FLYING DUTCHMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2012
Santa Cruz Yacht Club, Santa Cruz, California, USA
23 – 30 September 2012
Day 3 – 25 September 2012 – Race 1 & 2
Light winds – close racing – many place changes
44 FDs took to the water after the end of a shoreside postponement due to lack of wind. The day was brighter, the waves crashed around the bay although the race area was relatively calm with a slight swell.
Eventually there was sufficient wind to start racing. The fleet got away at the first start with a few OCS – all but one returned to restart. During the first race, a standard triangle, sausage with a final windward leg the wind was in the 6 to 10 knot range from 220 to 240*.
At the end of the first lap Kay-Uwe Lüdtke/Kai Schäfers (GER 88) led with Jan Lechler/Jens Salow (GER 100), World and European Champions – Szabolcs Majthényi & András Domokos (HUN 70), and Enno Krammer & Ard Geelkerken (NED 26) in hot pursuit.
By the finish Enno & Ard had gained the lead with the other three holding their positions.
Race 2 started soon after the end of race 1 in about 6 to 8 knots of wind. There was heavy bunching at the Committee boat end as boats tried to tack away to the heavily favoured starboard side of the race course – in towards the shore.
The right hand side was also favoured on the second beat although some of the leading boats went too far in and lost a few places.
At the windward mark after the second beat Dirk Bogumil/Michael Lisken  (GER 199) was in the lead, 2nd Peggy Bahr/Torsten Bahr (GER 19), 3rd GER 88, 4th HUN 70, 5th GER 100, 6th Dirk Loewe/Sven Hermenau (GER 35).
On the run most of the fleet went right. As the final beat started the wind became more shifty and many boats tacked after rounding the leeward mark. Towards the finish the wind started dropping and places were won and lost in the final 100 metres as the wind oscillated.
The winners of the practice race Nicola Vespasiani & Francesco Vespasiani (ITA 4) found their way to the front and won the race, with Andras Suli/David Papp (HUN 13) second and Dirk & Sven (GER 199) third.
Most of the fleet finished in about 5 or 6 knots of wind but this gradually faded and the last boat was outside the time limit of 30 minutes behind the leading boat.
Once ashore competitors and volunteers enjoyed a hot dog and a glass of beer in the Regatta marquee.
Race 1 – Top 6
1st Enno Krammer & Ard Geelkerken – NED 26,
2nd Kay-Uwe Ludtke/Kai Schafers – GER 88,
3rd Jan Lechler/Jens Salow – GER 100,
4th Szabolcs Majthenyi & Andras Domokos – HUN 70,
5th Peggy Bahr/Torsten Bahr – GER 19
6th Toos Zandstra/Durk Zandstra – NED 341
Race 2 – Top 6
1st Nicola Vespasiani/Francesco Vespasiani – ITA 4,
2nd Andras Suli/David Papp – HUN 13,
3rd Dirk Bogumil/Michael Lisken – GER 199,
4th Kay-Uwe Ludtke/Kai Schafers – GER 88,
5th Jorg Herrmann/Oliver Hyzyk – GER 219,
6th Dirk Loewe/Sven Hermenau – GER 35
The third race is scheduled for 1200hrs on Wednesday 26 September. For more information and full provisional results see www.fdworlds2012.org