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!!!

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