First day of the final series, and little wind.
Today we started the final series, the 25 best together. We will have 8 races in three days, and then, the last day, the MedalRace as well.
Today we have started early, at 10 o'clock the first start, with a shifty wind from the South, which was crazy in strength and intensity.
It was imposible to know what to do, but we have thought there was a little more pressure in the right side, so we have started from the Committee boat to the right. In the first minutes it didn't look bad, but suddenly the wind has started to change, and the boats in our windward have started to sail really quickly. We continued with very, very little wind. The situation was very strange and we haven't been quick enough, so we were 21st in the first mark. In the first downwind we have decided not to go crazy and try to stay always in the parts where gusts were blowing. We were 10th at the gate, and then 7 in the windward mark. In the last downwind the boats from behind came with more wind and in the finishing line some boats have overtaken us, so we have ended up 9th. Not bad for what could have been. And, being in the gold group, any result inside the best 10 is good.
The second race has started with the same conditions. We have started quickly but the wind has shifted and we have been 10th in the fist mark. But here the gust has favoured us, and just after hoisting the spinnaker, we have started to go really fast. The ones ahead reached ana rea without wind, so we have gybed before reaching that area, and we have got to the leeward mark alone. In the last downwind, the wand has nearly disappeared, so we have had a lot of patience, and we have decided to go step by step to the finish. We were first, with the fleet behind us really close. Wonderful results, 9-1. Also, the leaders of the overall results had all done badly in this race.
The last race has started much later. For this race the thermal wind from the south has started blowing, so it has been a bit more normal. We have started again really well, next to the Race Committee boat. The wind has changed but we have been patient and we have waited until the wind came to its usual position, so then we have tacked and we have crossed in front of the whole fleet except the Americans, who already were 50m ahead of us. We have tried the whole race not to get stopped by the americans in their try to mark us, it was ok to be 2nd for us, we just don't wanted the ones from behind to get closer. So we have ended up 2, and have made the best results of the day, which takes us 1st in the overall. We are really happy! The English, the Australian, and the Ucrainian (which were the leaders until today) have one very bad result, so when they discard it they will be up there again, but the good thin is that some other boats have left the fight for winning already, doing two very bad results today. And we are still there! I hope tomorrow we have a regular day to reach the final day with options. It seems there will be 4 races tomorrow, so the Championship will be nearly decided. We are happy for to day, and we hope to be tomorrow in the fight.
We'll tell you tomorrow.
Cheers,
Iker.
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