San Francisco Classic and UN Challenge- August 28, 2004

REPORT FROM VYV: WHAT IT TOOK TO WIN. First rule in athletics ; to perform well , repetition,repetition,repetition. I've got this one down , the 04 classic was my 15th attempt , in the past three tries, I've been in the lead at one time or another , only to have disaster show its ugly head somewhere along the line.
Saturday started out well , great start ,took the ebb into consideration on the tack to the weather mark , where most of the racers were overstanding , rounded the red nun in 3rd. place. Off on a screaming reach to coast guard cove; what the >?*&(%?? the two leaders are going for some post I've never seen [or don't remember seeing ,I'm old] I look behind me at a large group of sailors , and can see that there is confusion in the ranks also.Im going to loose huge if I go down to the post and that's wrong and same if I go up to the yellow buoy. I decide to split the difference and stop and see what happens..... crap! look for the committee boat! Post. Turn around as i'm to far in to make it now; round the post in 15th place.
Choices, I can quit now saving a lot of pain and agony, or I can settle for what's happened and just enjoy the rest of the race as a day on the bay or I can put everything into it and try to catch up to the leaders.
Fortunately for me I've made the best choice possible gear wise; 9.0 and a 60cm fin [56cm would be better for the classic but 60cm will be better on the way back up] most everyone else has underestimated the conditions and are on 10's .
The first big opening to pick of 3-4 guys is the tack to the nun , they didn't learn enough from first rounding and are reaching in 7 ft. swell again. Zaijeck gets an unlucky break and has a 100 ft tour boat do a 180 right in front of him. "Second break, the guys way overstand anita rock , I get 4-5 guys on the jibe , "thanks!"
My smaller rig is kicking on the reaches and I pick off 3-4 more going through the reach portion of the course.
Rathle decides he needs to go for a swim at Blunt , this is good cause he was on fire all the way.
As I round R4 for the DDW to the Berkeley pier, I know that I can real the rest of the fleet in , as they are practicing there freestyle tail walks , and doing an impressive job. [Steve Sylvester, Bill Weir, Ben Bammer , and Sethe Besse are my final targets.
I finally take the lead at the top of Berkeley Pier and coast through the rest of the course , perfectly powered.
In a race like this one there is plenty of time to make mistakes and come back , as everyone is going to have problems at one time or another on this course . Talk to yourself at whatever level you need to in order to keep going ; for me it was encouragement at times cussing at other times , pleading and making deals to just hold on to the next mark and see how it goes from there . By the time you catch on to your own lies , you are to far into to quit , so you might as well do your best and see how it goes!! Sounds a little like life as a human. mike percey

REPORT FROM Z: What it takes to loose. Second rule of athletics: " Be prepared" or was that the Boyscout Mato. Let's just say "be in shape" especially in a race like this one. And don't count your eggs before they hatch, too.
A port start was the way to go. I think only 3 of us did it. Rob, me and Soheil. Dave Wells quicly tacked off his starboard start and joined us. As I was rounding the Red Nun in 2nd on the first upwind leg, I could only think to myself, 'wouldn't it be cool to get second overall. Then Seth gets me at the Coast Guard Pole. What took you so long Seth. Was it that voodoo chop we just passed through that screwed you up. Then 3rd to the Red Nun this time with Seth just in front and Bill Weir on my ass. I could only think, 'wouldn't it be cool to get third'. But Bill made sure that I was only dreaming.
We stick together all the way to Harding with Steve Sylvester hot on our tails and I think Dave behind him. There was no sign of Percey so I still don't know how he did it. Oh, by the way Rob was the guy in first at this time.
I don't think this was a bad choice but I decided to take my chances and go above Alcatraz. Hey! Isn't that what these ML's are good for, going DEEP. So I'll put it to the test and I start thinking to myself, 'wouldn't it be cool if I catch them all up and get a 1st'. Well, I did catch them up a little but so did the rest of the fleet. We've got Dave Wells, Ben Bammer and Chris Rad. on our asses now. OK, so Blossom is on fire and Blunt is nukin'. At least that's what it felt like on our 10.0s.
There's a rather large group heading to Blunt and it looks like nobody has any control of their rigs. Can't sheet in, can't hold on much longer. My forearms were pretty much useless at this point. I was beginning to see the end of my possibilities. I could only think to myself, 'wouldn't it suck if I came in last'. Which is exactly what was going to happen if I didn't find a way to conserve some arm energy. I settled into my harness with the lines as long as possible. I held the mast with my front hand and just went as deep as possible. Back foot in the leeward strap and keeping my VMG good. It turned out to be a good stance. When I found myself below blunt enough to start tacking back toward the mark, I would be able to relax a little.
I definitely gained some ground but not for free. My arms were gone. I could not sheet in for the jibe and fell in for my 1st brake. This is when Percey passed me along with Chris. After floundering around for 30sec. or so I got up and reeled them back in a little. Again having trouble with my jibes I fell in at R4. There was no way to catch up now. I took my 2nd brake.
Heading down to the Pier, Dave decides to join me. He's moving really fast but I'm going much deeper than he or Chris. I can't tell who's in front anymore. I see Steve but It could be Seth or Rob. Did North make any other colored sails this year beside those. Mike Percey is nowhere in sight. He must have gone down. I could only think to myself, ' Wouldn't it be cool if they all fall like me and I get back up there'. DREAM ON!
What's this? A recreational sailor sailing upwind to the pier in these conditions! And he's on one of those North Sail again. Fool!. No. It's no fool. It's Seth pulling a Phil McGain move. NICE. As I approach the Pier in good position Seth has already found his way and Dave jibes upwind of me and ducks me right as I fail at yet another jibe.
This time I take a long brake. As I watch Ben sail past me. The ebb is pulling me away from the pier but I get up and drive down just in time to make it. At this point I could relax a little. I couldn't possibly catch anyone up and there was no one in sight above me. The ride to X was a relaxing one but don't get me wrong, the wind was still cranking and my arms were shot. I of course opted for another brake at X. This time a minute was too long to rest as I spotted Chris and now Steve Bodner and Mike Z coming toward X. Well that was enough to scare me out of my wetsuit. Get up and finish this damn race. I never looked back until I got to the finish line. I must say, it's hard to spot the finish when you can't see any sailors in front of you. Next year I'll be in shape.Congratulations to Mike, he definitely earned it. And to all who tried. Sail On!...........Z out.

 

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