My Saturday started very early, watching Jo and Polly become NZ’s first female sailing gold medallists. It was great to watch the fruition of such hard work for such a long time cumulate in such an achievement.
Our focus for this race was a good start and good decision making. We reached the starting area early and for the first time I can remember spent time getting the feel of the starting box. Of late I have been sailing a least once a week in the Skud 18 racing against paralympian reps Tm and Jan. Starts have been our focus and I think the 50 or so starts I have done since the last Simrad have helped me as much as them.
We won the buoy end of the line and sprinted as fast as we could towards the Rangitoto shore. However keelboat racing is not as straight forward as one-design as the bigger boats soon caught up with us and we had to fight to keep our air clear along the Rangitoto shore. We did lots of tacks, which always makes me laugh a little, as the blokes crew always seem to do less!
 Holding our space – source SSANZ |  Time to accelerate – source SSANZ |
Once in the Motohine Channel we stayed close to Motutapu. then tacked along the Waiheke Shore. We felt out of phase with the wind shifts close to Gannet Rock allowing Gale Force to pass us. From Gannet Rock to Flat Rock was a two sail reach. Waterline length was against us here and the Ross 40 Marshall Law passed us. It was very much hang in there and wait sort of leg, with no opportunity for passing.
Once we rounded Flat Rock we hoisted our EXPEDITION kite for the short run to Motuora, we were quite conservative on this leg, as the sky looked rather dark. From Motuora to the finish was a reach, everyone else sailed under main and jib, while we gave our genaker an outing. We had good control and speed until the sheet clip opened and we had to drop the genaker to get it back on.
Result : 6th on PHRF, making us 5th in the series and 2 points off 3rd. We both felt we made gains this race in our tactics and boat skills, something that was not as important in the long legs of the RNZ. However, if we are to be serious about a podium finish in this series we will need to tighten up our boat handling in the next few weeks.
Our shore crew Neil Easton once again had an excellent result, finishing 2nd line and PHRF, he and Steve are now winning their division. Luckily, I am off the New York Fashion week in September so I will be able to get a dress suitable to accompany Neil to the prize giving.
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