Friday:
Friday was a beautiful day for sailing, with a lot of sun and still some wind. The practice race was supposed to start at 14:00 hrs but was delayed due to several general recalls. The last two starts were with the black flag which gave about 80 sailors a DSQ. Results of this practice race can be found here. Also some pictures were taken by the race committee... Tomorrow should bring another nice day with some sunny spells and light winds (ca. 2 bft.) from the South.

Saturday:
Saturday 30 March started with gray skies and just a very light breeze, which disappeared in the early morning. All sailors went out for the first race which was planned at 10:00hrs, but the wind died so there was no possibility at all to get a race started. At 11:00hrs the race committee decided to send the competitors back to shore to wait there for any wind to come. In the afternoon the wind picked up a little so finally at 14:40hrs we had the first start of the first race. Light and shifting winds made it difficult for all. First places in the three groups were for Mandy Mulder (Ned), Tim Saxton (GBR) and Chris Taylor (USA). A second race started just after five o'clock because wind forecasts for the rest of the weekend were not very promising. This race was shortened for every group so all tired sailors were ashore again at about 19:00hrs. Winners of the second race were Joshua Metcalfe, Alex Bunt (USA) and again Mandy Mulder (Ned). Complete results.

Sunday:
Sunday 31 March started with not too promising weather. Very light winds from South Easterly directions (5 knots and less) and weather forecasts did not bring much better. The first race of the day (race 3) started in time at 10:00hrs and lasted just over an hour. Three Dutchmen leaded the different groups at the finish line; Steven Le Fevre, Lars Bekker and Axel van Bladel. The second race of the day started shortly after finishing the first, while winds were picking up to about 8 knots and shifting more to the South. The Dutchies Steven Le Fevre and Lars Bekker were in the lead again, joined by Julien Thijs (Belgium) in the other group. After a short lunch break the third race started just after 15:00hrs with still increasing winds (12-16 knots) shifting to SW. The first two groups completed the full course and the last group had their race shortened after the second upwind leg. Winners of this race were the Americans Alan Campbell and Alex Bunt and Fredrik Skoglund from Sweden. Monday has two final races scheduled with a gold, silver and bronze fleet. Complete results.

picture by Annemiek van Kinderen

Monday:
Monday 1 April started with a little breeze and grey skies. Two final races were scheduled to be sailed, the first one to start at 10:00hrs. After the 5 fleet races of Saturday and Sunday, the fleet was divided in Gold, Silver and Bronze. The first final race in the Gold fleet was dominated by Joshua Metcalfe (GBR), Lars Bekker (Ned) and Steven Le Fevre (Ned). After a short lunch break the other final race was scheduled but due to light and shifty winds the start of this race had to be postponed. The Silver and Bronze fleet could not start anymore because of the time limit but the Gold fleet had their race. Difficult conditions resulted in great changes in the leader board. Steven Le Fevre (winner of the Easter Regatta in 2000) sailed his discard race and still managed to finish first overall. He was followed by Lars Bekker and Joshua Metcalfe in the overall ranking. First girl overall was Rebecka Harding from Sweden (7th overall), just in front of Mandy Mulder (Ned). Complete results.

After all it was a great weekend of sailing with nice weather, very light winds and fierce but fair competition. The yacht club Braassemermeer looks forward to the next edition of the International Easter Optimist Regatta.