Day #6: It’s a wrap and time for a new hat!

Regatta over

And the winner is... Arnoud Hummell (NED)

Scott looks happy to me!

Going into the final race day of the 2011 Laser Master Worlds Scott knew that, aside from Arnoud and Brett eating at the same salad bar and each getting a serious case of food poisoning, 1^st and 2^nd place were pretty much locked up. Scott went into the final day with his eye on holding onto 3^rd place overall which meant keeping Russ Sylvestri in his rear view mirror.  On our way in that morning Scott and I were talking and he mentioned that he needed to add some 1^st place finishes to his scorecard. That’s when I took my eyes off the road and said, ‘What? You don’t have any first place finishes yet? What’s up with that?’ I was doing my best to keep a straight face when he shot back, ‘Kim it’s fu$&%ing hard out there!’ That’s when we both burst out laughing…he knows that I know, how hard it is!

Race #1: Well, it all goes back to where it started - the Boston Red Sox hat. The conditions were the windiest yet with clear skies and a bustling crowd at Chrissy Field and Scott was on his way to getting that 1^st place finish. He rounded the first weather mark just ahead of Arnoud and Brett but it was short lived as he did a massive ‘death roll,' losing his Boston Red Sox hat in the process!  With a full moon ebb tide, he was barely hanging onto his boat, with the boom in the air and just a thread of mainsheet in his hand. By the time he hauled himself in and got going, he was in 5^th place and pretty much spent as far as energy.

Race #2: With both Red Sox hats now gone, Scott pulled out his 2010 Laser Master Worlds hat and was ready to go. At the first weather mark Scott found himself in 2^nd place just behind Arnoud. Scott knew that he had no chance in beating Arnoud overall and didn’t want to mess him up by sitting on his air so he shot down below. Unfortunately, Scott ended up in a soft zone, which cost him a couple of places.  He ended the day with his worst finishes for a given day (6, 7).

I like to blame it on the hat. Before the regatta started, I got a call from Scott asking for another Boston Red Sox hat from home so I brought two just in case he lost one! Oddly enough, Scott lost hat #1 in his second-to-last race in the slalom and finished 3^rd overall. He then went on to lose hat #2 in the second-to-last race in the Championship to finish 3^rd  overall …. Hmmm, do you think I am superstitious? I think it’s time for a SF Giants hat!

In the end, Scott was truly proud of Arnoud and his win and for those who think that Scott settled for 3^rd…well, Scott will be the first to admit that he fought hard to get 3^rd!

Stay tuned for a rematch in 2012!

Final Results

New hat...

Day #5: Everything is big here…big waves, big wind, big bridge.

Otto Strandvig (DEN) and Brett Beyer (AUS)
a couple of NFL tight ends?

I think that the highlight of day 5 was rounding the weather mark in race #2 just under the Golden Gate Bridge in huge waves and big breeze. As tired as the sailors were when they came in at around 5 pm, it was all they could talk about!

The day started off with more of the same…you know, 18-20 with gusts to 25 knots and current just starting to ebb, soon to be cranking by race #2.

In Race #1: Arnoud had a bad start and found himself at the pin end not able to make it at the gun thus only able to grind back to 12^th place. Scott on the other hand, had a great race.  At the first leeward mark he found himself in first place duking it out with who he thought was Russ off his right hip.  The guy asked for room and when Scott turned, he realized that it was Brett. Scott was able to catch a wave and surf in front and round ahead. That was when he looked up and realized that the two were miles ahead of the rest of the fleet. In the process of wrestling with each other, they were able to extend on the fleet. On the last upwind beat, Brett was able to reach out below Scott and sail right through him. Brett finished in 1^st, Scott in 2^nd. Now Brett was 1 point ahead of Arnoud going into race #2.

In Race #2: The current was going out, breeze was up and the waves were big. The gun went off and the fleet started without being able to see the weather mark as it was too far away – approximately 2 miles upwind!  About halfway up the beat there was a media boat at the spot where everyone was expecting the weather mark to be but no, the mark was another mile up in the middle of the channel, close to the bridge where the chop was big.

