The first race started with lighter winds so I was back on my 11.0 sail. I did an OK start and was heading to shore, hoping for some lift. The angle though looked like I was headed, but again I was a bit hesitant and did not turn early enough. Where I turned was not close to shore enough to get lifted and too far from the middle where you get some clear wind. I got pretty badly headed, so rounded the mark in a not very good position. On the downwind I thought back a bit and went to shore again. This time I tacked earlier and was using the middle of the course. I was a bit afraid seeing other guys going to shore, but they got headed the same as me. I managed to round upwind mark in first position and went downwind. Unfortunately, Maris LAT11 got different gust and went much deeper and overtook me for the finish. I finished second.

Second race I did not the best start and tacked early again. This time, the guys by the shore were getting lifted so I rounded in third. Made some ground downwind and was about to overtake Dimitris GRE7 as he fell in, but right after the jibe my mast broke… Good way to use your discarded 3rd place.

During the brake, I rigged my 10.0 and went for it. I had a clear goal in my mind – to finish few places ahead of Dimitris as he was my only rival in points. I really don’t remember much of how it went but I know I finished 3rd and he finished 5th. It was enough for me to take the second without even racing the last race! Anyway, I borrowed a fin which I wanted to test and used the race for testing. Unfortunately I did a very bad start and a lot of mistakes afterwards as the wind was super shifty and gusty, sometimes dropping below 10 knots in the race area. I did not even finish as I spent a lot of time parked in the middle of the course. Anyway, I am very happy with coming second! I really needed this after bad results in World’s.

The next races for me are only Lithuanian championships, but till then, I will keep you updated with what is happening! See you on the water!

I started the first with average start, but as I was sailing my almost never used 10.0, I was really struggling. The trim was a bit wrong, so I could not go as good as I really can. I rounded not too well in the upwind mark, but I went really deep on the downwind so I gained on the guys in front. On the second lap I rounded third with Nikolas GRE28 and Dimitris GRE7 comfortably in front. But again I went very deep, and, besides that, got a big shift which turned me straight to the finish line! I was thinking that I will overtake one of them if I continue like that. Luckily for me, both of them managed to go for a swim during their downwind runs, so I finished the race in 1st without ever jibing from the top mark. Success!

Second race was nothing special again. Trim felt a bit better, but the gusts were super violent! On the second upwind I managed to fly to the air two times. One of those I controlled nicely, but the second one was huge! Went down with a style. Anyway, I managed to water start pretty fast so still rounded in second and finished race in this position.

Third race started with massive wind. Before the start I fell into the water two times, but somehow managed to water start back on board fast. I did an average start, but I couldn’t keep the angle on starboard so lost some ground there. If that wasn’t enough, I couldn’t rotate my cambers after the tack and big gust just turned my sail back and I went for a swim. Again, I somehow water started pretty fast, but I was already far behind. I caught up a bit by the upwind mark to round in 6th, but unluckily I was in the lull and not going as deep as the guys in front. Fortunately enough I saw another gust coming which got me going deep again, and I caught two guys in front. Overtook one over the jibe and went close to another one. By the gate, I chose to jibe and go for the shore as I knew the chop will be very rough outside. I manage to do average starboard tack and did my best to keep pointing and stay in the lift on port. And who could have fought – I rounded upwind mark comfortably in 2nd! After that I just tried to play safe on downwind, selecting a lull to jibe and hold my position to the finish!

This was the last race, as race officer decided it was enough. So after today I moved to second with 9 points. Nikolas GRE28 sailed perfectly to stay in the lead with 7 points, and Dimitris GRE7 did great for a light weight guy and is breathing to my neck in third with 10 points. Tomorrow forecast looks similar, maybe just a few knots lighter, so more hard-core racing to come. Stay tuned for another report straight from Schinias, Greece! Meanwhile, check the full results here. Have fun!

