Preliminary resuls through race six.

Today was a little rougher than yesterday. I am consistently up there but manage to give up 2 or 3 points every time but not putting everything together perfectly. I just had a realization sitting here talking to Chip that a lot of it is coming down to the first weather mark rounding. This place is relatively consistent--we definitely get oscillations but when I think about it, you really can't gain enough by banging left that you can tack in and have a solid enough acceleration to hold your position into the mark without a starboard tacker just grinding straight through you. Basically my weather beats need to be a little more though out, which is weird cause I feel like my decisions are good sailing decisions...just not perfect kiting decisions.

race 1: 14m kite. pretty light getting off the beach, probably right kite to be on. Good start, I think I was fourth at the first weather mark and leeward mark. Played most of the upwind well, started crossing ahead of Damien instead of behind. Didn't connect the last two tacks at the top right though and ended up losing him and this french dude Julien. Then Gebi just out board speeded me downwind and we finished overlapped...he got me. fuck.... 7th place

race 2: stayed on my 14m. Wrong move. It got windier but I was being careful about switching kites. The top guys went straight to the beach and in retrospect I had time, but I didn't go for it. I was kind of thinking that with my board setup against the guys on the Agueras I need to be powered. Anyways, I learned that when you're in mexico, you have to be prepared for the mark set boat to sink and then kick yourself for having extra time to switch kites but not using it. Yes, the $50,000 whaler went straight down in about 2 minutes. oops. So basically I was lit on my 14, we did a three lapper which was a handful. I struggled holding the kite down. My back was killing me with the waist harness and I was getting lifted off my board in all my tacks I was so powered. Ended up 6th overall...not great but good for the bad kite choice.

race 3: This time we all got pretty fooled with kite choices. I put up my 10.5 and went out with plenty of time to try it out and switch if I didn't like it. I was plenty powered and decided to stick with it. It was pretty clear before the start that it was getting light and the race would be a struggle. Good start mid boat and held my lane really well. Went all the way to port layline, pretty much cause I was forcedto. But I played my position right and was upwind and close behind three other boards coming into the weather mark, controlling them. BUT that could never work out for me because it involves far too many people knowing the rules of sailboat racing. There's one starboard tacker, which we're all crossing closely. The right thing to do is to cross and then tack. The fucking frenchy crossed first then tacked
right in front of me and waaaay too close. I had to crash tack right in front of the starboard tacker, fell, and tried to keep my kite clear as I drifted around the windward mark. Bruno was about a foot from taking my head off with 4 30cm fins as he squeaked by.
Anyways...as 5 people went around me Gebi's kite wrapped mine and we both crashed and got dragged downwind between the windward and offset.
Long story short it was a shlog back upwind to the offset and the wind completely faded during the last 2 laps. Finished 5th but super frustrating to get taken out again. Had to try to explain to the french dude on the beach what he fucked up with Bruno as a translator (who doesn't know rules or speak english well). He didn't get it but understood that we would throw him out or he could take his 20% penalty (only two fucking points!!). Gebi and I could have filed for redress but that would have included a gnarly protest at a room 20 miles up the coast at the big boat regatta. Kind of a BS setup if you ask me.

Anyways...5th overall. 1 point out of 4th. 8 points out of 3rd. 6 races done, target of 6 more to go, and John Craig just cancelled the long distance race tomorrow so we can do more course racing cause we didn't hit our target or 4 yesterday or today. Hope you can handle the detailed rant. Hopefully I can pick the right kite tomorrow and stay away from the kooks.

Results are attached.