The highlight of race 2 was the epic battle between Brett and Arnoud. Marion and I could see it through the binoculars. They were neck-and-neck down the run with Brett rounding just head of Arnoud. Marion was trying to remain calm but on the edge of her seat talking to herself, sending him good energy. Well, it must have worked, as Arnoud was able to fight off the beast and cross the finish overlapped within a boat length of Brett! The two go into today’s last two races tied with 13 points each!!!

Results

Day #4: Cold & windy with big waves….welcome to San Francisco!

The Mini with our Cafe beach cruisers

The mode of transport between the YC and the boats

Today was a bow-stuffing day with a steady 20 knots gusting into the mid 20’s. The waves were big due to the outgoing current in combination with the big breeze.  All I can say is that I wish I had a ski hat and some warm boots while standing onshore as it was cold and the sand was blowing sideways in the gusts.

Finally, the Standard Apprentice fleet set out to start at the same time and in the same circle as the Standard Masters, which made for more boats and more company… a little less lonely!

Once the fleets set off Marion and I took our bikes and headed to Sausalito via the Golden Gate Bridge. We had hoped to get a better view of the fleet from the top of the bridge and we did although still not close enough.  Riding over the bridge was very cool as long as you paid attention the straying tourists with cameras tangled around their necks stepping blindly into the bike lane!  We each had a few close calls and laughed about it later! 

At the days end Scott and Arnoud each had a 2,4 and Brett, the beast, a 1,1. Here is a brief recap of Scott’s highlights:

Race 1: Scott rounded the first weather mark in 8^th but was able to catch a monster ferry wake and ride right past three boats to glide into fourth. Arnoud saw what Scott was doing and dove down to get in the same wake unfortunately capsizing in the process. Scott was able to finish the first race in second place well behind first place Brett Beyer (AUS)

Race 2:  Basically Scott was in second most of the race until the bottom half of the last run when Scott got to join the club and stuffed his bow into a big wave, filling the cockpit with water allowing Russ and Arnoud to sail by. Scott knew that left was the way to go on the last beat and rather than lose another boat, he stepped into line behind Brett, Arnoud and Russ to finish in fourth.

Only 4 more races to go!

Heading over the bridge!

Results

Day #3: Pain!

Arnoud Hummel (NED) and Scott Ferguson (USA) after a long day!
Both are roughly 6'2" and 185lbs.

Today was a lay day and I (the Sherpa) was a bit busy to write about yesterday…but here we go. To start, I asked Scott to give me one word to describe yesterday, he said, 'pain.'

Yesterday was a one-sided grind. The left was the way to go all day and if you could avoid overstanding the weather mark, you were in good shape. Yesterday was  the classic San Francisco conditions - 18-21 knots with some big puffs!

According to Scott, this regatta is all about execution. ‘I made plenty of mistakes both tactical and equipment-wise but the bottom line, is that you have to keep applying the pressure. You just have to keep pushing and whatever happens, it happens. It’s anyone’s game now.  All the guys are good….I execute very well in the starts and in my positioning but I think that my speed in the big breeze is slightly weaker than the two guys ahead of me. I just work to stay positive.  It’s pretty easy to get psyched out and think that the guy next to you is better. That is where applying the pressure comes in. Don’t let ‘em know and force them to make the mistakes first.’

For Scott, ‘Shifty in light-medium air would be my wish but, it is San Francisco and you’ve got to work with what you’ve got. I am good in all conditions…just not “great” in one.’

Tomorrow, we are scheduled to start 1 hour earlier so, possibly lighter breeze with an ebb tide which means that downwind speed will be at a premium and the need to avoid an OCS, imperative!

Results

Day #2: It’s a San Francisco Grind Fest…

AM Fleet conditions

PM Fleet conditions

I have to say that after watching the AM shift with the Laser Apprentice, Grand Masters and Great Grand Masters and then watching the PM shift, reserved just for the Masters, you would have thought that you were watching a different movie. I am not sure why they aren't sailing the young-buck Apprentice fleet in the afternoon as well.

