2006 Laser Master World Championships (Jeju Island, Korea)

by Doug

These are my Worlds race journals.  I send daily updates home to friends during the events and often receive good advice each day but I also find them to be a useful analysis tool when preparing for the next event.  I’m making them public so that others might learn something from them.

Question: where would you find what top US sailor Andrew Campbell called 'blistering gusts' mixed with small patches of very little wind, and shifts up to an unbelievable 180 degrees? Answer: at the 2006 Laser Master World Championships in Jeju Island, Korea. Jeju is off the south coast of Korea and is known for its strong winds (a rough translation of a local island is "windier than shit"). I've just returned from the spectacular opening ceremonies. Competition starts tomorrow (Sunday).

The open worlds concluded 3 days ago and I talked with the Aussie Tom Slingsby who came second out of 128 competitors from about 40 countries. His comments:

• These dead wind patches are very unusual for open water. Very hard to see with the 6-8 foot waves. Very slow if you get stuck in one.
• Sailing upwind, he tries to look 2 waves ahead so he can punch through the breaking ones. He never sailed block-to-block and relied on footing really fast. Sailed with more foot than usual.
• Sailing downwind, he used lots of vang to make things more stable – usually in what he called survival mode. For a sailor of his caliber, this means very difficult conditions. Every single sailor was capsizing.
• Races are unlikely in less than 15 knots because the wind gets so shifty.

This is nothing like White Rock Lake in Dallas, so this will definitely be on-the-job training. I’m now a Grand Master and everyone seems to have a top ten finish in their resumes. I’ll be competing against some very fast Aussies who love these conditions. Should be fun.

Scoring

About the scoring: there are several world championships going on at the same time on the same course. My start is for the “full rigs” for Laser Apprentices, Laser Masters, and Laser Grand Masters (my division). Here’s where it get complicated – the score for each race is where you finish in the entire fleet, not just your division (the normal way). There are two more things that add to the complexity – we all sail the same windward-leeward course which we share with the Laser “radials”, so there are boats everywhere. I’m only interested in my position for the Grand Master World Championships and am ignoring opportunities to pass other boats.

Day 1

Race 1: We went out for an 11:00 start as the breeze came from the north at about 5-10k. Then the breeze started to shift. It clocked 360 degrees twice and then settled down with 12k from the southeast. I started 2 up from the pin just below North American Champ Brodie Cobb. Got out from under him with good speed and then the race committee sounded a general recall. Next start was at the committee boat in clear air – and another recall. The third was at the committee boat just above another competitor, but I had to really pinch to keep my lane. Put in 2 quick tacks to get some breathing space and kept going left. A bunch of boats crossed on port as we were headed – could not see a good lane, so kept sailing in the knock for another 30 seconds (costing me about 5 places), then tacked onto port and joined the parade going right. Had good height in the sloppy, confused waves. Rounded 9th (1st Grand Master). Spent the next 2 legs changing places with Rob Lowndes (AUS, former 4th in the worlds) who is fast in these conditions. At the second windward mark, the current had started to pick up and made rounding it very difficult. I could have crossed Mark Bear (USA former 2nd in the worlds) but tacked below him. Dumb move, should have sailed on for a few more seconds to round easily. Instead, I just barely cleared the mark but was yellow-flagged for too much tiller movement. Did my 720. Going downwind, sailing by the lee did not work because of the chop makes the sail to hard to set. Rob and I continued to trade places upwind. On the final run, was able stay ahead of Rob and Mark and pass a Kiwi right on then finish line for an 8th place (1st Grand Master). Not a bad result after a 4 year break, but getting yellow-flagged was unfortunate. Next time will mean disqualification from that race.

Race 2: Same conditions from the southeast. Started at the committee boat and decided to go left inshore to stay out the current that flowing from east to west (towards us). Got to the left side and came back on the port tack lay line in traffic. Horrible choice as the pack came in from the right. Rounded about 18th. With my yellow flag, decided to not work the boat downwind and lost a few places. On the next beat, played the middle left to stay out of the current. Lots of changes in wind speed and direction – must have tacked a dozen times looking for some speed. Ended up on the left lay line again with the leaders well ahead. As my group approached the mark, it was clear that the current was about the same speed as our forward movement. So, we spent several minutes trying get enough momentum to round the mark. Ended up hitting the mark which is legal if I accept a 360 penalty turn, which I was happy to do – I was the only one in my group to round for the next minute, Jack Schlachter (AUS) could not round and finished 10 minutes behind me. This run was ridiculous. The wind dropped completely and then swung around so that we were beating again – another 180 degree shift. Ken Brown (CAN) who rounded 100 yards behind me finished 200 yards ahead of me at the end of the “run” and finish line in the shortened course. The fleet was spread out about a mile. Normally, an international race committee will abandon a race with a 30 degree shift (that was the reason for the second recall in the first race). We had to finish after an 180 degree shift. When the provisional results were posted, got a 15th (3rd Grand Master). This put me in first place for now in the Grand Masters, although the scoring is not yet official. In both races, the right side was better, in spite of the strong current coming at us. Lots more to come – 5 more days on the water.

Day 2

Race 3: In spite of a nice breeze from the south, we stayed on shore for several hours waiting for the shifts to settle down. We did not hit the water until about 2 in the afternoon. The oscillations of the 12-15 knot easterly continued and Jeff Martin finally got us started at about 3. The line was good and I started midline in clean air. General recall (damn). A leftie came in, so I started a little closer to the pin just below Mark Bear (USA) – boy, is he fast in these lumpy conditions. As he rolled me, tacked for clean air, worked the left side, and followed defending apprentice world champ Brett Bayer (AUS) on the port tack lay line. Looks a lot like Olympic gold medalist Robert Scheidt (BRA) in the boat – tall, smooth, and just more speed. Beautiful to watch. Brett rounded 2nd and went on to win by 100 yards. I rounded 9th. On the run, the waves were pretty easy to catch and there were some good rides. It’s easy to see who sails in these conditions because they get better, longer rides and can make up a lot of ground. One of these is Rob Lowndes (AUS) who called for room at the bottom mark but I was able to stay just ahead of him. Rob is really fast in all of the conditions so far and will be my main competition in the Grand Masters. On the next beat, the breeze picked up and I put a loose cover on him. On the next run, was in 6th, with a tight pack of 5 boats including Rob about 10 seconds back. The left gate was drifting so we all took the right and went on starboard. The plan was to go as far as possible to keep everyone together because a lead boat tacking tends to fragment the pack. Only Tracey Usher (USA) went right. Just before the port lay line, I tacked and the rest immediately followed. Was right on top of Rob in good shape until I noticed that he was footing much more than me. Realized that the current at the mark was going west to east and I would be over standing the mark by about 50 yards (vision issues). That permitted Brodie Cobb (USA), Tracy coming in from the right, Rob, and a very fast Derek Breitenstein (FIN) to round ahead. A very expensive mistake. Was able to hold on to 10th place in the finish on the run. It was too late for another race, so we headed in.

