What goes around…
What did I say a few days ago about having an axe to grind?
Well well… some people take this game just a little too
personally.
We’ve had two days so far in the UK Nationals, with 70+ boats
racing in 4-8 knot winds. There are an awful lot of lightweight
young teams going very very fast. Silja and I have done well
considering we’re nowhere near lightweight. On the first day we
scored a 1,5 to lead the fleet, and today we’ve scored a 6,1,4,4.
We should be in the top few going into the final series starting
tomorrow. Full results
here.
But the interesting thing is how British Yngling coach Paul is
handling it. We didn’t race him yesterday, but did today, and at
every opportunity he would tack directly on us, often sailing way
past the layline before doing so. Now that’s a pain in the arse in
itself, but when it’s sub-10-knots and they’re a lightweight team,
it’s even more of a pain.
There was one situation in the 2nd race, under a black-flag start
where Paul & Mari came in to leeward on the line trying to push
us over. We stayed away and came off the line well, Paul tacked
within a few lengths and tried to cross on port, but didn’t make
it. Anyway, we could’ve been nice and let him get away with it, but
after being such a wanker in the previous race we called him to do
a 360 penalty. He did the penalty, we won the race. Afterwards he
sailed up to us, told us he’d done the penalty then also told us
he’d be putting in 2 protests for the startline. Right.
Anyway, that kind of shit was getting pretty tired by the end of
the day. Hopefully he’s released all his pent-up stress and can go
onto sail in a somewhat sportsman like manner for the rest of the
week.
But I’m not holding my breath.
