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Tim Member  Member#: 238 Location: Registered: 01-06-2003 Diary Entries: 343 Mood: Not enough time to do it all. |
16th July 2004 Windsurfing: Brog Race Wind Direction: SW Wind Stength: F4/5 Surf / Sea State: Chop & Flat Air Temperature: 24 Sea Temperature: 15 Weather: Cloudy Max Speed: Distance Covered: Here's Tony's Report, not mine --------------------------------------- And the Lord looked down upon these strange beasts and sent forth a wind! And what was the weather forecast? 9 Miles an hour SW And what did it blow during the race? 34 miles an hour!!!!! Oh Shit wrong size sail again! The wind had freshened all day and ten minutes before the race peaked at 33 miles an hour, then as the contestants hastily rigged, it did it's usual trick of dropping. There was much debate as to what sail to put up. Mark Fowler had just discovered an 8.5 sail stacked on his kit in the container ( a gift from a secret admirer!) But he felt descretion the better part of valour (not wishing to damage this unexpected present) and went for a 7.5. Others varied between 6.5 and a couple went for the max of 8.5 (a size they were later to regret) As the participants gathered on the start line, the sky brightened and as is often the case, the wind took on a new lease of life and freshened somewhat! "Oh Shit" was my only thought as I shouted "ARE YOU READY" Everyone raised their sails, apart from Tim who seemed to be having a personal battle with his steed. The rest of us waited while he gained control "GET SET" Before I could shout go! The excitement got too much for Tim who decided to jump the gun with a Flier. I not wishing a recall, shouted a belated "GO" As if shot from a gun the contestants leaped into action, bar one that is. The lake manager decided on a spot of brick cutting with his fin at this particular moment in time and most of the field had completed half a lap before he could break free from those infernal blocks (and with a somewhat reduced sized fin) Mr Boulter made the first mark with a considerable lead, and was the only one during the whole race that appeared to be in control with the proceedings. Most of the gybe marks looked like Beechers Brook on a bad day, bodies were strune all over the place and weaving through the debris became an art in it self. After four laps, God in his infanate wisdom turned the wind notch up a couple of clicks! (obviously a bad night on the celestial Telly as our Lord sort amusment elsewhere, by flattening windsurfers!) Those with 8.5's were now undergoing arm lengthening surgery as they hung grimly to their spinnakers! John Boulter in the meantime seemed oblivious to this upturn in wind velocity and continued on his merry way, lapping the whole fleet by the end. Mike George had been hanging grimly to second place untill fatigue took it's toll and a series of uncontrolable cock ups at three gybes in succession, let the Lake Manager (whom having recovered from his bad start and now extremely gratefull for his shorter fin) had made up a lot of places all be it with little finness or control! Chris Burns took 4th place, interspersed with occasional round the Buoy swimming Mike Milnthorpe(8.5) survived the ordeal (just) to finish 5th and was reported to be seen comparing arm lengths with other contestants. Tim (I'll jump the Gun) Davies, finished 6th. Despite his good (if illegal) start.He found the whole thing too much. Paranoid that he might damage the board that he had borrowed from Tony, was seen, on numerous occasions at the slightest hint of a catapult, to dive majestically into the drink with swallow like dives, that left him several metres clear of the board. Fred? No one really knows what happened to Fred, he appeared to be involved in examining the ropes that fasten the bouys (well I assume that's why he got off at every mark!) Mark Fowler in the meantime decided ( after lap 1 when he had been passed by the entire fleet twice) that maybe Brogboroughlake was not the place for him. And retired to the container to stare at his unexpected present! Even during the BBQ the wind didn't abate. And the Lake Manager was extremely gratefull to stand further back from the the smoke than normal, with his newly acquired long arms. "Was it a good race"? You ask Well of course it was! Well no one died! |
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