Marseille Grade 3

Bonjour,

We arrived in Marseille on Thursday night and spent a cold and windy Friday studying the boats and preparing for the 2 day regatta.Saturday morning and we got out on the water asap to get as much practice in before the start of race 1. We knew it would be tough getting used to the boats but tried to learn fast. It proved to be key as we lost a couple of close races by others pulling out little tricks for the J80s. The conditions were light in the morning then really choppy with a bit more puff (12 knots) in the afternoon. We finished the day with 4 wins and 3 losses. This could have quite easily been 6 wins but lost two close ones due to lack of time in the boats.

Day two was a big day for us. We had to win both our races to make the semis against guys ranked higher than us. Race one brought light and very shifty conditions. We had the perfect start and managed to put 6 boat lengths on him off the line. We sailed a few really good shifts and had a comfortable lead at the top mark. We maintained this lead until the last run when the shifty, light and puffy conditions made it hard for us to defend downwind. He got a nice puff from behind and caught right up at the finish but we just scrapped in about one meter ahead. A tough race but a much needed win.

Race two was much the same. Racing Michal Perris the previous winner of the event. We had a glamour start and a lead that we managed to extend to about half a leg by playing some big shifts. Approaching the bottom mark “Chef Waka” realised the supermarkets didn’t open on Sundays and the fridge was empty back at home. “Chef Waka” then thought it was a great time to try and catch a feed with the comfort of a big lead. With a big catch in the net the boys then underestimated the time it would take to haul in the catch, losing our lead but gaining a very wet spinnaker. After a big scramble our lead had gone and he extended up the next beat to a comfortable lead. Knocked out of the semis on count back to Michal we finished 5th on 5 wins. We were all a bit gutted with our effort as we knew we were defiantly good enough to progress to the next rounds of the regatta. We’re going to take the positives from it and hold onto the lessons we learnt in the boats and covering in shifty conditions.

We now have a few weeks off due to the cancellation of two planned events in Portugal and Italy. We would like to thank Steffan Goldwater of Widex, Line 7, Pacific Sports Community Trust, RNZYS, Simon Dickey of Front End Design and all members of the Waka Racing supporters club.

Tough day in Marseille

Today we had a long day in boats we hadn't sailed before ending up with 4 wins and 3 losses. As there is only one round robin with the top 4 going into the semi finals we have to go out firing tomorrow. We have two more races and we must win both of them to have a chance to make the top 4. The boys are confident we can do it, so we just have to convert it onto the water!

Cheers,

The Waka Racing Boys

Boys go Trawling in Marseille!

Bonjour,

We arrived in Marseille on Thursday night and spent a cold and windy Friday studying the boats and preparing for the 2 day regatta.
Saturday morning and we got out on the water asap to get as much practice in before the start of race 1. We knew it would be tough getting used to the boats but tried to learn fast. It proved to be key as we lost a couple of close races by others pulling out little tricks for the J80s. The conditions were light in the morning then really choppy with a bit more puff (12 knots) in the afternoon. We finished the day with 4 wins and 3 losses. This could have quite easily been 6 wins but lost two close ones due to lack of time in the boats.

Day two was a big day for us. We had to win both our races to make the semis against guys ranked higher than us. Race one brought light and very shifty conditions. We had the perfect start and managed to put 6 boat lengths on him off the line. We sailed a few really good shifts and had a comfortable lead at the top mark. We maintained this lead until the last run when the shifty, light and puffy conditions made it hard for us to defend downwind. He got a nice puff from behind and caught right up at the finish but we just scrapped in about one meter ahead. A tough race but a much needed win.

Race two was much the same. Racing Michal Perris the previous winner of the event. We had a glamour start and a lead that we managed to extend to about half a leg by playing some big shifts. Approaching the bottom mark “Chef Waka” realised the supermarkets didn’t open on Sundays and the fridge was empty back at home. “Chef Waka” then thought it was a great time to try and catch a feed with the comfort of a big lead. With a big catch in the net the boys then underestimated the time it would take to haul in the catch, losing our lead but gaining a very wet spinaker. After a big scramble our lead had gone and he extended up the next beat to a comfortable lead.

Knocked out of the semis on count back to Michal we finished 5th on 5 wins. We were all a bit gutted with our effort as we knew we were defiantly good enough to progress to the next rounds of the regatta. We’re going to take the positives from it and hold onto the lessons we learnt in the boats and covering in shifty conditions.

