US Sailing Team at 2020 RS:X Windsurfing World Championships - Day 1
by Brittney Manning 25 Feb 07:28 PST
Day 1 - 2020 RS:X Windsurfing World Championships © Caitlin Baxter
At the southern end of the bay, the RS:X sailors dealt with fewer delays and were able to get a full day of racing in.
"This morning, the ocean was really fogged in, so we knew there would be some waiting, but the race committee had the weather really dialed in, and started really close to their estimate of when the wind would fill," said U.S. Women's RS:X athlete, Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md.).
Unlike their teammates in Sandringham, the RS:X sailors had to pay close attention shifty and puffy conditions.
"The wind is unstable due to the heating of the peninsula and comes through the course in bands, so the first race was all about hunting the pressure and shifts," continued Hall. "The second and third races were more geared towards getting a clean start and nailing the correct side while staying hooked into the strongest gusts with the best angle."
In these windy conditions, mental fortitude is just as important as physical endurance. Hall feels, "The best aspect of my racing today was the fighting I did. In a fleet like this, you can just never give up, and you really have to physically fight and work hard on every leg to win places." Hall's focus and tenacious attitude landed her in 26th overall. Happy with her mindset, she plans to hang onto that throughout the week, "This was the biggest takeaway of the day, and I'll carry that attitude going into tomorrow."
The Men's RS:X athlete likewise finished all three scheduled races today. U.S. sailors Pedro Pascual (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Geronimo Nores (Miami Beach, Fla.) currently stand in 23rd and 29th, respectively.
Pascual had great starts and tactical decisions that delivered three consistent finishes of 10th, 12th, and 17th. Meanwhile, Nores' coach, Yaniv Meir (ISR), thinks, "Geronimo's starts were his enemy today, but his speed was really good." Nores' speed in the windy conditions proved to be an asset, particularly in the last race as he finished eighth.
Tomorrow, the athletes are expecting starts and speed to remain a priority as the forecast is indicating strong wind at 25-30 knots. The heavy breeze will likely create a physically trying day for all of the athletes on Port Phillip Bay. The RS:X sailors will resume their qualifying races tomorrow, with three races scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m., local time.
U.S. Men's RS:X Results - View Full Results
- Pedro Pascual - 23rd
- Geronimo Nores - 29th
US Women's RS:X Results - View Full Results