A long trip, 4 continents: 4 planes, 4 airports in arrived at my final destination for this year Perth- Australia.
I'm here for the World Championship in the RSX class and the first step I have to make to qualify my country and of course at the same time myself for the Olympics being held in London 2012.
This is the biggest sailing event in the world and the biggest event in the world with the most countries taking part. There are over 1200 sailors with only 285 spots for London!!!
3rd december- I went earlie in the morning to the venue to see where it was and where everything was going to be located. Lucky we did as we got the registration very quick done.
After we took the special shuttle and had a little tour along the other boat areas, then we stopped at the RSX side where we found the RX guy who had my rented gear. And again luck as I was aloud to take the gear one day earlier to prepair everything like stickers, harnass lines footstraps etc. Only the mast was going to arrive later.
At 17.18 I was official sceduled but Bruno from mearment told me I could come earlier if I wanted so I did, perfect.
4th december- Today I also received the mast. So after checking all my gear I decided to test it on the water. It was in beginning a bit strainges but then I got used to the equipment and I was testing and practising with the others. I even took part in a prcatise race with I guess 35 poeple, men and women together. Of course it was for me a little difficuilt to see where the course was and what was the best side to go to but was good to be out there with other people. After an hour I returned back to the beach as didn't want to get to tiered and it was straing to rain and wind completly dropped.
Back on the shore Luca had my flag for in the sail so after cleaning everything we stickered the flag in the sail and I was ready for the races tommorrow.
I don't know yet in wich fleet I'm but for sure I will not start before the 12.30 as the first start will be at that time. There will be about 80 women so we start in two seprate groups each day.
5th december-Today will be the first day off racing. I'm feeling a little bit nervous. It's suchs a big event with so many good sailors. There are 70 femal windsurfers defided in two fleets. One yellow fleet and a blue fleet. First the yellow fleet will start and doing both races and then the blue fleet. I'm in the blue fleet, so will start about 14.30 today. Both fleet got the AP flag up so we where on prospone.
30 minutes after the orignal starting time of the first feleet the flag went down and the women in this fleet had 30 minutes to get to the start. Some where on very late but recovered in the race. For me was nice to watch the other girls to see wich side they where choosing but also where the marks where etc. While the first fleet was racing there second race I was prepairing my gear and not much later also our prospone flag went down.
30 minutes after the orignal starting time of the first feleet the flag went down and the women in this fleet had 30 minutes to get to the start. Some where on very late but recovered in the race. For me was nice to watch the other girls to see wich side they where choosing but also where the marks where etc. While the first fleet was racing there second race I was prepairing my gear and not much later also our prospone flag went down.
I'm in good position at the starting line for race 1 second from the starboat...
........and I continue after a good start in a good position.
Today races where mimimum planning conditions. So we had daggerboard down to get upwind and to go down wind we pushed it up. Special the top could plane all the way I had some trouble to keep the board going.
The second race I had a bad start I did my daggerboard to late down and wasn't going in once so spent to much time on that, then it was hard to catch up with the rest. But was happy I made both races on time to the finish line, with even en slalom in the last race and didn't see it on the startboard so bit suprised about that.
I still have to improve so much, many things tactic's and tecnics but now here to compete against the best in the World.
6th december- I woke up already in the night and heard outside the rain against the window so wasn't promising nice weather, but when it was time to go to the venue it was even worse, thunder and lightning. I rigged anyway as was now in the first group Blue, but at 13.30 o clock the organisation decided to sent us home as the forecast wasn't promising any better in the rest of the day.
So that was it for today. For tommorrow they told me to check the notice board online as they might do three races to catch up, so we will see.
7th december- Yes, it was true three races for today. Again in the Blue fleet but now we had to race back to back so after the Blue fleet it was the Yellow fleet and so on. The start was crazy close to shore and the rest was on daggerboard I tried to get in panning but was loosing a bit in the angle, but was going around the mars aand was realy supprised I finished this race 8,45 behind number one.
The second race I saw the msot girls going to the pinside during the starting time and because for me more space also to do my starts I went there to, even if that side is not always good for me. I did well start. On the way I had some spinouts going on starboard side and was few times out of controle as the wind got much stronger. I id not make it on time.
The third race of the day I had again a start on pinside bit late but was in the middle of the grouo and could hold my angle and speed all the way to the upwind mark, from there i made many mistakes and had trouble at the end with my harness line so had to give up. Was bit said about this but at least I tried.
Tommorrow again three races but now in the silver fleet.
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