60 Mile Jupiter To Ft. Lauderdale Race 2007 !!!

[kent]

Yep. It also looks as if the wind is forecasted to increase along the route as we go. So far the forecasts have looked very steady on Sunday having around 20, only time will tell. My experience in Jupiter is that the winds are sometimes a bit better than forecasted given how far out into the ocean that area sticks out. I hope it holds true.

It looks like my poll isn't working that well... the voting poll that is! even in my own office, everyone forgot their log in info to vote!!!

I am wondering if a poll on what type of board people are planning to use might be better

Twin
Mutant
Directional
Other (for Garry)

My guess is 67% twin, 7% mutant, 25% directional, 1% other (Garry)

[neil xrated]

Riders list so far:
1. Stacy Fonas
2. Matt Sexton
3. Julia Kim
4. Jayson Orkins
5. Juan Garces
6. Chris Summers
7. David Albertson
8. Packet Casey
9. Eric Naranjo
10. Sean Reyngoudt
11. Mike Bradley
12. Chris Jordan
13. Raul Argilagos
14. Joseph
15. Kent Marinkovic
16. Steve Visnage
17. Will Caldwell
18. Sean Spenser
19. John Rudd
20. Rick Iossi
21. Chad Anschuetz
22. Tammy Camp
23. Paul Sheetz
24. Danny Albertson
25. Justice Bentz
26. Grace Marcel
27. Demian Thomas
28. Mark Barber
29. Chase Kosterlitz
30. Gregory Dannemann
31. Craig Priddy
32. Perry Ricciardi
33. Gary Menk
34. Enrique Gianello
35. Daniel Floyd
36. Jan Gianello
37. Gabe Rodriguez
38. Bill Bentz
39. Brandon Pelly
40.Alex Bloechinger
41. Brian Walters
42. Tommy Byrne
43. Alex Cipullo
44. Jonathan Arline
45. Jay Warren
46. Jeremy Green
47. Inigo Gonzalez
48. John Hooper
49. Burt Van Schalkwyk
50. David Teichman
51. Matthew Steiner
52. Chris Cifers
53. Brien Mastriana
54. Kevin Kearney
55. Evan Bell
56. Chris Hentschl
57. Damien Leroy
58. Jordan Borgese
59. David Katlic
60. Aron Ericson
61. A J Morgan
62. Tripp Hobbs
63. Todd Bagge
64. Tracey Krueger
65. Jamie Levesque
66. Shawn Cole

Still know there is more to come. Cheers Neil

[stacey]

Originally Posted by kent

I am hoping that they control the check point better this year. There must be a mark in the water and a staff on the beach. Riders should pass between the mark and the staff and NOT disboard as this can be dangerous and cause complications when 5-6 riders are coming in. The mark in the water needs to be at least 30 ft out from the low water line. This would allow riders to pass by quickly but also be recognized.

Yeah, I hear you, I had a hard time recognizing the check point and I live there. We're having a tough time coming up with a water mark, however. We tried to get some from the RedBull guys but the two they have in working order will be used by Neil ... the other 2 are leaking. Anyone have any suggestions or solutions?

We've tried various visuals this week, but none have worked, or given any kind of distinguishing visibility.

We did, however, come up with the idea of airhorns ... blasting airhorns at the kiters as they come by.

The Kiteboarding Club of Lynn University is being given extra credit if they show up and help, so we are hoping to have a lot of people on the beach helping out. (Kent, for old times sake, you will be required to circle around, thump your chest, and shout out your number a few times )

All suggestions welcome ... call me at 561-789-3737 or email me at stacey@bestkiteboarding.com.

[stacey]

OK, got the RedBull buoys sorted and have just talked to Neil about a few other ideas. We will go out tomorrow on the beach, take pictures of whatever visuals we come up with, and will post them online with further information.


P.S. Shannon is taking bets that I will not finish the race, so if anyone wants to get in on that, please contact him. (Nothing like support from the home team!!!) If I don't finish, it'll be because my kite blows up or slow-leaks .... (what, Shannon, can't you make a decent kite?) .... so either way, he loses

[ricki]

Great job Stacey. Was coming up with some fairly strange ideas (e.g. kites, smoking flares, anchored boats with flags, etc.), glad you secured the buoys.

You've finished every distance race that you've been in that I know of. Poor Shannon, throwing his money away on poor bet!

[stacey]

Well we tried to do something with a big orange tarp, but it didn't work or stand out in a meaningful way. (The thing about the checkpoint area at Delray, with the Shack and all the Hobie cats, there are a lot of distracting visuals there.)

Just north of the checkpoint is another graveyard of Hobiecats ... once you see that, the checkpoint is maybe a mile down.

There will be a Redbull buoy just outside of the shorebreak, and a white Best tent will be set up, along with a tall black banana flag. Two single line kites will also be flying off the top of the Best Tent, and the ground crew will be blasting air horns when they see kiters approaching. (If you go too close to a swimming area, lifeguards may blast an air horn at you, but pay attention, and if you don't see a Best tent, flags, a redbull buoy, and a bunch of people screaming, it's not the checkpoint.)



We are bouncing around a couple of other ideas, and will give any updates tomorrow at the riders meeting.

[jimmyc2]

And so......did Stacey win?

[ricki]

The guys did Plan B yesterday, a 40 odd mile downwinder from Ft. Lauderdale to Matheson Hammock. Video to follow. Alternatively, a bunch of folks, likely including Stacey drove down to the Keys to ride.

The 60 mile race is still to come!