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Well we finally got some nice onshore wind and everything was going well. As the day went on, the wind got lighter and lighter and as fate has it I was in the last heat of the day.... I can tell you that the way they are calling the races these days are totally different from the last 5 years. It seems strange to me that the one year they make it so you cant change any of your gear for the entire season, they change the way they see suitable conditions. For instance last year if we would have had two races in a row where we could see that they were allowing races to go when we are not plaining for 5 seconds at each gybe, for this race we could have at least registered a 10m sail. Now for the first time I have been using the 9.3 in any of the races and still not plaining around the gybes, I cant even change the sail. Last year I think I used the 9.0 in two or three races the entire year becasue they were calling off the races when there was not enough wind. This year, they simply are not calling them off. It is definately a struggle for me but I need to adapt somehow. I see that the good guys are still doing good. You look out and Antoine is still winning the races when there is light wind. I guess all that time in Maui, with beautiful consistant winds, is not good for the pumping, struggling, gasping of air just to try and make it on a plane in the real world of what is now PWA racing. I guess I need to train different, develope a little different and focus a little different. I have been using the Isonic 133 with the 9.3 Vapor technora. For the fins I have been using the SL 2 and the SL1 for the most part, 50, 48, and 46. I was talking with Bjorn the other day and was suprised to hear that he was only using a 49cm R 16, I thought that seemed a bit small for him. Guys like Steve Allen, are using 52's, I have tried using the 52 and it just feels too draggy for me.. Maybe I need to try again??? We have two more days left with a ok forcast so the time now is to put my head down and try and salvage as much of the event as I can.
» 4 Comments
1"european conditions"
at Saturday, 13 June 2009 01:30
Yep , thats typical europe. If you want to train in these conditions come to Holland. Was yesterday out on a 8.1 with a rocket 115 . I guess with race stuff like you have it would have been a perfect day.Along our coast we have all the conditions imaginable but hardly ever perfect side shore and constant wind , plus always fighting the current. Still sounds like an ugly day out their in Spain.My moto in Holland, go big or go home ! Good luck with the next races and keep sending updates !
2"european conditions :)"
at Sunday, 14 June 2009 21:21
Well Kev where i live we can windsurf only during the summer :/ and the usuall conditions are 3-12 knots ... and often we have to deal with it because we don't have other choise :) so be happy that u can windsurf a lot more than us there in maui :) :) ;)
3Comment
at Monday, 15 June 2009 04:11
Maybe you should spent the whole racing season in europe. Than you could train and would spent a lot of money because of expensive flights.
You could choose a base camp with multiple conditions like the canarys, france, portugal or danmark (extrem).
and you could enjoy europe!
4Comment
at Thursday, 18 June 2009 16:17
Hi Kevin. i think the 'maui effect' you talk about is real. My buddy made his first trip to maui and the first thing he told me about it was how "easy" sailing was. He could gybe well there, and concentrate on tricks just because the trade winds would always be there to catch him, consistently so to speak. Not like where we usually sail with big lulls and then gusts and inconsistent tides etc. Learning to keep balanced and speed throughout all this. I know this doesn't relate to competing the way you do at the highest level, but I think inconsistent conditions helps to make us weekenders better sailors. But so does sailing more often - which is where maui comes in.
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