Laser Olympic Trials - Day 1

[Lainie9126 (at) AOL.COM]

Complete results on the San Francisco YC website    www.sfyc.org

Cool, cloudy weather delayed the sea breeze from filling in, just slightly. 
We had 32 Lasers on the line.  We're on the same course with the Europes, and 
they got to start first in the first race, so we were on the inner loop of 
the trapezoid course. The wind was moderate at the start, around 7 knots with 
puffs and shifts, so only one loop of the trapezoid course was sailed. By the 
end of the race it was blowing about 12 knots but still oscillating, towards 
the right more often than the left, though.

To get a Laser fleet of this quality off the start line on the first try is 
almost unheard-of, but it was done. There were 6 boats OCS, though, including 
Mark Mendelblatt, Greg Skidmore, Kurt Taulbee, Steve Bourdow, Mattia d'Errico 
and Vann Wilson.  All were in a group at the pin end of the line.  Meanwhile, 
John Myrdal started all alone at the boat end, sailed a short right hitch on 
port, tacked onto starboard and crossed the fleet. The pin end may have been 
favored a bit, but there's something to be said for clear air, I figure. 

Myrdal led by at least 100 yd. at the first windward mark and pulled out on 
the first run. On the second beat, however, a right shift caught him out, and 
Peter Hurley and Brett Davis got him.  With only two reaches and another 
downwind leg left to sail, Hurley was impossible to catch and sailed 
impeccably to the win with Davis second and Myrdal a close third.

In the second race, the Lasers started first and sailed the outer loop of the 
trap course, with a double loop this time as the wind had increased to 15 - 
18 knots with sun shining.  The current had also increased, causing yet 
another clean start, this one with no OCS boats as well.

By halfway up the first beat, Mark Mendelblatt was clearly ahead, and 
continued to stretch out a big lead all the way to the finish with an 
incredible turn of speed and immaculate tactics. Battling for second, within 
a boatlength of each other after the first run were Brett Davis, Bill 
Hardesty and John Torgerson,  with Charles Meade and Peter Hurley hard on 
their heels.

Note the top 7 after today's racing all scored single-digit finishes.  
Consistency pays bigtime in this close fleet. By Monday when hopefully a 
throwout will be counted, Mendelblatt will be back in the running for the top 
spot and it will get even more suspenseful. Really close, exciting racing 
going on for 3 more days, a lay day on Wednesday, then 4 more days of racing 
after that.  Stay tuned!

Yr. Roving Rep - orter

Lainie
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