Sir Peter Blake Regatta

Wow, what a week it's been! Us youths have been lucky enough to have Bruce Kendall out coaching us but sadly there has been hardly any wind so heaps of pumping. I've also been doing a bit of cross training on SUPs at the beach series as well as catching some waves off Taka reef.
This was all a build up to Torbay's annual Sir Peter Blake Regatta held this weekend. With 14 RS:Xs entered it was a good turn out from our top senior girls to guys racing for their first time. Saturday was scheduled a light nor-easter all day but when we got out to the course a 17 knot squall came through. In the first race we started in the wind but it dropped off again half way up the beat. On the downwind there was some confusion about the course and me and another youth knew what it was so lead everyone correctly. I got rolled by two of the senior girls just before the end and got 4th as they decided to finish us at the bottom mark. The 2nd race I managed a 5th and then a 6th in the last race after a huge final upwind battle with Sven.
Today (Sunday) was a lot crazier; it was predicted a 10knot nor-easter and then spinning to sou-west at 4 and filling in. On the water at 9 we waited in under 5knots for 3 hours until they tried to race us but it was abandoned after 20 minutes of hard pumping. Another 2 hours later the wind spun finally to the SW sea breeze and filled in quite nicely but then dropped off below the planing barrier by the time the course was set. At 3:15 we got our first race started and I was 3rd around the top mark but it was a hard struggle downwind in fluctuating planing conditions and then I was out played by a senior on the last upwind finishing in 6th. With some horrible mistakes I ended up in 8th rounding the top mark in the next race but I caught up to finish 6th again.
It was most definitely one long day and it was good to have support on the water, with a coach there it really helps with keeping your head in a good space over 8 hours!!! Overall I placed 6th behind most the senior girls and one youth guy. I know where and how I went wrong and I also know that I can break into the top 5 and beat the seniors as I have been doing during our trainings but I've just got to begin doing it consistently over regattas.
With one final YNZ training this week I'm gearing up to fly out to Melbourne on Friday for the Sail Melbourne regatta. This is my 2nd proper international regatta so it will be tough and I hope to measure up against the Aussies a bit more and see how I am really going internationally.
I'll keep you updated when I'm over there
Cheers!

NEW ONESHOT GEAR!

So it's been a while. I've had my exams on so have been focussing on that; but now I'm back out on the water almost everyday. On top of that I took my brand new RS:X one shot board and my brand new red tinted sail out for the first time today! The wind was a SW, 10 knots building to 14/15 in some gusts and NE waves...so weird.
Without a doubt the board is amazing (I actually have grip) and it feels fast! The fin I'm not sure about yet; some moments were awesome and I couldn't believe it wasn't spinning out but others it seemed to slip out for no reason... I need a good NE to take it out to test properly in waves. The sail feels a little odd, maybe just the "new sail" feel, but I do have some adjustments to do.
This is all my new gear to take to the Sail Melbourne Regatta, 12-18 of December. I'm planning on using it once or twice in training this week and then next weekend at the Sir Peter Blake Regatta beforehand; then it shall be stored away for a wee while until Sail Auckland and Nationals.
Training on my older board and sail will hopefully teach me to work harder rather than to let the flash gear do the work for me! I'm gearing up for an excitable summer, it should be pretty awesome; 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds campaign is well and truly underway.
Cheers all!
Georgia

WINTER CHAMPS

Hey all,

Today was the last day of the regatta, the wind was going between 11 and 16 knots which made for some difficult downwinds. I almost got piked by an 18 foot skiff at the top mark which was a bit scary, right of way much... The end racing results: 4, (5), 4, 2, 4, 2. I've placed 3rd overall behind Tony and Natalia.

Weldone to the techno fleet for being out there all week training hard, especially to Tauranga lad, Bradley Nixon for taking out this first regatta in the Kendall Cup!

Cheers, Georgia

Hello

This will be my website/blog where I plan to keep all my family, friends and sponsers up to date with my windsurfing whether I'm in NZ or overseas.

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Stack Interior Winter Champs at Murrays Bay Sailing Club
It was blowing about 14-24 knots today, SW (offshore), really gusty and some of those lulls were nasty.
6 people showed up (2 seniors and 4 of us youths) and after a 4th, 5th, 5th, I'm sitting at 5th overall about 1 point behind the next guy. Tomorrow should be slightly lighter so I'm aiming to bring that position up.

Awesome to see 80 optimists out there; good luck Patrick, Carmen and Coral! 18 foot skiffs are a little scary especially when they are capsizing right next to you. Also pretty wicked to see quite a big turn out for the technos with people coming from manly to christchurch to get here for the training and regatta, good job.

Cheers
Georgia