ELIMINATION 1 – LESSON 1
After registering – and being handed the largest rash vest I have ever seen – I was ready for action. Elimination 1 started with light winds and my 7.8 Firewing/105 X-Fire/36 F-hot fin combo. Having discussed it a bit with the guys, I decided my best starting position would be in the middle of the line. It didn’t go too well as, within about two seconds, someone came flying over the top of me and put me in their dirty air. I arrived at the first mark in sixth or seventh, but, after the first gybe, I was still in touch with qualifying. Everything is very intense in slalom.
Decisions need to take place within milliseconds. Staying upwind, dropping downwind, gybing wide, gybing tight. It’s no wonder that the experienced guys continue to win, as that knowledge means the decisions become intuitive.
Coming into the last mark I was sixth and, barring an incident, I didn’t have much hope. However Cedric dropped his sail during the rig flip and suddenly it was all open. Kordel was forced wide and stopped, and a gap opened before me. I slipping through and suddenly I was in fourth. Then there was that scream. Had I hit someone? Was I about to hit someone? I had no idea what was going on, and in the momentary confusion I dropped the sail and with it qualifying disappeared. So what had happened? Well nothing! Kordel had just screamed in an attempt to put me off and, being the full rookie, it had worked a treat! I vowed there and then to not be such a pussy and be ready to fight.
ELIMINATION 2 – HEAT OF DEATH.
I was stood by the notice board as they wrote the names on the ladder. Heat 3 looked a death heat as they wrote Albeau, Dunkerbeck, Maynard, Mortefon, Yilmazer – and then Skye. Talk about a tough draw! With the wind stronger I opted for my 7.0 and a smaller board, desperate to get the maximum speed possible. I opted for a boat start this time to keep upwind and out of trouble, but as we approached the line Dunkerbeck powered upwind from below and basically slammed me into the boat. I pretty much had to sheet out and wait for him to start and then follow behind him. Not a good start. However justice was served as he crashed at the first mark. Plus, in the confusion that followed, I managed to come out in third. That didn’t last long though as Mortefon flew past me, but still, fourth was all I needed. Now it was between me and Yilmazer. I had a small lead, but he positioned himself on the inside coming into the gybe and there was nothing I could do but watch as he gybed tight and accelerated away. So fifth-place finish was close, but not close enough. However I did finish ahead of Dunkerbeck, which was very satisfying. Growing up watching him dominating the sport, he is my hero, so that is a very nice victory to have on record!
