Please select your home edition
Edition
Rolly Tasker Sails 2023 LEADERBOARD

Audi Etchells Worlds- Ground Hog day - no wind

by Skip Lissiman on 11 Mar 2009
Audi Etchells Worlds 2009 Andrea Francolini / Audi http://www.afrancolini.com

It is starting to feel a bit like Ground Hog day in Melbourne.

Every day we wake up to no wind!

The only difference is the amount of smog or cloud cover letting any or some sun through to get some heat to the ground to try and bring in a thermal breeze.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was scheduled for a 2pm start with one race scheduled.

The day was warmer than it has been but not warm enough to get the breeze up to 10 knots, so we waited ashore for a few hours and eventually got under way about 3:30 in a seven knot SSW breeze.

All Etchells seem to go the same speed in this light breeze – or close to it – so makes it very hard to pass.

If you miss a wind shift or are on the wrong side of a shift you are guaranteed to be deep in the pack of 86 boats.

Off the starting line we worked the right side – as we thought there was good building breeze out to sea. John Bertrand did his usual start in the middle of the line and let his slightly better boat speed work its magic and lead around the top mark quite comfortably and was never headed for the rest of the race.

We finished the race 31st after going around the top mark the first time 35th – right side didn’t work quite as well as the left – especially late..

Race 3 results
http://www.rbyc.org.au/site/yachting/event/18897/race_1_1_3.html

Last night we went back to the international jury to try and reopen the hearing from Race 1 as we had 'significant new evidence'.

Unfortunately the Jury didn’t think the other witnesses that saw the incident were significant enough and we didn’t get our evening in the room – despite waiting around till 10pm to find out.

Today (Wednesday) looks very light (winds) again (Ground Hog Day all over again).

With two races scheduled, it will most likely be another delay ashore waiting for the wind to fill in to enough strength to start the race (usually around six-seven knots as a minimum) and another late finish – regardless if we get two races in.

Safe sailing - Skip Lissiman

The team of BANDWAGON would like to thank our sponsors SLAM sports wear, Club Marine boat insurance, Ronstan for their support.
V-DRY-XHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangesMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZ

Related Articles

PredictWind launches PredictRain
New app From PredictWind delivers hyper-accurate, short-term rain predictions PredictRain is a groundbreaking standalone app that combines advanced AI modelling with intuitive tools to provide timely and precise rain forecasts for all types of outdoor activities.
Posted today at 4:51 am
49er & 49erFX Junior Worlds champions crowned
One final race before the storm kicked in at Øresund The final day of the 2025 Junior World Championship delivered high drama and even higher waves. As wind and rain swept across the Øresund, Race Committees managed to run one final race before safety concerns forced an early end to the competition.
Posted today at 4:43 am
Admiral's Cup: Emotional, Rare, Unforgettable
The 2025 Admirals' Cup set the stage for a bold new era in offshore racing Once the pinnacle of international offshore sailing, the return of the Admiral's Cup was a resounding success, setting the stage for a bold new era in offshire racing.
Posted on 4 Aug
29er World Championship at Porto Day 2
The breeze never quite showed up but the action didn't stop Day two of the Porto World Championships began with hope—and strategy. With light winds in the forecast, the race committee scheduled an early start in anticipation of a short sea breeze window.
Posted on 4 Aug
RS Aero World & Youth Worlds overall
The fine Brittany weather and afternoon sea breezes have provided excellent racing The stage was set for a dramatic final day showdown in Quiberon Bay, France, to decide the titles for the 7th RS Aero Worlds and 4th Youth Worlds.
Posted on 4 Aug
RS Feva Worlds at Aix-les-Bains, France Overall
Crowning of our 2025 World Champions As our World Championships drew to a thrilling close on Friday afternoon, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation! Sailors and families were buzzing with excitement as they prepared for their journey home.
Posted on 4 Aug
Just another event?
Is Cowes Week still a pinnacle regatta? We've been blessed with incredible sailing so far this summer in the UK (for once) with great breeze much of the time, and some of the best events in the world gracing our shores. But, like with Storm Floris, there are clouds on the horizon...
Posted on 4 Aug
Cadet World Championship day 0
Just how long is a piece of string? So here we are, day one of the Cadet Worlds proper. The British Worlds Team have all arrived safely on site after their marathon journeys and tales of Cadets visiting the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower.
Posted on 4 Aug
Tenerife Windsurf Grand Slam Day 3
Pierre Mortefon draws first blood after the wind fills in late After a couple of days of waiting for the wind, Day 3 eventually provided the goods to end the wait for some official competition as the Slalom X got under way during the early evening in 15-18 knots of wind.
Posted on 4 Aug
Festival of Sails 2026 expands to 5 days of racing
Australia's largest celebration of sailing just got even bigger Australia's largest celebration of sailing just got even bigger, with the Festival of Sails expanding to five action-packed days of racing.
Posted on 4 Aug