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!!!

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