Page 8 - October TT and EGM Minutes 2019

RS Tera Wednesday when there was no sailing, but to make
good use of the time we took the train to Gothenburg
World Championship 2019 and visited one of the best attractions – the theme
park!

On Thursday (the last day with good winds) we made
the most of the conditions, aiming to complete a solid
five races. However, the conditions were due change
later in the day, so I sailed with my American and GBR
friends over to one of the small islands to wait for the
AP flag to go down. Eventually it did and we sailed four
Ljungskile, Sweden races. Unfortunately, I dropped a place on the
th
Thursday to 27 as the person one point behind me in
the rankings finished ahead of me.

Friday was a big learning curve for me - my worst race
nd
recently attended the RS Tera Worlds in Ljungskile, of the week where I finished 32 . It wasn't a good
I Sweden where 33 RS Tera Pro and 52 Sport competed result, but I needed to make a comeback, so I put all
th
for the World Challenge Trophy. After 16 long hours of my effort into the next race and managed 17 place
being cramped up in a car we arrived at Ljungskile, a which was my best result of the week! On the last race
small town with a large sailing club and roughly 85 RS I decided to start at the pin where it was crowded. I
Teras! I signed in as soon as I knew I was better off starting next to the committee
arrived and began to set up my boat, but at that
boat and meet other contestants point it was thirty
from around the world. There was seconds to the start,
one American, six South African so I held my
and many European countries position. The boat
competing – such as Romania and above me was a
the Netherlands. It was a very South African
friendly event with a good range contestant who I
of conditions from light winds tried luffing up to
where the slightest movement can affect your position, get more room for
to strong winds where after a while you regret not my start. Despite
exercising more! On the night we arrived we did a me shouting
Toby flying the flag for GBR
practice race in which I came 19th out of 34 boats. ‘Windward!’
My first and second days out on the water with proper multiple times he wasn't moving, and the start was
racing were interesting – I discovered that a slight getting closer and closer. I got closer to the pin until at
mistake can cost your the start of the very last race I hit the pin! After tacking
overall placing for the and being last I knew I could protest him, but I wasn't
whole week. My first sure whether or not to shout ‘Protest!’ so I kept quiet.
st
start was fine, however At the end of the race I was 31 (surprised I wasn't
my lay-line to the mark last!). A member of the jury had a word with me . . . he
could have been better. told me that the boat above me should have let me in,
but because I didn't shout protest at the scene I should
I do think sailing at
th
retire or risk getting a non-discarded 34 place. I sailed
Rickmansworth has
massively helped me in and retired from that race.
th
with sailing, as the wind is unpredictable, and you have My overall placing was 30 which isn't great - but I
search for the gusts all the time. Ljungskile felt similar to learned a valuable lesson to not start at a crowded pin!
Rickmansworth as the large islands shield the wind from The week taught me a lot about sailing - I learned lots
directly reaching the boat, causing patchy wind and of new skills, made new friends and had loads of fun!
rd
unpredictable gusts. However, on the 3 day of the
week (Wednesday) we had a lay day where nobody
sailed, and we had some time to recover. After the first Toby McFarlane
th
two days I was in at 26 position out of 33.
Unfortunately, the best wind of the whole week was on

RSC Troy Times 8 October 2019