For day two I borrowed some high-powered binoculars and decided to hang and watch the racing. Marion and I watched the two races from the rooftop deck and the only word that comes to mind is “torture.” The upwind legs against a flood tide were windy, wavy and excruciatingly slow…. my hip flexors were starting to hurt just watching!

Race #1 started in an ebb flow in a building 15-25 WSW breeze. Scott started at the pin end, tacked and crossed the fleet. The right wasn’t as favored as predicted but Scott was able to round the weather mark in 5^th.  In 1st was Arnoud Hummel (NED) and in 6^th was Brett Beyers (AUS) just behind Scott. As I watched through the binoculars I couldn’t believe how Brett Beyers was able to rip through the fleet downwind, rounding the leeward mark side by side with Arnoud.  Scott said that it was a bit discouraging for sure.  Scott didn’t have any breakthroughs in the next leg and was able to hold onto 5^th although on the last short beat to the finish, he slipped out of his hiking strap again! Fortunately, he was able to right his boat quickly, only losing two boats to finish in 7^th.  I did hear from another sailor that they have never seen Scott so pissed off.  Apparently, as in the slalom, the tape that holds the padding to Scott’s right boot was too slippery and he just slipped from under the strap…he’s trying something different today.

Race #2 started in a full-on 25 knots with the current starting to flow. Scott had a perfect spot mid-line when a NZL sailor came reaching across his bow slamming into Scott with 10 seconds to go forcing Scott to lose his line sight while managing the situation. At the gun the 'individual recall' flag went up and Scott was hopeful that it was just the NZL guy and not him as well. Scott was out far enough that he was able to tack and cross the fleet to the right, rounding the weather mark in 3^rd From the rooftop deck the first four boats were miles ahead of the 5^th place boat! Scott was able to hang with Brett Beyers downwind forcing Brett to make a good rounding at the leeward mark, the two rounding 1,2.  In 5^th around the leeward mark was Russ Sylvestri and he was coming back fast! Russ went right upwind and gained rounding the weather mark just ahead of Scott in 3^rd.  The two were side by side downwind and right at the final leeward mark we saw Russ get flagged. He had to roll into a 720 and I let out a very loud, “YES!” as that let Scott slip by into 3^rd, which he was able to hold onto until the finish.

I am just amazed at how good some of these guys are…they just never quit, they keep coming back! Arnoud rounded the weather mark in 15^th and ground back to finish 6^th. It was awesome to watch the hiking machines at work!

I am TOTALLY psyched to watch more today!!!

Results

Day #1: It’s not so simple racing on San Francisco Bay….

The prep...modifying the right boot with some padding

Safety check...dropping off name tags.

According to Scott, it’s a bit tough trying to pick when to switch sides in a changing current.

Yesterday morning we drove up to the St. Francis Yacht Club and could see the Apprentice’s, Grand Masters and Great Grandmasters out on the water in about 6-10 knots of breeze riding an ebbing current.  You know what I was thinking… 'I should have sailed, these are my conditions…’  Well, by the time the Masters (which would have been me) went out the breeze was building and the current starting the flow.

In race #1 in the Master Standard fleet, also the biggest fleet, Scott had a solid start just up from the pin and went left. The general rule of thumb: when the current comes in you stay left. At the weather mark, the leaders had come in from the right. On the next beat, Scott took the left again even though he saw Russ and Arnoud going right.  He was convinced that now was the time to stay left… it wasn’t.  Scott finished 10^th in that race.

In the second race the current was flowing hard and Scott was relieved to see local guy, Russ Silvestri, right with him down at the pin and poised to go left. Left finally paid off. Scott managed to come into the weather mark in first place, reaching on port where he threw in a tack to round and hit the mark thus having to do a 360. Arnoud was able to fly by with Russ nipping at Scott's heels. Russ slowly ground Scott down in the first part of the final beat going left but Scott tacked early and was able to grab Russ back to finish in 2^nd right behind Arnoud Hummel (NED).