A clarification from yesterday – in the second race, I described hitting the mark and then doing a 360. It was never my intent to intentionally hit a mark, especially right in front of a judge, but the current forced me and many other frustrated people into it. To the best of my knowledge, everyone did their 360’s, and there was not objection from the judge.

Current standings: we will soon be able to discard our worst race. Taking this into consideration, I’m just 2 points in front of Rob and figure that overstanding the mark cost me 4 points. A very expensive lesson. We have 4 more days to go.

Beautiful scenery, great people, tight completion. This has got to be the best way anyone can spend their vacation.

Day 3

Looked like a carbon-copy of yesterday. We waited 2 hours on shore for the southerly to settle down and headed out a noon. The light breeze, fairly severe chop, and constant wind shifts prevented us from starting our next race. I practiced by lining up with several people and just could not keep up with them. Mark Bear (USA) suggested that I had too much vang, which works well on Dallas lakes but does not work on open water with the extra wave movement. Made the adjustment and my speed improved. The conditions did not and Jeff Martin sent us back to the beach at 3:00. Tomorrow is a lay day so there will be no racing until Thursday, with the forecast for more light conditions. Am still in 1st place in the Grand Masters just ahead of Rob Lowndes (AUS) and am looking forward to getting back on the water. Here's a picture of how the Aussies train when there is not enough wind.

Day 4

Another light, shifty breeze kept us on shore until about 2:00 when Jeff Martin sent us out into a 4-6 knot easterly. Had a good start in clear air near the pin with defending apprentice world champ Brett Beyer (AUS) on my hip. Wanted to go right but decided to stay with Brett because he has three bullets so far in the series. We tacked short of the lay line and went right into the current on a long header. Not looking good. Things collapsed as boats came in from both sides at the first mark. Rounded 18th with John Bentley (USA) to start the run into the current. Most of those in front went left where there is more current, so I decided to go a little right towards the shore to try to catch up. This worked as the right had more pressure and clearer air. Rounded 7th at the right gate in traffic between the 2 Finns. The boats going left were pinching, so I decided to play the middle left and a little defense with the people I need to beat. Positioned myself to be even with David Edmiston (AUS who is 13 points back), one boat behind Ken Brown (CAN who is 10 points back) and about 10 boats ahead of Rob Lowndes (AUS who is 2 points back). Everything was under control until the race committee abandoned the race for lack of wind. Most people I talked with (except Rob) would have preferred a shortened course. So, we have completed just 3 races in 4 days and have just 2 days more days to go. The forecast is for more light wind – a real surprise because it was so windy last week. This could well come down to the last race, if we can get one off.

Day 5

Yet another light, shifty breeze from all points on the compass. We did not even hit the water today. One more day to go – the sailing instructions have been changed so that we do not need another race to complete the championship but I hope that we can get at least another in. If we do race, I cannot let Rob Lowndes (AUS) beat me by more than one place. If it’s light and shifty again, then things could get really tricky. They key will be a clean start and mistake-free defensive sailing.

Waiting for the breeze to fill in

Day 6

The final day: we arrived early at the beach and PRO Jeff Martin sent us out in a very light easterly. Went out with my light-air mainsheet and took my regular one just in case. By the time we got to the starting area, it had built to 15 knots and this increased to 25. With the help of the Swiss coach, changed back to my regular mainsheet.

Race 4: Had a good start in the middle of the line. Tried to stay near Rob and rounded about 16th after a long beat. The waves were building from the southeast so it paid on the run to sail by the lee on starboard as they passed under the boat left to right. Living dangerously but fast. By the bottom gate, had caught Tim Landt (USA). I made the huge mistake of thinking that the mark was the right gate (wanted to go left to avoid the current) when it was actually the left gate (vision issues). Had to wait for 6 boats to round before undoing my mistake and re-rounding. A waste of good boat speed. Worked really hard to stay with the group and was able to pass a few by the top mark, including Rob. Held on for the rest of the race, repeating “don’t tip” 100 times on each run. Tactically ignored all but the Grand Masters and finished 16 (3rd GM). Rob was well back at 23rd so this was his discard, as he used his 18th from race 2. The Finn had a really good race to finished 10th, which put him in second 3 points back with Rob just 1 more point back.

Race 5: The next race was started immediately. Had a fair start but could not keep up with the Kiwi just below me. He was managing the large waves much better (they sail in these conditions all the time). Rob, my main competition, was below the Kiwi and tacked off to the right looking for clear air. I put a loose cover on him for the rest of the beat and rounded just behind the Finn. On the run, there were some screaming rides and the Finn capsized just in front of me. Sailed conservatively but fast enough to stay ahead of Rob. Finished 11th (1st GM) with Rob 14th. To show how tight the competition was, the Finn finished 21st from that one mistake. Was 7 points ahead of Rob and dog tired after the 2 long races in the big seas. Jeff Martin kept us on the course and we prepared for a third race for the day.

Race 6: Had a good start in clear air in the middle of the line with good speed and height. Everyone went left and inshore to get out of the current that was coming down the course. Was determined to keep Rob and the Finn close. On the second beat, Rob was just ahead of me and the Finn as we again went left. Everything seemed to be under control until the bottom of the second run. Rob took the left gate that meant I had to jibe onto port. Then something happened for the first time in my 30 years of Laser sailing – my mainsheet got jammed in the clue boom block. Not wrapped about the boom or twisted but jammed beside the pulley. I tried everything so I could sheet in but it would not budge. So, I went to the back of the boat and wrestled with the bloody thing in 25 knots. By the time everything was sorted out, I was in about 18th, with Rob leading my former group. How quickly things change. Was able to hold on to 16th on the run in the now huge waves by Dallas standards (don’t tip, don’t tip, don’t tip). Rob sailed really well and seemed to finish 5 or 6 boats ahead, but I could not really tell.

Final results: was cautiously optimistic but unsure of the final standings until they were posted. Won by 2 points over Rob – a really good sailor from Sydney and a very classy person both on the water and off:

·         Doug Peckover, USA (61 points)

·         Rob Lowndes, AUS (63 points)

·         Derek Breitenstein, FIN (71 points)

·         Bob Blakey, NZL (78 points)

·         Ken Brown, CAN (79 points)

2002 Laser Master World Championships (Hyannis, USA)

These are my Worlds race journals. I send daily updates home to friends during the events and often receive good advice each day but I also find them to be a useful analysis tool when preparing for the next event. I’m making them public so that others might learn something from them.

9-21-02: Watching the open Laser World Championships last week: the course is set about 2 miles southeast of the Hyannis Port harbor entrance. For this distance, the water is surprisingly shallow (15-25 feet) which will make large waves choppy and the tide strong (full moon tomorrow).

When the wind is from the southwest: strong onshore conditions, wind 15-30 with big 4-6 foot choppy waves. The left side of the course seems to pay. When the wind is from the northeast: lighter offshore conditions, wind strength of 5-12. Big shifts, and again the left seems to pay.