We now have a few weeks off due to the cancellation of two planned events in Portugal and Italy. We would like to thank Steffan Goldwater of Widex, Line 7, Pacific Sports Community Trust, RNZYS, Simon Dickey of Front End Design and all members of the Waka Racing supporters club.

WAKA Racing

37th in new World Rankings

Bonjour,

Waka Racing team is now in Marseille, France for our next event. Arriving to find the world ranking list had been updated and we have jumped form 55th to 37th. This was due to the win in Rimini grade 3 event coupled with our victory in Perth. A huge boost for the team with this being our best ranking yet!

We have just spent the last week training in Lake Balaton, Hungary. This was against world number 10 Ian Ainslie from South Africa in Melges 24's. We found this really beneficial and learnt a huge amount as we had never match raced with asymmetrical spinnakers before. Ian helped us out on the water and we got put up in a hotel opposite the small boat park by their generous sponsor. We managed to have some really good racing and learnt valuable lessons that we can take with us to this next event as they are in similar boats, the J80's.

Unfortunately while we were up in Hungary we got emailed the news that two events we had entry too and had planned to go do had been cancelled due to financial reasons. This was really bad news as one of them was a grade 3 in Portugal and the other being the grade 2 we had gained entry to in Rimini. The result of this now means we have a two possible three week hole in our calendar after our regatta in Marseille this weekend. So at the moment we don’t know where we are going next.

Today we are going to try and get out on the water for some practice and then get ready for the start of the event tomorrow. We are all pumped for this event and are looking forward to putting the training into practice. The crew for this event is:

Skipper - Phil Robertson

Main - Garth Ellingham

Pit/Trim - Sam Bell

Bow - James Williamson

Event Website: http://www.lapelle-marseille.com/

We would all like to thank Stefan from Widex, Pacific Sports Community Trust, Line 7, RNZYS and the Waka Racing Supporters Club for all their support.

Success in Rimini

The start of the regatta was a tricky one for the boys, with our 4th member Sam Bell joining us . We were forced to default the first race and rigging the boat in the pre start of our second we won 1 of 4 races that day putting us in a must win position for the rest of the round robin. The team pulled through convincingly posting 3 from 3 on the second day. The race committee pushed on and started the semis and finals.

After a slight miss calculation by the race committee, thinking we had not qualified, we corrected them and secured the 4th and final spot for the semis. This would see us up against top ranked skipper, Italian Jacopo Pasini. After loosing to him in the first round we managed to find some good form putting him away 2-0. Race one we got a penalty on him in the pre-start and lead the whole race. The second race was the same with us getting another penalty on him in the pre start. This time despite his attempt to clear the penalty in the second beat he still had the lead and a penalty. He tried numerous times to slow down and trap us on the final run but we defended well and crossed the line with him attempting his turn.

Our Finals opponent was the other Italian Simone Ferrarese. Conditions were perfect. 8kts of breeze with a consistent direction. We won the desired leeward start in the first race and burned him off for pace around the track. 1-0 in a best of three final series. The second race didn’t go so well. With a boat swap, we found a lot of water in the boat before the start and despite bailing it couldn’t find the pace we had in the 1st race and kept it close loosing by a boat length. Finding more water after the race we decided to protest and apply for another boat. We got a new boat and the start we were after. Pushing hard we let him make the mistake of being over and had a big lead off the line. We maintained this lead during the race to win and take out the regatta!!

A fantastic win as it qualifies use for the Grade 2 in the same location at the start of June. The team was happy with the win and learnt some valuable lessons throughout the competition. Now we are going to stick around here for a couple more days and then head of to Hungry for a training week against world number 12 Ian Anslie.

Good Bye for now and we will keep you all posted! Also make sure you check out our website (wakaracing.blogspot.com). We have some great photos and more to come shortly.

WAKA RACING

Rimini Victory!

Today after just sneaking into the semi-finals and qualifying 4th. We had to race the top qualifier and top ranked skipper in the semi-final. After dominating in the pre-start we won 2-0 and went through to the final. The final was a close faught affair after winning the first race and losing the second, we managed to pull through and win the last race convincingly to take the regatta! This means we have gained entry into the Grade 2 event being held here in a months time. The boys are now beginning celebration so a full report will be posted tomorrow.

Cheers,

Waka Boys