The race committee chose to shorten race #2 by two legs as they were at their 60-minute target after three of the five legs. The beats were 25 minutes long and the run only 8 minutes. So, now you see… strong current!

Hats off to Arnoud Hummel (NED) with a 1,1 and to local boy, Russ Sylvestri (USA) with a 3, 3 and don’t rule out Brett Beyers (AUS) in third with a 5, 4. Scott ended the day in 4^th overall but did say before the event began that trying to hold a place in the top five would be a battle…we’ll have to see what happens in the next few days!

In the meantime, Arnoud's wife Marion and I are great friends and no matter who wins or loses, it's all good. As the guys set out to sail, we rode our bikes to the TRX Training Center and after an hour long class, we too had felt like we had spent the day in a Laser!

A little side note: Arnoud’s training partner is his son Yuri Hummel who was 3^rd in the 2011 Radial Youth World Championship (130 sailors) and 2^nd in the 2011 Europeans…not your average sailing family!

launching off the beach at Chrissy Field

Results

Nothin’ but D7 in the Final Four!

Guess who's going to Disney World!
(photo: Luther Strayer)

The wind on San Francisco Bay certainly delivered on the second day of the 2011 St. FYC Heavy Air Slalom bringing in a steady 25knots with gust into the upper 20s. Anna Tunnicliffe was amazing to watch! She's a mere 140lbs of solid muscle (there is no muffin top on that girl!) at maybe 5' 6"-5’7” and the big guys were fighting to hold her off. During her race against Mike Matan the finish was too close to call which forced the committee to go to film, to finally make the call in Mike’s favor. I know that Scott worked his a@# off to stay ahead of her when he had to race her.

Towards the end of he day the 6 rotating boats and 28 competitors had been pared down to 4. Just four sailors left and they were all from New England's District 7! Mike Matan, Scott Ferguson, Ben Richardson and Peter Shope. Mike, Peter and Scott each already with one loss and top-dog in the winners bracket, Ben with no losses. Two losses and you were eliminated.

Leading up to the end of the winners bracket, Scott had raced a fast and furious race against Anna Tunnicliffe but Scott was able to walk away unscathed although he did lose his Boston Red Sox hat…. Perhaps it was a forewarning of what was to come!

Scott and Ben were then paired up, both having yet to lose a race in the series. Ben Richardson was teeing up against Scott. Ben had the inside loop which seemed to be the faster track out of the gate. On the second track though, Scott got the inside loop and was looking strong until he threw in an overzealous tack and flipped his boat…Ben went onto win and now Scott, was left with his first loss. Scott went on to win back-to-back races against Wolfgang Gertz (GER) and Mike Matan and without a break, rolled into a race against Peter Shope. It was a sudden death race for either Peter or Scott seeing as both were entering the race with one loss. Scott started on the favored inside track and was looking good upwind. They crossed across the top fairly even but then…. Scott had that inside loop for the last downwind stretch and was ahead at this point when he threw in the first of 4 gybes with no problem…Peter was just a gybe behind. Then Scott went for gybe #2 just as a huge puff rolled in… and somehow Scott went flying off his boat…it was game over for Scott as he swam to reach his boat. Now it was down to two!

Going into the final face-off, Peter had only one race to lose and Ben had two. In the first race, Peter had the inside track to start. They were pretty even all the way around until Ben flipped on the last downwind leg giving Peter the win. In race two it was almost identical to what happened to Scott….Ben and Peter were neck and neck but on Ben’s second gybe down the final run on the inside track he flipped and Peter just sailed away, after having survived multiple sudden death races, to win the 2011 Heavy Air Laser Slalom!

Overall, Peter Shope was the one who pushed hard enough, keeping the pressure on his opponents, while staying in control which is what the slalom is all about!

All I can say is that it was a nail-biter for the audience…just SO EXCITING to watch!!!

Anna Tunnicliffe (Olympic Gold Medalist) &
Scott Ferguson (2x Laser Master World Champion)

St. FYC Heavy Air Slalom