Olympic Gold medallist Robert Scheidt won his 6th Laser Worlds by taking advantage of a large starting line sag (there are no good line sights) and blasting off to the middle-left. Tacking back onto port, he crosses the fleet and rounds in the top 10. He then used his downwind speed for a top 5 finish. There were lots of very fast people but none as consistent.

For the Master Worlds, we have a record 83 competitors from 15 countries. Of the many world-class sailors here, the following I believe are the ones to watch:

• Jack Schlachter (AUS) – fast in all conditions, has almost won the Worlds twice
• Mark Schroder (AUS) – very fast in all conditions, currently the fastest Aussie
• Ed Adams (USA) – multiple World Champion, lives and practices locally, has been training very hard and really wants this one – the early favorite to win
• Mark Bethwaite (AUS) – multiple World Champion, almost unbeatable in heavy air (all the Aussies excel in a breeze)
• Malcolm Courts (GBR) – very fast, smart, and consistent – finished 5th at the last Worlds
• Rob Coutts (NZL) – a heavy weather specialist, brother of 2-time Americas Cup winner

It’s hard to imagine, but one of these people will not finish in the top 5.

Getting ready: I trained for 8 months this time and put in over 100 hours of on-the-water practice before arriving and just over 20 hours since arriving. I cannot believe how fast people are and thought I was in good shape, but not relative to many others. This is my 11th Worlds and will undoubtedly be the most physically demanding.

Latest trick: the waves are up to 6’ high and catching them downwind can be a hairy experience. A friend of mine suggested that I sit much further back when surfing which makes the boat go faster but makes it unstable as it’s fastest just before capsizing (I tipped twice yesterday). Lots of people who practice on the ocean can do this much better than I can.

Strategy: Dallas has no open water or wave conditions. Also, the fleets are small, so large starts and fleet strategy are problematic (I’ve never won an event with more than 60 competitors). When it’s lighter: my strengths are boat speed and percentage sailing (worst finish in any Worlds race since 1994 is a 13th). So, I plan to start in the middle taking advantage of the sag and then look for Ed Adams to hit the first shift. I then plan to use a loose cover to watch him and use boat speed. The good news is this is how I beat the unbeatable Keith Wilkins in Chile. The bad news is that Adams spanked me last year at this same location (he won all 4 races to win the North Americans). When it’s windy: it’s going to be a drag race to the first mark and then catching as many big waves as possible without tipping.

Racing starts tomorrow. The forecast: lots of wind

Day 1 – 5-10 from the southwest, small choppy waves,

Race 1: The strong winds did not come and it was a tough day for most of the favorites. The tide was ebbing from left to right, so the fleet went left. I started 10 up from the pin just below Ian Lineberger (USA) but could not hold my lane, so I tacked and took a few sterns. Trying to go left, this repeated a few more times. Played a few minor shifts in the middle left while trying to stay in clean air – there were boats everywhere. Ed Adams (USA) rounded first, I rounded 5th. On the run, went left to not fight the tide. The boats on the right had more pressure and about 10 passed, so I switched sides trying to stay in a clear lane. Got inside at the gate and rounded 9th (the boats near me on the left that did not switch sides rounded in the 30’s). Played the middle left playing some minor shifts and rounded 6th at the top mark just ahead of Alberto Larrea (ARG) and Had Brick (USA). Held them off for the top reach, run, bottom reach, and final beat to finish 6th. The race was won by Adams, who looked very fast. The big surprise was that none of the Aussies finished well. Race duration: 80 minutes.

Race 2: The tide was less strong, so the course was more even. I started about 20 up from the pin in good pressure but could not hold my lane as I got rolled by the boat on top of me. Took sterns, never really got in phase in the middle left, and approached the top mark in about 15th. A long parade of boats from the right lead at the mark with Adams again leading. I rounded about 30th. The rest of the race is a bit or a blur and one that I would rather forget. Part of it was the second windward mark when our fleet (82 boats) rounded right in the middle of the Radials (about 50 boats) in a huge jam. Adams again won and I finished 29th. For many, an appalling race and, hopefully, our drop. Race duration: 80 minutes.

Day 2 – rain, 12 from the southwest, dying to a northerly, small choppy waves

Race 3: The fleet got away on the second start in a great breeze. The pin was 15 degrees favored to spread the fleet away from the committee boat. Ed Adams (USA) won it with a dangerous but perfectly timed pin start. I started more conservatively in the middle with a good lane. After about 5 minutes going left, Jack Schlachter (AUS) and I had punched out. As we approached the mark, Adams came from the left and crossed us by a few boat lengths. Schlachter and I were in good pressure and continued until the port lay line, where we tacked. From there, we watched as half the fleet came in from the right with more pressure. Adams rounded first, Mark Bethwaite (AUS) was second. Jack and I rounded about 40th. Absolutely unbelievable. The top reach turned out to be a run against the tide and all the boats in front went high, so I went low to stay in clear air. The run was now a reach in the dying breeze, which made catching the boats against the tide more difficult. The beat with the tide was short and the run took forever. I tried to squeeze inside at the mark to gain a few places, which did not work because of the tide, so did my circles. The course was shortened at the end of the bottom reach. Adams won again in very impressive fashion, Bethwaite was disqualified for starting early. I finished 28th. Race duration: 90 minutes. There was no more racing, so we were towed in. I asked Adams why he crossed the fleet instead of covering the lead group and he said that the clouds on the right indicated more pressure. The entire day was overcast, so whatever it was, I missed it. This Worlds is unusual because only one of the people expected to do well is actually in the hunt (Adams). All of the others are struggling,

Day 3 – rain, fog, cold, 15 building to 25 from the north, big waves

The forecast called for a dying breeze (wrong), so the race committee posted an early start on Monday night. When we got to the club in the morning, it was windy, so we headed 3 miles out into the rain and the fog. Before they could start, there was news of lightning in the area so, with 280 competitors to care for, the race committee sent us back in. It was upwind, so it took an hour. After a brief rest and hot chili, we headed back out.

Race 4: The strong tide today was going from right to left. I started mid-line. A shift to the left meant there was a large jam at the pin committee boat and I barely cleared it. Footed off to the left with a boat on top of me that would not tack until near the port lay line. Tacked as soon as I could and was at the left end of an even row of about 5 boats on port heading up the course. The tide took us past the mark so we lost ground to the boats from the right. Fred Schroth (USA) led, I rounded about 10th. We were on the inner-loop today, so the next run was hairy with the waves. Caught a few but was focusing more on not tipping. Spent the rest of the race with Coutts (NZL) who was fast upwind but also had trouble downwind. Finished 10th, series leader Ed Adams (USA) finished 16th. Race duration: 70 minutes.

