Author: Richard Phillips

The postponement flag has been lowered, boats are leaving the shore, still very misty and very little wind, increasing slowly but much more expected!!

Race 5 scheduled to start at 1200hrs on 27 September 2012 has been postponed due to lack of wind..boats remain ashore..

FLYING DUTCHMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2012

Santa Cruz Yacht Club, Santa Cruz, California, USA

23 – 30 September 2012

Day 4 – 26 September 2012 – Races 3 & 4

FDs enjoy Santa Cruz Breeze

After a shoreside postponement due to lack of wind, boats were released from the harbour in sunshine for what proved to be a great day of racing with a good breeze for the second race

After three General Recalls, two with an I flag, the Race officer lengthened the line and pulled out the Black Flag … the fleet had a clean start! The wind was in the 6 to 10 knot range from  the SW.

At the end of the first round at the leeward mark Ralph Jambor & Jens Schreiber (GER 135) led with 2nd Dirk Loewe & Sven Hermenau (GER 35); 3rd Kay-Uwe Ludtke & Kai Schafers (GER 88), 4th Matthew Mitchell & Kim MacDonald (AUS 66); 5th Paul Scoffin/

Pavel Ruzicka (NZL 145); 6th Peggy Bahr/Torsten Bahr (GER 19)

At the finish, GER 135 retained their lead and GER 88 was second with NZL 145 3rd and GER 35 fourth. Szabolcs Majthenyi & Andras Domokos – HUN 70 were fifth.

The wind increased to 14-16 knots from the SW in the starting area as the boats returned for the start of race 4. The water was choppy with a swell and although most boats were still on clew one (on their genoa) as they were going into the first start sequence some changed to clew two and more did so as the wind built and chop increased.

The first start of the fourth race was with Flag I but a boat took the fleet over the line causing a General Recall and the next start with a Black Flag saw four boats BFD.

With the increased wind strength and crew stretched out the fleet quickly spread out. On the first reach nearly all the boats carried a spinnaker but the second reach which was tighter saw a lot of boats drop their kite after the gybe mark and a few capsize at the mark.

Enno Krammer & Ard Geelkerken – NED 26 and Szabolcs Majthenyi & Andras Domokos – HUN 70 battled for the lead on the second reach and were well clear of the rest of the fleet. At the leeward mark after the run Kilian Konig & Johannes Brack (GER 113) had closed the gap.

Once ashore competitors and volunteers enjoyed a tasty snack and a glass of beer in the Regatta marquee.

Provisional Results – Subject to Protest

Race 3 – First 6 to finish

1st Ralph Jambor & Jens Schreiber – GER 135,

2nd Dirk Loewe & Sven Hermenau – GER 35,

3rd Kay-Uwe Ludtke & Kai Schafers – GER 88,

4th Matthew Mitchell & Kim MacDonald – AUS 66

5th Paul Scoffin & Pavel Ruzicka – NZL 145

6th Peggy Bahr & Torsten Bahr – GER 19

Race 4 – First 6 to finish

1st Szabolcs Majthenyi & Andras Domokos – HUN 70

2nd Enno Krammer & Ard Geelkerken – NED 26

3rd Kilian Konig & Johannes Brack – GER 113

4th Andras Suli & David Papp – HUN 13

5th Kay-Uwe Ludtke & Kai Schafers – GER 88

6th Ralph Jambor & Jens Schreiber – GER 135

1st GER 88 – 13 pts

2nd HUN 70 – 17 pts

3rd NED 26 – 22 pts

4th GER 19 – 29 pts

5th HUN 13 – 34 pts

6th ITA 4 – 35 pts

The fifth race is scheduled for 1200hrs on Thursday 27 September.  For more information and full provisional results see www.fdworlds2012.org

Exciring racing after fleet got away following General Recall with I Flag and 4 boats BFD in start with Black Flag. Crew fully stretched out, nearly all carried a spi on first reach but only the first third held a kite for the second reach .. A few capsized at the wing mark…HUN 70 and NED 26 well ahead of rest of the fleet, GER 113 closed the gap on the run…fleet well spread out … Leading boats are well up the final beat..provisional results leading boats available soon..4 races sees a valid Championship..

Wind now 14-16 knots 230* in starting area…water choppy with a swell….most boats still on clew 1 going into start sequence .. Some have changed to clew 2…more doing so as wind builds and chop increases..

Race 3 – Provisional Finishing Positions 1st GER 135, 2nd GER 88, 3rd NZL 145, 4th GER 35, 5th HUN 70 Wind now building…Race 4 will start when competitors have returned to start area

Race 3 – 2nd round leeward mark 1st GER 135, 2nd GER 88, 3rd GER 35, 4th NZL 145, 5th AUS 66, 6th GER 19

Race 3 – 1st Round Leeward mark 3 1st GER 135, 2nd GER 35, 3rd GER 88, 4th AUS 66, 5th NZL 145, 6th GER 19

After 3 General Recalls, 2 with an I flag, the Race officer pulled out the Black Flag and the fleet had a clean start with a longer line.. Wind remains light in 6 to 10 knot range from SW..

Shoreside postponement has ended..boats are leaving the dock…FDs released to go…will try to update via Twitter from the race course but yesterday only a third of the tweets reached the website…