Les Voiles d'Antibes at Société des Régates d'Antibes - Day 1
by Alexander Panzeri 16 Sep 2021 23:54 BST
15-19 September 2021
Last night the cloud had deposited some drops of rain, about 6.5[cm] if you trust the iPhone app. Today the rain (a cluster of storms) has arrived after the race, probably making it difficult for the traditional Paella on the docks.
After an AP Flag it was been possible to start the race, with a light wind (up to 9kts) and small waves. What really has been against is was the clouds which killed a lot of the light, only when I have shot at eight o'clock during the Christmas Regatta and on Lake Lecco in winter has it been so dark. But it's always nice to have new challenges and use grey clouds as background.
The racing
At the briefing the R.C. chose track no.11, that covers all territories of the town from the port to Cap d'Antibes, across to the Siesta Casinò and back to the port. Thanks to the wind from WSW, a disengaged mark, and the position of some mega-yachts the start was tricky, with D-3 TUIGA trying to start on port tack, but the others foiled her strategy, forcing her to tack back on the line, slowly... But this hasn't been the only one, with the AC conference frontman, Mr. Bruno Troublé, with the "small" P-5 Corinthian first obliged by the big NY-6 Spartan to go back on starboard tack, and when the blue boat arrived on the shear of the bigger one has tacked left and she has been able to cross in front the other P, P-13 Chips, that was on starboard tack. Not happy of this, the Blue Yellow fighter overtook NY-48 Chinook, beating her to the finish line by less than 10 metres, finishing third overall, only 113 seconds from the Monegasque winner machine. I've to report some problem to the mast before start for the 8mIJ(?) 18R MYFANWY and D-1 MARISKA retired. Tomorrow I'll check what happened to the call of protest from Spartan (no info on the panel now).
As the practice yesterday had indicated, in Antibes you come to race with sailing boats, simple but the most important, but the glamour and parade have their place...
Last but not least, I cannot forget to speak of a new entry in the list helmed by the Archi-Star Mr. Germán Frers, RECLUTA, a boat with a story, a Frers' family story!
Tomorrow? Hard to say, forecast are not good, at least no rain.
P.S.: I was forgetting, I kept the sea clean after recovering a big gennaker bag which went overboard from P-14 Olympian... Hey guys, Where is my Beer?