Race 5: The breeze continued to fill. I started near the committee boat and watched Mark Bethwaite (AUS) punch out near the pin. Played a few minor shifts on the right as most boats went left, which paid. Rounded about 20th. Felt slow on the run trying really hard not to tip as others around went in. Stayed with the leaders and rounded the next windward mark about 14th. The top reach was a screamer, as was the run. Felt slow as others caught me on the bottom reach. On the short final beat, saw and cleared a bunch of weeds on my board and finished 17th after a tactical mistake. The good overseas sailors finally got their act together: Bethwaite had a 4, 1 while Jack Schlachter (AUS) had a 7, 3. Race duration: 75 minutes. We got back to the club at 6:30 as it was getting dark.

As challenging and frustrating as this can be, there is no better bunch of people to be with and no greater challenge that I know of. Today I moved up from 18th to 12th and am just behind Bethwaite. Other USA sailors are doing great and currently hold the top 5 positions - by far our best showing at the Worlds. Wednesday is a rest day. The forecast is for lots more breeze, so there’s lots more to come.

Day 4 – rain, 15 falling to 12 from the east, big waves

Race 6: A strong tide was running from left to right, so the fleet stayed back from the line to prevent starting early. We got away cleanly, sailing the outer loop today. This race summarizes my Worlds to date: got away cleanly with my own lane, missed the first shift, could not get into phase with all the traffic, and rounded in the high teens. Was able to make up a little ground and then got into a brain-dead (my fault) luffing match with Nick Livingson (GBR) on the bottom reach which allowed the pack behind to catch up. Rounded the final mark, went through a huge wave that filled up the cockpit, made a tactical error, and finished 23rd. Ouch. Race duration: 75 minutes.

Race 7: This race summarizes just about everything going correctly: started mid-fleet as everyone charged off to the left. Could not point, and did not like the “feel”, so took a few sterns and went right on what seemed to be a lift. Played a few shifts on the right with a few others as the main pack came back on port, headed. Rounded first just ahead of Fritz Bus (AHO), had a good reach and run to stay in front of him and Mark Bear (USA) by 5 seconds. On the next beat, the fleet split, so I decided to cover Mark and we played the middle. At different times, the left and right looked better. Rounded with Mark still in first. Worked ahead in the waves and then he caught up at the bottom of the run. Was yellow-flagged (not sure why yet – seemed to be clean) trying to get room. Did my 720 and rounded about 10 seconds behind Mark, which was reduced to 5 seconds by the end of the bottom reach. Rounding the mark, I tacked into the traffic and he covered. When I tacked back onto port, he lee-bowed me but had trouble pointing in the waves. He tacked again to get me on starboard and we were even – I decided to protect the right as we were near the finishing line, so ducked him and sailed to the starboard lay line and tacked. When we met on the finish line, I could clear him, tack below him, or tack on top of him. With the big waves and even line, decided to continue to the pin as he headed for the boat. Won by 2 seconds – a good race. Duration: 85 minutes.

We’re feeling the effects of hurricane Isidore – cold with lots of rain. Four more races to go…

Day 5 – rain, 10 from the east falling to 5, clocking to the north and then west

Race 8: The strong tide was going from left to right, which put 1/2 the fleet over early at the committee boat. Under a black flag, we tried to start again and some of the favorites were nailed (Ed Adams, Mark Bethwaite). After a long delay for the westerly to settle in, we started again under another black flag, this time going into the current. I started in the middle of the line, using the center line of my boat as a line-site. Most were well back, so ended up starting about 30 feet in front of my group. Looked very good for the first minute, then the boats below began to lift, as did the ones above. With the possibility of the wind continuing to go left and the risk of getting trapped to the right of the top mark fighting the current, decided to continue left just above the main pack. The boats that started at the committee boat then got a huge lift with more pressure while the main pack below continued unaffected. Felt that it was time to change plans, so went right to join that smaller pack. At the mark, was in the middle of the right pack and well in front of the left pack in about 20th place. On the run, went right to counter the strong current going left. Staying in clear air and rounded 10th at the bottom gate. The next beat was very long and was spent searching for pressure as we fought the current. Rounded 11th as many of the positions changed. The top reach, run, and bottom reach were close with lots of boats all around. Was able to hang onto 10th on the final beat and finish. Race duration: 90 minutes. It was 3:30 with no more time for a second race and it took another 90 minutes to sail back to the club. The results have not been posted but am probably in 10th place - if this is so, I'm grateful to be in the top ten with such inconsistent results, but this has been true for most competitors.

We have two more races but my gut tells me that the remnants of Isidore (20-30 knots forecast) will give the race officials a good reason to not send 280 boats 5 miles back into the rain and the fog.

Day 6 – 20 building to 30+ from the north, big waves

The rain and fog cleared leaving a bright, windy day. There was a tie for the lead between Ed Adams (USA) and his training partner Mark Bear (USA), with the tie break favoring Adams. Adams loves light conditions but cannot compete against the heavier Bear when it’s windy. The race committee was in a tough position – race in borderline conditions and let Bear win or play it safe and let Adams win. After long delay, they sent us out for a 2:00 start. I had mentioned to the principal race officer Jeff Martin that people take advantage of his good nature by only having a black flag after a recall. Sure enough, the black flag was used on our first start. There was a huge sag in the line – I started mid-line again using the center line of my boat for a line sight and was able to start 30 feet in front of the middle pack. Peter Vessella (USA) was just below and we charged off to the left. After a few minutes, Mark Bethwaite (AUS), Tracy Usher (USA), and Ian Lineberger (USA) also punched out above us. The rest of the beat was interesting as the latter three got ahead but were out of phase so Vessella and I were able to keep up and we all rounded in a tight group with Usher leading. Bear and Adams were nowhere in site. We were sailing the inner loop, so the next leg was a run – another screamer. I played it safe and missed lots of waves that could have been caught and was surprised to still be even with Lineberger and ahead of Bethwaite at we approached the bottom mark. Out of the left came Adams, catching every wave and living very dangerously. He rounded 3rd with Bear 4 positions back. On the next beat, I had major problems with weeds and had problems clearing them. With 10th overall position secure, I decided to watch the race and try a few new things, such as sailing low on the top reach (worked) and by the lee on the next run (did not work). The only way I could clear the weeds on my ruder was by going head-to-wind (not being able to catch waves made everything very unstable). The best part was watching Bear try to run down Adams with conditions gusting over 30. He ran out of time as Adams finished 3rd, 5 places ahead. I talked with Mark Bethwaite afterwards and we agreed that it was a world-class performance. Race duration: 50 minutes.

Five things I would do differently:

• For the first time, the top Masters have their own coach boats to help them with logistics.
• Training in Dallas will no longer cut it – need practice on the ocean with big waves, weeds, etc.
• Need big fleet experience. Adams and Bear sail two times a week with 35 boats. The English get over 100 boats for even small events. There is no way to simulate big fleet conditions.
• Boat speed will not win worlds – smarts wins worlds.
• Learn more about the weather. Losing at least 25 positions in race 3 killed any chance of a top-5 result.

