After a delay waiting for the wind to arrive, the wind arrived and made up for delay. The racing stated at 15 knots and quickly built to 20+ knots. The race committee moved the course closer to shore as the wind increased. Our races were held giving a total of eight races sailed.
Day 3
The sailors spent almost the whole day waiting for the wind to fill in and when it did, it filled in with a vengeance. The race committee called the competitors off the beach around 2 PM. On the beach there was almost no wind. A mile and a half away at the committee boat the wind built from less than five knots to 30 gusting to 35 in about 30 minutes. Large swells with wind blown chop on top proved very challenging for the brave souls who chose to race. Only one race was completed with many top sailors going for a swim. Some equipment failures also occurred but fortunately all sailors returned to shore safely with only one minor injury noted.
Day 4
Thursday saw something different at Avila Beach, wind with holes in it of less than double trap velocity! Conditions oscillated from blowing 24 to less than 8, then back to 20 plus. The wind completely died just as the 18s finished their last race and the competitors were barely able to float their way back to the beach.
The H20s got in three races on Thursday and the 18s got in four. The first race started just as the wind filled in to 15 gusting to 20. Unlike previous days, though, today's wind had holes in it that required the racers to be more tactically aware of the entire race course. Sometimes the hole was on the left, sometimes the right. These new conditions did not seem to bother those at the top of the fleets much though. In the H18 class, Ken Marshack and Valerie Pioszak continue to lead, followed by Peter Nelson and Laura Sullivan, and then Pat and Kat Porter. In the H20 fleet, John Holmberg and Terri McKenna continue to lead, followed by Scott and Kathy Erwin. George Pedrick and Gene Harris have moved into third.
Day 5
Hobie 18s raced 16 races; Hobie 20s raced 15. We had a range of conditions, from 18 knots on Monday to gusts of 27kts on Wednesday to a light 5-6 knots on Friday, but were able to get in at least one race on all five days
There are some excellent action shots from Studio 101 West Commercial Photography's
Hobie 18
1 Ken Marshack/Valerie Pioszak
2 Peter Nelson/Laura Sullivan
3 Pat Porter/ Kat Porter
Hobie 20
1 John Homberg/Teri Mckenna
2 George Pedrick/ Gene Harris
3 Scott Erwin/Kathy Erwin
