Tunnicliffe reports from Miami OCR Laser Radials

by Anna Tunnicliffe on 30 Jan 2008 There was a hint of Qingdao conditions today on Biscayne Bay for the opening of US Sailing’s 2008 Rolex Olympic Classes Regatta, with a very fluky seven to nine-knot Northerly breeze. It was a lovely winter Miami day to be on the water and I made the most of it with a third place and a first, to come ashore in first place overall.

Of course we didn’t have Qingdao swell or current and we were missing some of the top Olympic contenders in the Laser Radial Class but it was a chance for me to address my starting technique after some less-than-wonderful race starts in Australia at the annual Sail Melbourne Regatta. I was very happy with my performance here.

The wind was shifting either side of north as we started the first race. I got away well with a decent start near the pin end but on the first leg one boat from the right forced me off my game plan, leaving me stuck in the middle and rounding the top mark in eighth place. I picked up three boats on the run, and started the second beat in fifth. The committee signaled a course change and I set out for the wrong mark.

I realized my error in time and reached into the mark to round in fourth, close behind my Canadian training partner Lisa Ross. We duked it out on the downwind and she rounded the bottom mark just in front. However I managed to pip her at the finish of the final short upwind leg to take third place.

The pin was favored for the second race and, although I was up the line a bit from the pin I got a great start with a good lane and rounded the top mark in second place behind Penny Clarke from Great Britain and followed by Sophie de Turckheim from France. The three of us had a nice little lead on the rest of the fleet and I was able to get in front on the downwind lead and hold my lead to the finish.

The forecast is for lighter northeasterly winds tomorrow, clocking around to the southeast as the day progresses. The committee has scheduled three races.

It should be interesting. Racing will continue through Saturday when the Medal Races for the top ten finishers will be sailed.

www.annatunnicliffe.com.