2001 Laser Master World Championships (Cork, Ireland)

by Doug

These are my Worlds race journals.  I send daily updates home to friends during the events and often receive good advice each day but I also find them to be a useful analysis tool when preparing for the next event.  I’m making them public so that others might learn something from them.

CORK, IRELAND

Everything here is green - the Atlantic fronts normally dump rain several times a day. The winds have been mainly from the West between 10 and 25, with the ocean swells from the southwest. The resulting waves make both upwind and downwind very challenging with lots of speed to be gained or lost. Cork is the oldest yacht club in the world, and has attracted a record total of 320 competitors from 61 countries. The previous record was 240 competitors in Melbourne, so the logistics will be stretched to the maximum. For example, we will all be launching from a single sip into a fairly strong tide. The race area is out of Cork harbor and down the coast – a total of five miles, so everyone getting to and from the course will also be challenging. In the Open Worlds just completed, competitors were on the water for between 6 and 10 hours. It’s also cold - the joke here is that we’re into winter (they skipped fall).

TRAINING

Have trained for 5 months, with about 130 hours of on-the-water practice and racing (this compares to 2 months and 17 hours for Chile in 1997).  The 2000 words in Mexico had strong winds, so I wanted to be more prepared this time. My target weight was 185 pounds (left Dallas at 183). The 25 hours of on the water training here has been brutal – people I used to beat are beating me pretty consistently. The quality of competition has definitely improved - the Open Laser Worlds (i.e. Olympic fleet) just finished, and the current North American champion placed 20th (and was the only North American to finish in the top 50 out of 160!!).

WATCHING THE OPEN WORLDS

Robert Scheidt of Brazil easily won his record breaking 5th Open Laser Worlds by 37 points.  With this level of competition, it’s hard to grasp how anyone can win 7 of 11 races.  There were all kinds of theories about what works here, but from what I saw, two things did it: picking the correct side of the course and great boat speed.  I asked Robert how he picked the correct side so well and he had a surprising answer – he said did not.  He told me that his starts were conservative near an end of the line to give himself options about tacking, and then he sailed by the compass. He said the wind phasing was definite and predictable. But, he’s still human and the one time it did not work, he rounded dead last in his fleet (80th) and somehow managed to climb back into about 30th (which was his discard). Other things I saw: Scheidt still uses a severe sideways body movement going through the waves upwind (much more than anyone else), and he always seems to be riding a wave going downwind. Absolutely beautiful to watch.  I also talked with Gustavo Lima, the runner-up from Portugal.  He said that he did not use the compass but stayed with the fleet. Go figure.

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

Sailing in a small fleet on a small lake in Dallas means that it’s hard to prepare for a world championship fleet in the open ocean. The way I try to get around this is by knowing my strengths and working on my weaknesses (human nature is to practice what we’re good at, not what we’re bad at). Based on the events that I’ve gone to this year, my boat speed is good by North American standards, my starts are OK, but I have trouble picking the correct side of the course as well as avoiding holes. One other thing – the really top sailors can recover from mistakes. One fellow sailor said that when I make a mistake, I start doing things I don’t normally do, compounding the mistakes.

COMPETITION

The Worlds always attracts the best competitors, and there are always very fast people who show up out of nowhere. The following are the ones that I know about that will make up the 90-boat Masters fleet:

Mark Bethwaite, Sidney, Australia: defending Master World Champion, has been training with double Olympic medallist Michael Blackburn. Mark has also won world championships in other major classes, including J24 and Solings. According to a 1998 article written by Dr. Stuart Walker, Mark is one of the world’s best sailors.

Stephen Birbeck, England: former Master World Champion. I sailed against him once and he was fast in all conditions. He has apparently been training very hard and in best in a breeze.

Jack Schlachter, Sidney, Australia: has finished 4th several times and should have won it at least once. Extremely fast in certain conditions, some light but mainly heavy. Jack is one of my favorite people and will win the Worlds one day – perhaps this one.

Alan Keen, Capetown, South Africa: several top-five finishes, very fast, smart and consistent. In a big fleet where it’s easy to make big mistakes, consistency could win it.

GOALS FOR THE FIRST DAY (Sunday)

Conservative starts, stay in phase in the front row with the leaders, use speed to stay out of trouble, and make no major mistakes. Ten points total for the two races would be a great start.

Day 1 August 12, wind 15-20, 1-2 foot choppy waves, cloudy.

Race 1

Because of the high winds in the forecast (that never came) and the large size of the fleet, it was decided that we would race inside Cork harbor. Racing 320 boats twice in a single course that was too small in a strong tide was at times chaotic – example, if you started at the pin and went left, you were in the outer loop part of the trapezoid within one minute. Very few people had two good races, and they are the leaders.

At 4 minutes, I set my watch and then headed for the pin so I could come back, looking for a hole. The line was too long to do this, so I picked a spot ¾ of the way down and started a little low in my lane. The boat below pinched me off, so I tacked, took a few sterns, and tacked into another lane. Defending champion Mark Bethwaite (AUS) was below me and did the same thing. He asked if he could cross and, wanting to build up brownie points for later, I said “go”. In a crowd, he tacked in front of me and I realized he had heard “no” (my mistake). He updated me on the latest Aussie expletives and I tacked away onto port. Had good speed and height and stayed in phase until the mark. Sailing the inner loop, started the run on in 7th and stayed right because of the heavy traffic approaching the mark. As we approached the lower gate, I decided to go for the left gate and then changed my mind, permitting Ian Lineberger (USA) to pass me, Rounded just in front of Alberto Larrea (ARG). Ian and I went off to the left and I tacked after 2 minutes because of his bad air to work the middle left. This was made difficult because of the 90 boats in the next fleet coming down the run. When we converged, Ian was 100 yards ahead (did not know it at the time, but the tide was running much stronger on the hard left). Rounded in 4th with a bunch of boats right behind. Held on the upper reach and played the right side of the run. Did not seem to have good speed and was followed very closely by a jury boat who obviously thought I was working the boat too hard. The lower gate was still in place for another fleet, and, as I headed for the left mark, everyone else headed for the right mark. This was not how I remembered the course diagram, but, to play it safe, I headed up to also round the right mark and lost 2 positions in the process. On the lower reach, had Mark trying to sail to lee of me and two others trying to roll me. Held even and rounded 6th. The bottom mark was so close to the shore that the options were tacking into the oncoming crowd or sailing along the shore and risking running aground. I tacked, dodged a few boats, and tacked to protect the right as Mark approached the finish line. He had a bad tack and let two others pass. Finished 7th in a very short 50 minute race. Ian won the race but was unfortunately disqualified for starting early.

