a substantial lead, Al needs to stay generally between his nearest/most feared pursuers and the next mark. The bigger the lead, the longer he can wait before tacking to stay with his opponents, i.e. he can wait for a better knock or breeze, etc.
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As Steve and Randy head down their ...
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... run towards #2 ...
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... Al remains well positioned, more or less directly between #6 (the next mark) and his nearest pursuers who are now ...
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... Roger and Rae.
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Following a similar path towards #6 in this nice gust are Sue and Steph.
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Roger tacks back to the favoured starboard tack. Al still has a clear path and seems to be on the layline to #6.
If Jens (7663) doesn't tack now, he'll have to wait some time if he doesn't want to end up in Al's dirty air after tacking.
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Meanwhile, back near the Race Hut: while Jamie Alexander (2667) still has to round mark #2 and come back up,
Ed Hone (2687) is about to finish 2nd among the Y's, not too far behind ...
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... race winners, Richard and Colin King who are about to ...
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... cross the line.
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