Day One:

Hello from a rather gusty and cloudy Czech Republic!

Today was the first day of the event. We registered and got our kit inspected on Sunday, arrived Saturday, and this afternoon (Monday) had the practice race.

There are 102 competitors entered, which will be in 3 fleets: two mens fleet (Yellow and Blue/Gold and Silver), and one women’s fleet.

The conditions here are very gusty. Yesterday we had a nice NW cross shore wind, which was pretty clean coming down the valley, but very up and down with lulls of 8 knots and gusts of up to 18 ish. Today the wind was a little more offshore. We had about 14 knots when we launched, but the wind shifted and dropped significantly by the time we started the race. The course was in the shadow of a great big hill, resulting in winds from 6 to 11 knots, and 30 degree wind shifts!

I set my watch wrong, so had a late start but fought back to 2nd place in the blue fleet behind a ESP-9 (I think). Paul chose to use his 7.5 so suffered when the wind dropped, he also missed his start. Mark finished about mid fleet.

Proper racing starts tomorrow, and the forecast looks mental: 11 gusting 30 offshore in the morning, 10 gusting 20 cross-shore in the afternoon, and after the last couple of days, I believe it!