Race 2

Found a good hole in the middle of the line and started with good speed and height. No one below me seemed to be ahead, but many above me were. After about 2 minutes, was headed, so I tacked and stayed in phase. Was in the top two working the middle left. Along the port lay line was a long line boats lead by Mark Bethwaite came in from the left. The tide was obviously more important than the wind shifts. Rounded about 15th. Seemed to gain a little on the run and everyone took the right gate to head out into the current. Played a few shifts near the left corner and stayed about even. On the top reach, rounded just in front of former Master World Champ Stephen Birbeck (GBR) who sailed right through my lee and put 200 feet on me by the next mark (believe my vang was too lose). On the lower reach, was sailing with Tim Landt (USA) and Alberto Larrea (ARG) who both wanted to go high. Near the mark, decided to go low and was able to round in front of them. On the short beat, played the left and finished 11th between two other boats. Duration: 50 minutes.

What I learned:

Hard left pays – it will be really interesting to see how they set the line to discourage people starting at the pin.

Tactically, a great deal of time is spent avoiding boats in other fleets.

With 18 points, am currently tied for 6th place but will move down when the final positions are worked out. The finishes themselves were somewhat chaotic - Tim Landt was not recorded as a finisher in either race.

Day 2 August 13, wind 15-25, 1-2 foot choppy waves, misty, fog

Race 3

Because of the poor visibility, it was decided that we would sail in the harbor again. Jeff Martin has been setting great starting lines to spread out the fleet. Rather than a pin bias, we have had a committee boat bias because everyone wants to go left into the current. I started in the middle with good speed. The tide was not yet moving out, so I decided to play the middle left. On the left, Ted Moore (USA) jumped out and led. As the fleet converged at the mark, former Master World Champ Stephen Birbeck (GBR, who had a slow first day) led from the left to round first. I rounded 8th and powered up with a new, longer outhaul. We were sailing the outer loop and held even on the top reach. On the run, the fleet really spread out to the left and right, so it was hard to see what was working and what was not – felt my speed was good, but so was everyone else’s. At the bottom of the run, decided to take the left gate to work a lift as defending World Champion Mark Bethwaite (AUS) went right into the tide. It worked, so when we crossed 5 minutes later, I had moved into 5th. Birbeck, Maarten Van Der Harst  (UAE) and Jack Schlachter (AUS), and had built a good lead, so I focused on catching Moore. On the run, missed a few waves I should have caught, which permitted Ian Lineberger (USA) to pass me. On the bottom reach, he and Moore shot off but went high. I stayed low to catch them at the bottom mark, rounding just behind them. I tacked into the oncoming fleet, Moore covered, and Lineberger headed along the shore. On the port lay line, I tacked to duck Moore and then pinched up a little. On the finish line, was able to cross Lineberger and hold off Moore to finish 4th. Defending champion Mark Bethwaite finished 8th. Race duration was 65 minutes.

Race 4

The tide was now moving out and everyone knew it. Jeff Martin set the line to heavily favor the boat end. I started 4 up from the pin as the fleet charged off to the left. John Bentley (USA) on my hip was getting closer and closer and I noticed his centerboard was not all the way down. I asked him to lower it, which solved the problem. After about 5 minutes, the series leader Colin Dibb (AUS) was now on my hip but pointing higher. None of the 50 boats around me had tacked as we got to the current and near what I thought was the lay line (could not see the mark in the fog). Figured I was in about 5th but was mindful of the upcoming problem finding a lane on port. So, I made what I figured was a brilliant move and was the first to tack to take a few sterns and establish a clear lane (this had worked well in Chile which also had a left-favored course). The only problem is I ended up having to duck more than 20 boats. So, with my lane, I had 20 boats on my hip and only Mark Bethwaite above me. If I was on the lay line, would have been top three as the boats on my hip came down and beat each other up for air. As the mark appeared, two problems became apparent: we were still well short of the lay line, and there was heavy traffic coming down from the fleet in front on the same course. By the time we rounded, Birbeck was in the lead again and I was in 20th place. Went low in the top reach to protect against the tide but was passed by 2 more boats. May have got them back again on the run but it was hard to tell because we were sailing with another fleet on the outer loop. Took the right gate to go closer to shore, which did not really work – may have passed another boat or two – there were over 150 boats on this part of the course. At the top mark, we were met by a third fleet coming in from the inner loop. On the run, played the inside to keep my air free and prepare for what looked like a crowded rounding. On the bottom reach, sailed low and tacked immediately at the bottom mark back into the traffic. When I finished, did not have a clue what my place was. Turned out being a 13th, my worst finish in world’s competition in at least 5 years. Race duration was 60 minutes.

What I learned:

Stay with the fleet, even if they appear to be going the wrong way. I have good port tack speed and should have been in the top 3 at first mark in the last race.

This looks like it’s going to be a windy event, which I have never won. Lighter winds are forecast for Friday, which might help. If the winds hold, I’ll be very lucky to make the top 5.

How others are going.

Ian is having a great series, but could really use the bullet that he lost on the first day. Stephen Birbeck had a great day with two bullets to move into 5th place. Defending champion Mark Bethwaite is struggling. As I expected, Jack Schlachter (AUS) is having a great series – my money’s on him to win if he does not lose his nerve. Alan Keen (RSA) has not been a factor and is in 13th.  I’m currently tied with Anders Sorensson (SWE) in 6th pace behind three Aussies and two Brits.

In the Apprentice fleet, defending World Champion Alan Davis (GBR) is having lots of problems and is in 9th place. Last week, I practiced with him and was impressed with his speed. It’s clear that more than boat speed is needed in that fleet as well. Marc Jacobi is in 6th, North American master champ Chris Raab is in 8th, and Mark Brink is in 13th.

In the Great Grand Masters, defending World Champion Henry De Wolfe (USA) is in 20th. The only safe bet is in the Grand Masters, where Keith Wilkins (GBR) scored two bullets and would appear to be on his way to his 9th World Championship.

The forecast: more wind.

Day 3 August 14, wind 10-20, 1-2 foot choppy waves, fog, rain, cold

This is my 10th worlds, and I have never before seen so many of the top masters self-destruct. The person who won both races yesterday is now out of contention. The person who won both races today did not move up in the standings. Three of the top six have disqualifications to protect. This series is still wide open.

