Curacao Challenge 2013

It was already a year ago that I did any competion.
I went like each year to Curacao to take part in the Challege. I packed the Neil Evo racing 2013 sails 7.0 and 7.8 and took Starboard I sonic's 97 and 107 liter 2013 as teh weather forecast was a bit hard to know what to take. Windguru gave a forecast for begin of the event up to 23 knots and on Sunday for bout 14 knots.
This year it was a real Challenge, the organization decided to put me with the Pro's!
After almost no sailing for one year, new equipment and tof conditions, it was hard working for me.

Discovery Bay Location for the Pro class slalom at the Curacao Challenge 2013

Day 1- When I arived at Discovery Bay I was very suprised about the spot. It's a bay not far from Spanisch water where the Curacao Windsurfschool is located. You have to go down the stairs to reach the little beach full of rocks, when you looked to the sea it's amazing. Blue collour with a nice swell out on the sea.
I had basicly one option to rigg, the "smallest" gear I took, for me that was for this time the Starboard I sonic 97 liters and the NP 7.0
Just before the start the startboat had some problems so we had some free runs and returned back to the beach as it was pretty wild outside. Swell up to 2 meter high and wind up to 25 knots.
After a while we started. I had realy good starts at the pin-end, just against guy's like Kiri Thode and Taty Frans I had no change.
We did 3 heats before lunch what was organized by the Sponsor Goisco. 
After lunch we had another 4 heats, just I started to feel that I didn't windsurf so much the last months and as I was so overpowered I lost a lot of energy. In Heat 5, I couldn't make normal jibes anymore and when I couldn't make it on time back to the startline I had to stop. With the great support of the Citro seadoo guy's I arived safe back to the beach.
I could look back to a very CHALLENGING first day of the wind, but had lot's of fun on the water.

Me cruising around @ Curacao (Picture made by Stef Anemaat)

Had some very good starts (picture made by Stef Anemaat)

Day 2- Today there where no slalom races, today was sceduled for freestyle and SUP competion. At the last moment I decided to take part in the SUP competion and plased my self pretty easy in the quaterfinales, so on Sunday would be the final rounds.

Having fun with SUP (picture made by Stef Anemaat)

Day 3- I had to wake up pretty earlie (6 am) to go on time to the eventside, after I arriving on the beach we noticed that the wind wasn't so straong anymore as the other day. I decided to use the same equipment as i used on Friday just to make sure not to be so crazy overpowered again, it was this time a good choise. I felt much more in control and confortable sailing around the marks. 
I was able to get some realy good speed and was able to move up some places in mine ranking overall.
We sailed 4 races this morning. My starts where still good, just to do pinstarts was bit tricky as the first mark was close to shore and not much wind so was difficuilt to reach the mark, some even had trouble to keep planning, but for me the 97 liter board was just perfect.
After the slalom races I packed my bags and we went back to the Windsurfingschool Curacao where we had lasagne for lunch and after the lunch the SUP competion started again.
I was in heat # 4. Again a big challenge as all the women where in seprate groups with the men.
I started good but half way the course, wich was much longer then the day before, I started to feel my muscless after 4 heats windsurfing of the ocean with the Pro's. 
Anyway it was my first competion on the SUP and was a new thing for me and I liked it a lot, so hope in the future I can compete more in SUP competions too.
Then the rest of teh afternoon was planned for freestyle, there was not realy steady wind so the organisation decided to do a tow in sesion. It was a great succes. Big air times and good tricks.

I can look back to a nice event after a very long time and now getting ready for the Copa Julia next weekend at Sorobon and 31 of may up to 2nd of June for the Pro KIDS Bonaire!!!

Thanks to all the people who made this event possible. Fulco for bringing me to the airport. Insell air for supporting us with our gear. And a special thanks to Ingmar and Hilde for organizing my transport from the aiport and that I could stay at there place.
Without all this support it will not be able to go to other events, so big THANKS.