Killer race!! The top 5 finishers were all on Cabrinha - even Tyson was using a Switchblade 3 12m.
Lonny did the race on a skimboard - yes a skimboard! 16 miles is a long way to go on a plank... Nice job!!
I think the key to winning this race was staying powered up and heading upwind after rounding Fowey Rocks. Damien and I were neck and neck in 2nd and 3rd position about 4 minutes behind Kent at the lighthouse, but we rounded in lighter winds that precluded us from really being able to get upwind and out of the strong tide currents that were running east to west. Damien was on a twin tip and I was on a directional race board. My pointing angle was way better, but the wind was light and it was super hard for me to clear the weeds from my fins as a result. We ended up getting pushed downwind pretty far as a result. If we had been able to stay upwind and out of that current, it would have been a different race.
Tyson beat me by about 6 minutes at the finish, but I estimate that I rounded 8 minutes ahead of him at the lighthouse as I passed him and Garry 4+ minutes after rounding the lighthouse as they were on their way. The lesson I learned here is twofold: 1/ choose equipment based on the prevailing conditions and don't forecast for "better winds" like I did. Although the forecast called for winds shifting right and increasing, they actually shifted left a little and stayed steady at 13-16mph. A 14m kite rather than 12m would have made the difference for me. I could have made it upwind and away from that current and saved a lot of racing heartache!! 2/ don't match race your close competitor. Taking my eyes off of the bigger picture (finishing the race rather than beating Damien!!) really cost me - by the time I started to realize that Damien and I would need to tack at least twice in order to finish, Tyson, Melissa, and Garry had already closed the gap and were way upwind of where Damien and I were.
I was a great reace and I'm looking forward to redemption in the next one!!
Todd
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