Race 5

On the 3-mile sail to the starting area, practiced downwind carving with Marc Jacobi (USA). Mark is fast off the wind and I was happy to stay with him. The wind had shifted from the west to the south, which meant that getting a proper course in the harbor would not be possible. As a result, the legs were much shorter as we sailed the inner loop. Jeff Martin set the line to favor the committee boat and, because the tide would not go out until 2:00 PM, most people started at that end. I started 1/3 of the way down, one up from Stephen Birbeck (GBR) and three down from Mark Bethwaite (AUS). Did not have the speed to stay with Mark as he punched out of the fleet. Birbeck also worked out from under me. Put in a few tacks to keep my air free and tacked onto the port lay line in about 10th. More boats came in from the right and things got messy at the mark. Not sure what went wrong, but rounded about 20th. On the run, worked the right and pulled even with Birbeck as the leaders stretched out. Just ahead, Jack Schlachter (AUS) death rolled and had trouble getting the boat up (it’s very shallow and the mast probably got stuck in the mud). About half way down, got “that funny feeling” that it was time to change sides to protect the left – it just looked better. Visibility was poor. As soon as I had left Birbeck and changed sides, the entire fleet realized that it was heading for the gate of the outer loop and not the inner loop, and did a 40-degree turn to the left. Those on the right lost heavily. Took the right gate in about 15th position. Played the middle left without much success and rounded the top mark just ahead of current series leader Colin Dibb (AUS). He went high on the short reach without powering up and passed 5 boats. I powered up and passed no one. Go figure. There was a lot of confusion on the short run, lower reach, and beat to the finish, and I don’t recall much. What I do know is that Bethwaite won, Dibb was in front, Schlachter and Birbeck were both behind. A check with the notice board on the committee boat showed that Mark Bethwaite was disqualified for starting early. Schlachter ended up 28th from tipping and Birbeck ended up 43rd for being on the wrong side of a 40-degree turn. One very screwed up race that lasted a long 60 minutes.

Race 6

Similar line with the current now flowing to favor the left. Started in a similar fashion with similar results, this time Jack Schlachter (AUS) punching out. Finding a lane was difficult because of my lack of boat speed in what are usually good conditions for me. Rounded about 20th again. Played the left on the run and may have caught one boat. All of the series leaders were ahead of me. On the beat, I headed left for the current but had trouble finding a lane, so worked the middle left. On the top reach, went high like Colin Dibbs did in the previous race and immediately passed several boats. On the run, worked the left and got passed by two on the right who were in more wind. The leaders really bunched up at the bottom of the run and 5 boats rounded just ahead of me. I got into the passing lane on the short lower reach and passed a few more. On the short beat to the finish, I went left and lost one boat on the finish line who was on starboard. Bethwiate won his second race for the day with Schlachter second. When we got in, we learned that both Schlachter and Birbeck were both disqualified for starting early. Race duration: 55 minutes.

What I learned:

Boat speed was a problem all day, particularly upwind. Everything was set up correctly and felt good, but others are going faster. I could not rely on staying with any of the top boats. Except for switching sides on the run in the first race, my tactics for both races did not help. Downwind with more foot than usual seemed to be working most of the time.

In spite of my mediocre finishes, I'm still in 7th place with the second lowest discard (which is good). However, I’d rather be fast and over early than slow and consistent.

How others are doing:

Ian Lineberger (USA) is sailing the best I have ever seen and had finishes of 3 and 4, moving him onto 2nd place. If his first race had counted, he would now be 1 point out of first place. However, four of the five leaders including Ian have been disqualified for starting early, with three bullets lost between them. They have each used their disqualification as their discard, but we have 6 more races and they cannot afford any more mistakes. Former World Champion Stephen Birbeck had finishes of 1 and 1 yesterday and a 43 and disqualification today, putting him out of contention.

In the Apprentices, the Marks (Jacobi and Brink) sailed well and are in 6th and 7th. No other North Americans are in the hunt in the other fleets.

Wednesday is a rest day.

Day 4 August 16, wind 15-25, 4-5 foot ocean waves

Learned today that series leader Colin Dibb (AUS) has been preparing for a year, including a trainer, nutritionist, and psychologist. Master sailing will never be the same.

Race 7

The sunny forecast and sea breeze forecast meant that the sailing would be in the open ocean for the first time. We had a gorgeous breeze and a warm day by Irish standards. The line was pin favored, so I started 3 up from the pin with Ian Lineberger (USA), Mark Bethwaite (AUS), and Ted Moore (USA) below. Worked the steep waves really hard by trying to punch through them and lifting the bow to prevent slamming down the far side. Several boats punched out. After about 5 minutes, Bethwaite tacked and had to bear off to duck me. Kept left and waited for a shift that came about a minute later. Tacked and saw the right side was being lead by Jack Schlachter (AUS). When we converged, Jack crossed me by 100 feet and held this lead until the mark. Rounded 2nd just in front of Bethwaite, who rolled me on the reach. Almost caught Schlachter on the run as Bethwaite worked the right to pull into the lead. Rounded 3rd in a tight group of 5 or 6 boats. Went hard left again as the others went right. When we met half way up, Bethwaite was just in front, so he tacked to cover. Rounded 2nd. Was passed by Colin Dibb (AUS) who weighs just 172 pounds and just flew downwind. Held off Schlachter on the lower reach and final beat. Dibb won, Bethwaite was 2nd, I finished 3rd. Race duration: 60 minutes.

Race 8

Started 3 up from the pin and punched out to work the left again. Had good speed and height and tacked on a shift. Really working the waves was fast but tiring. Things were very close at the mark and rounded in first just ahead of Bethwaite and Dibb. Was faster on the reach because I did not power-up the foot and held even. On the run, Bethwaite worked the right again to pull ahead. Caught a few good waves at the bottom and rounded in first just in front of 4 others. Went left again. Near the top, covered Nick Livingstone (GBR) but he got out from under me as we approached the mark on port. Rather than risk fouling him at the mark, I moved behind him and tried to lee bow a boat on the starboard lay line at the mark. Did not have enough room to squeeze by, so did 2 quick tacks. Rounded in 4th. On the run, played the middle. For a short time, there were several large waves but a little less pressure that I was unable to catch that others were able to, allowing Ian Lineberger (USA) to pass me. I learned later that Dibb caught a large wave as he rounded and he sailed by the lee on it for 500 meters. When he came in from the left, he was in second. Felt that my wave selection was not good. Rounded the bottom of the run with two Brits (Livingstone and Mark Sancken). The bottom reach was tight and I could not catch any waves. Ian took off in front and I was only able to hold on to my position. On the short beat to the finish, played the middle and lost one more boat as the wind shifted right. Might have caught two on the finish line that was biased at the pin, but saw it too late. Finished 8th. Race duration: 65 minutes.

What I learned:

Upwind boat speed was good in the waves, downwind was OK, but the reaches were bad. No one led by more than a few seconds and the lead group in both races was very tight. At one point in the first race, I was the only non-Aussie in the top 6 and felt like an uninvited guest at their national championships. We had some very, very close sailing in beautiful conditions.

How others are doing:

In the Master fleet, Colin Dibb and Mark Bethwaite are pulling away. I’m now tied for 6th and am 14 points behind Ian, in 3rd, with 4 races to go. In the Apprentices, the Marks (Jacobi and Brink) are still in 6th and 7th, with Brink getting a bullet in the last race. Henry De Wolf is leading the Great Grand Masters.

