pic – John Carter 

Windy but Rough!

31st Jan 2008

The forecast seamed too good to be true, but come the day the wind didn’t let us down, it was the exceptionally low tide that kept our times low. The abnormally low tide created the roughest waters Southend’s ray has ever delivered, not that it stopped the determination of the rider, run after run sailors raced across the far from perfect course, and amazingly despite the conditions good speed were still achieved.
The results below are only provisional and have to be ratified by the WSSRC, but it shows how close Finian came again to the production world record. On the other hand it was great to see a tight battle for the Irish record. Timo Mullen broke the record early on in the Day, until John Kenny came on form that is. He pushed hard and joined the 40 knot club with a 40.44 knot run, on a production board too.

The conditions caught most of us out at some point, crashes were plentiful, but then if you don’t push hard you’ll never know your limits, records are all about finding that edge and then pushing a little harder.

Pete Davis was the only rider to go direct from board to hospital with a dislocated shoulder, and if you think that would put off the spectators you’d be mistaken. While we changed course a couple took to the water to see if speed is as punishing as it look. You guessed it, Pete soon had a companion in hospital, also with a dislocated shoulder.

It was great to see so many sailors making the trip to sail our British waters, many had come to sail from sunny and warm shores just to test our cold winter winds, hopefully on their next visit the Ray will be on better behavior.

Finian Maynard 44.10
Dave White 43.38
Martin van Meurs 42.47
Steve Thorp 41.40
Dirk Doppenberg 41.19
Bob cunningham 40.74
John Kenny 40.44 
Dennis Little 40.30  
Philip Adamidis 40.14