Showed up at Crissy by 10:30am. Still pissed off from yesterday. The Classic/UN Challenge has to be my favorite race of the year by far. I love the distance, the scenery, the long durations on one tack, the 9 zillion different wind and water conditions along the way, and even the boiling water up near the red nunn... To get called off the course after all the anticipation and training was seriously maddening to me.

After a couple of low wind postponements, we're set to go for a 2:15pm start. I have my 11.0 rigged, but by 2:00pm it feels like its coming up nicely. I run up to ask Eric what he's doing and he says he's thinking about his 10. I run back to go rig my 10, but by the time I get to the van(all of 20 feet), I'm tired. All the sitting around since 10:30 has got me super lethargic. I decide to stick it out with the 11.0, come what may. I'm even too lazy to stick the fin I normally use with the 11.0 in there, and decide to go with the 64 I had in there from yesterday. These turn out to be brilliant gear selection moves!

The course is set up as a 2 lap windward-leeward course that has a downwind finish. The pin end of the start line is also the lee mark, and all roundings are to port. The start line is down level with X, and the windward mark is up level with blackaller, kind of in the wind shadow zone its normally set in.

First Race: Get to the line just as they are adjusting the pin end again as it is waaaaay too port favored. They move it, I check it, and it is still waaaaay too port favored. Great! I love starting on port. The gun goes off, and we're off. I get a great start right at the pin, right at the gun, and get away clean above everyone. From my vantage point it looked as if nobody on port had to duck any sb sailors. I'm climbing up well, and it looks like nobody is able to climb up above me (I guess there's a first time for everything!). Not only that, but I've got good speed too! I tack for the mark and it looks like I'm going to lay the mark perfectly, now with a comfortable lead in first(!). It gets a bit light near the mark, but I bag the sail, pump furiously and just eek by. I see people start the double-triple tack routine as I start my downwind leg. Good speed going down, but a late jibe, and Al squeezes ahead. We round the lee mark, and head back up. I'm second around the windward right behind Al, and we have a comfortable lead over the next group. I decide like an idiot to take a massive risk, and go inside instead of jibing right at the mark with Al. I get stuck in a massive hole near the crissy shore, and by the time I get outside and finish, I'm in fifth. Now I'm really mad!

Race 2: Another great start on port (what the heck is up with me today?!?!). They've moved the pin again so I have to duck a couple of sb starters. Climbing well, and fast again. Nail the layline for windward again, and round in first with a comfortable lead again(this is nuts!). As I round the ww, there is a massive hole, and I stand there for what seems like an eternity as the entire fleet pulls up to the mark and parks. A few people round and head inside with a gust. I get going again, and meet up with Eric who went inside, right at the lee mark. We round together but I'm climbing better and faster. I round ww for the second lap with a healthy lead, and furiously start pinching myself to see if I'm dreaming. No crazy moves now. I play it safe down to the finish and have my first bullet! Yowza!!

Final Race: This is routine for me now...nail the start on port (yawn...), nail the ww mark, healthy lead in first again (now I'm falling asleep...), round the lee mark safely in first, barge is in the way and have to double-tack for the ww mark, but still comfortably ahead. Manage to fall asleep, and waaaay overstand the finish line on the way down. Who are these guys sailing near me!! Better pay attention now! I start working it, and just squeeze over the finish in first as Bill, Al, and Steve barrel down on me from above.

I could see getting used to this! So what happened?! My own take is that a healthy dose of being pissed is probably really good for me out on the race course. Normally I'm so laid back and relaxed that I'm half asleep out there. As a result I get really mediocre starts, get in bad air, and just fade further and further back as the race progresses, and it goes from there... Also, having a lot of power is a good thing. The 11.0 was rarely starved for power yesterday, and probably gave me that extra edge over those who had rigged smaller. The other factor is that I didn't get to go to Berkeley and back on Saturday so I was probably a lot fresher than the guys who did.

I'll probably fade back to my normal place in the fleet after this, but it was really fun mixing it up with the top guys near the front for once! I highly recommend it for those of you who haven't tried it yet...

cheers!
soheil