Day 5 August 17, wind 10, choppy 1-2 foot waves, cold and rainy

Race 9

We sailed out in the ocean again with the wind from a new direction – the southeast. The pin was favored and I started 3 up, just below Mark Bethwaite (AUS), an expert starter. At the gun, there was a log jam as Ted Moore (USA) had trouble clearing the pin boat. As I pinched up to avoid the traffic, Bethwaite rolled me and shot off in the open for the early lead. I tried to hang in the 2nd row but bailed as soon as I could. There were no lanes going left, so I ducked at least 40 boats before there was clear air on port. Tacking with the fleet would have been a disaster, so I kept going right in clean air. About 10 minutes later, it was clear that the left had less pressure, so I tacked to consolidate and was able to cross all of the boats now on port heading for the mark. When in front of the leaders, tacked back onto port. About 200 yards from the mark, a 30-degree right shift came in, and the boats I had been with on the right crossed. Rounded about 10th, with all of the leaders, who had gone left, behind. May have gained a bit in the run, but the race was abandoned on the next beat because the new windward mark was not set properly. While this would have moved me up considerably, felt that I did not deserve to be this high in the fleet.

The next start was also pin favored. Started in clear air 5 boats up. Ian Lineberger (USA) started at the pin – he footed as I pointed. When he tacked, he had to duck me as I went further to the left in clear air. On a shift, I tacked and was on the port lay line in good pressure - felt that this might be a good lead by the first mark. As we approached the mark, the fleet below had more pressure and lift, so about 10 boats led by Jack Schlachter (AUS) rounded before me. On the run, went right, jibed, and tried to catch the waves by the lee, which did not work. Jibed back again and passed a few boats and then worked to the left gate to round in 5th just behind Mark Schroder (AUS). He was footing, so I pointed to stay on port to avoid having to tack into the oncoming fleet. I can usually point well in light, sloppy conditions, but this time it did not work. When Schroder tacked, he cleared me by at least 100 feet. We played the shifts on the right side of the course, rounded 5th. Held even on the top reach. On the run, went straight downwind, as three boats sailed way to the left by the lee. At the bottom mark, they were ahead. Another boat passed me on the lower reach and I held off Nick Livingstone (GBR) on the final beat to finish 9th. Ian Lineberger won the race in impressive fashion. Race duration was 65 minutes.

Because it was 4:00 PM, the second race was postponed until tomorrow, although high winds are forecast, there is a chance that we will not get any more racing done.

What I learned:

Don’t start near the pin beside Mark Bethwaite. He’s the best in the business at it.

This was a painful day for me. With 4 races to go, I needed some good finishes to move up, and the conditions were just what I’d been hoping for. In similar conditions in the last 3 worlds, my finishes were no worse than 3rd. To make matters worse, everyone I needed to catch was ahead of me.

How others are doing:

Mark Bethwaite finished 2th and had to count it because of his disqualification in the 5th race. This dropped him from 2nd into 4th place. In the Apprentices, Mark Jacobi finished with a 1st and a 5th to move into 5th place.

Day 6 August 18, wind 30, cold and rainy

Although many sailors wanted to go out, Jeff Martin decided that there was just too much wind to safely have 320 people on the water. Final top 10 results for masters:

Colin Dibb (27)

Ian Lineberger (43)

Anders Sorensson (51)

Mark Bethwaite (55)

Malcolm Courts (56)

Jack Schlachter (60)

Mark Schroder (60)

Doug Peckover (65)

Nicolas Livingstone (83)

Peter Malcolm (86)

2000 Laser Master World Championships (Cancun, Mexico)

by Doug

These are my Worlds race journals.  I send daily updates home to friends during the events and often receive good advice each day but I also find them to be a useful analysis tool when preparing for the next event.  I’m making them public in the event others might learn something from them.

Race 1

In a fog, had no shift pattern, my first race since November. Found a hole 3/4 of the way down the line, tacked below Mark Bethwaite. We went right, then he split to the left, I went with the larger group to the right, but proteced the left. At the first mark, a rightie came in and I dropped from 2 to 5. On the run, went high in good pressure to move into 4^th. Went right, played the shifts, rounded 3^rd at the weather mark. On the reach, we were watched closely be the jury boat, Alan Keen was yellow flagged. On the run, Keen made a nice move to get inside me at the mark. Went high in the reach to cover but could not get him. Finished 3rd. Duration 85 minutes.

Race 2

The pin was empty with a bit of current, so I went left with Ian on my hip. Wanted to go right, so ducked Ian and worked a good lane. Light and fluky conditions. Rounded 5^th. On the run, the first 4 punched out, there was a big gap, and then me with 2 others just behind. I stayed high in good pressure to put in some distance. On the beat, went right, with the wind all over the place, played the middle. Keen banged the right corner and came in first. On the lay line with current and 6-8 on my hip, just made it around the mark. On the reach, Peter Branning was yellow-flagged. On the run, Decker and Bethwaite were close. On the final beat, the leaders went left, I went right. Almost caught Ian. Finished 5^th. Happy – could have been 15^th. Duration 75 minutes

Race 3 – finished 3

Race 4 – finished 5

Am now in first place

Race 5

Started at the boat, thought the current would help but got squeezed out. Pointed higher than JAP. Bethwaite started at the pin, tacked, and crossed the fleet. Rather than be patient, I tacked below and worked mid-right. Was in the teens, worked up to 8^th at the mark. On the run, went right and then left. Passed 3 on the outside and then lost them at the mark. Worked hard to get back to 7^th. On the reach, could not catch Ted Moore. On the run, felt slow and was passed by Peter. There was a big gap behind me, so I started to get aggressive. With pressure on a wave, tipped. Did not lose any positions, but came up with Coutts, lost him at the mark and could not catch him on the bottom reach. On the final beat, went left, missed the strap and fell in the water, lost Keen and Ian. Finished 12^th.

Race 6

Started 2 up from Bethwaite, ground off to the left. He suggested we tack, so I did and we went off to the right. Led the field with Coutts just behind. At the mark, Bethwaite bore off through the pack to take the lead and led by 100 yards at the bottom of the run. On the beat, off to the right, Bethwaite tacked to cover Coutts and I continued to the starboard lay line. Got a lift on port to round just ahead again. Bethwaite went high and powered over me, with a big gap to 3^rd. On the run, he carved well, to put another 100 yards on me. Jack and Coutts closed the gap (“sailing too conservatively”), opened up again on the lower reach, went left, Bethwaite covered me, played the shifts, and almost lost to Jack. Finished 2^nd.

Race 7

Started 3 up from Bethwaite. After 5 minutes, he tacked and ducked me. After 30 seconds, I talked and we went right. Got headed, rounded 3^rd after Coutts and Bethwaite, who powered in front. They stretched on the run, me still in 3^rd. On the beat, Bethwaite went right, Coutts and I went left. I caught and rolled Coutts. When we converged, I rounded 5 seconds in front. They were faster on the run and I settled for 3^rd.

Race 8

Started just below Bethwaite, charged off as he tried to roll me, which he could not do, so he tacked. There was more pressure below. They tacked, I kept going right. Rounded 10th on the run, went low, passed by 2 on the right. Finished 6^th.