Race Day Two (A Good Day)

Posting this one from the point of view of coach rather than parent... As parent I couldn’t be more proud. As a coach, the lesson learned was worth the long day of highs and lows.

Pain
Today was one of the most remarkable days of sailing I remember watching ever. Some details: The wind was rangy from 12 to 18 on average, but a few 15 minute squally bursts of 20, 20+.  It was warm, cold, shifty, and unpredictable. Today was about living in the moment. France and Spain both sailed very consistently throughout the day, which alone was remarkable as seemingly inexplicable puffs and shifts would "appear" and fade without a tremendous amount of clear indicators. Argentina also held very consistent positions throughout each leg, each race, that being a total of twelve legs over three races. Then there was everyone else, which was very much a string of tragedies, good intentions gone awry. In the case of Dane and Quinn, their story is hard to capture in words… Race one set the tone. Terrible start (not important to this tale), struggling for lanes and clear air, by the first weather mark DQ were double digits and minutes behind the leaders, as the fleet uncharacteristically got well spread apart. Downwind, uneventful, upwind, a little rally, a shift and gain here, there, and then a sprint for the starboard tack layline, looking good, then a squall that had been hovering over the beach throughout the race descended on the fleet and turned the final downwind leg into a relatively tight port reach in 18 knots.  Seemingly DQ were locked into 9^th place. Disappointing to say the least, no chance for a come back; however, illogically they don’t jibe but extend about 100 yards and then jibe, which in hindsight gave them the only passing lane available well to leeward. Pressing hard, fully trapping and planing like crazy they slowly real in the 3 closest boats as the breeze backs a touch and lifts the fleet above layline. More pressure, and DQ jibe, sail to port jibe layline and jibe to the finish, they are now in 5^th place and on port with two starboard jibe competitors converging on the finish. They barely take their stearns and bear off to the finish when a huge puff hits without warning and DQ are essentially launched at the committee boat with no where to jibe and headed straight into the finish boat. They drop the chute, chicken jibe and finish, 10^th.

Misery
Race two. US Sailing is a bit short on the coaching bench and so DQ are on the water without a coach for any assistance. Time to re-group. DQ win the boat end and sail a long starboard tack across the bay in varying breeze. The first shift goes to the left and they tack, and cross nearly to starboard tack layline, an uncharacteristically long interval between shifts, but one arrives from the right and they take that. Second place at the first windward mark, they round in second and fight downwind with France, Spain and another competitor jibing 3-4 times hunting for the right angle. 3^rd at the bottom mark and a drag race to the right corner ensues. Spain digs deep in to the right corner and France splits left. DQ split the difference. The three lead half way up the beat with the trailing boats splitting oddly to each corner. The quote of the day dockside from a coach from the Netherland’s team, describes the choices, “I don’t like the left, despise the right, and hate the middle.” Well, both sides conspire against DQ and fill dramatically with angle to leave the boys in 13^th at the top mark. A courageous last leg salvages 4 spots and they net a 9^th place.

If the lesson is not clear just yet it is persevere. Never give up. Two races that could have easily and handily been two top fives end up as a total of 19 points. It leaves one scratching one’s head. Watching from the sideline it was painful enough, to be on board, it must have been excruciating.  However, had DQ seen the point tallies they would have realized all was not lost, but they needed a solid finish in race three to save the day, but no one there to tell them.

Redemption
Race three. A hiccup bearing off leaves DQ struggling to accelerate and they get flushed out the back. They bail right and drag for a minute waiting for a lane to the left. Spain is poked out left and France to the right. They get a lane but it’s quickly undermined by the German team. DQ hang as long as possible in a lull and a lift, but eventually have to tack right again in a header, in a lull. They soldier on half way up the beat as the left and right fill. DQ are in 15^th. They pick away the remainder of the beat and round 11^th. Never give up. Downwind they jibe set and lock into a solid bit of pressure that takes them far left as the rest of the fleet scramble in the middle looking for the best breeze. Leeward mark DQ are back in touch with the leaders and now in 5^th place. The next windward leg was impossible to predict. Lulls, shifts and puffs came and went throughout. Spain faded from 2^nd to 4^th, France rallied from 4^th to 1^st and DQ kept the fleet at bay and compressed to the leaders maintaining their 5^th place. At the top mark, the leaders ignore what looks like another squally left shift, but DQ don’t, and immediately jibe set and go into full hike/trap and charge to the left. At the first opportunity they consolidate, in 2^nd place, France still on the right on port tack, DQ on starboard converging, DQ jibe and both boats continue left three-fourths of the way downwind. Puffs fill now in the middle France jibes to assure two boats on the right don’t get leverage, DQ continue left to the starboard jibe layline. France jibes, DQ jibe, too close to call, both boats converge and dive dead downwind to the finish. France 2^nd, DQ 1^st.