What can I say – those 17-23 knots seemed much stronger, more like 17-27 knots. Everybody was on 10′s, except few guys who didn’t have one and me. Anyway, first race started with not the best start from me,  but in the end I somehow managed to finish 3rd. All the details of the race disappeared from my head, so can’t tell anything more about that one. 2nd race started with a bit better start, but nothing spectacular as Nikolas GRE28 came with higher speed and pointed so high I had to slow down and let him pass. I tried to overtake through bellow, but he was controlling me well and didn’t give me even a bit of fresh air. I decided to tack early to get away from him, but I just got in a worst piece of wind over the course. It was gusting so much and I got headed big time. Anyway, I rounded the mark in 4th somehow, tried to fight back, but did a mistake on downwind, so stayed in same position. Tried going for speed, to gain places, but I did not pay attention and got headed with another guy on both tacks. If that wasn’t enough, on the downwind jibe I got hit by a massive gust and the sail just slipped out of my hands. So in the end I finished 5th.

During the brake, the wind eased off a bit so I put in my big fin and went out for another 2 races. Again, my start was not very good, so for some time I was going in dirty wind. I came into the mark in 4th or 5ht, but then on the downwind there were some lulls. Guy in front bellow me and two guys in front but higher stopped planning. I thought I will do the same, but somehow I managed to keep going and get into the gust again. By the downwind gate I checked the course, and saw it filling up outside, so I chose that part. I was far from the mark and it was hard to judge the layline, but I knew I have to overstand it as wind is shifting by the mark. I did just that, but it was still not enough, so had to double tack. Anyway, I chose the side well and was in front by miles. Did no mistakes on downwind and took my bullet! What a good feeling, I really needed that after doing so bad in worlds. 4th and the last race was nothing special. Again, local knowledge worked for Dimitris GRE7, and he managed to do a nice comeback to claim his first bullet. I made few mistakes and finished 3rd.

After all the races I am comfortably in 3rd place with 7 points. Both Nikolas GRE28 and Dimitris GRE7 has 5 points, so everything is still possible.

Here you can check full results. Check back tomorrow for day 2 report and, hopefully, for some pictures! See you!

Anyway, that was not the worst thing. Before the second race, wind still looked strong, so I took 11.0 as I feel much faster on it. When I went out, the wind was more than enough for the sail. Just before the starting procedure though it started dropping. The start line was very starboard favoured and everybody lined up there. I got stuck during the pre start run and couldn’t get going. Massive over early saved me that time. I went to do a short run to check if 11.0 was still ok, and I chose not to go to shore to change sail as I was afraid I will not make it in time. So I waited for a start and this time chose to start on port. I timed it well and managed to do a perfect start pumping all the way to clear wind. But my joy was short as I felt the wind was dropping very fast. I could barely keep the angle with others on the first upwind, and after that it just got worst. I was loosing positions with each tack and I new it was game over for me. I don’t think I will get into the gold fleet, so I am very very far away from the goal I set.

Even though I was only training in 11.0 conditions, I should have done much better. But as Murphy’s law say – everything that can go wrong, will. I guess I just need to start lowering my expectations and get the best racing experience I can in the silver fleet now. I really feel demotivated after this but I just have to keep on pushing, I don’t like to give up easily. I will try to post tomorrow as well, so stay tuned and have fun!

First day was the day of registration, so when the breeze came we went out for some training sessions. I didn’t feel very good and only after I finished, I noticed that the main camber was lost inside of the sail. Not the best way to sail for sure.

Second day started early and with lots of waiting ahead. The wind came pretty late and, the worst of all, very light and gusty. That was my biggest fear, as I haven’t had any training sessions in light wind for a long time, so I didn’t know settings for my sail and I felt really unprepared for that. Besides that, I could really feel that having no starting experience this season is taking its toll. I wasn’t able to position my self correctly and got buried deep down in the fleet in both races. All in all, I am very very far of the goal I had, but today is another day and I hope I can improve in all aspects.

Internet is really bad here, so its hard to update very often, but Ill try to do my best. Keep checking and have fun on the water! ;)