| Just a quick run down of the slalom event on Saturday 26th May, from my perspective! |
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| It all started on Wednesday when the forecast lit up and the comp was gonna be a classic. Not being too concerned about my board of choice (an older JP Slalom IV 60) I was a bit worried that my 6.2 RSR hadn’t arrived, as it was obviously gonna be just what was needed! A quick call to Rik and he confirmed that he hadn’t even received my sail and it wouldn’t make it in time, but no worries, he had his 6.2 RSS MKIV LE which would do just fine, that I could borrow! |
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| Thanks to Rik’s dispatch efficiency, and a few phone calls to TNT in Cork on Friday, I had just the tools for good quality slalom sailing by midday on Friday. Well, 1 board, 1 sail, 1 mast, 1 fin and my X9 wave boom stretched to the limit...just about perfect! |
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| Saturday dawned beautifully sunny but not so windy. There was all the feeling though, that the day would develop into one of the classic Caribbean style days in Scraggane and around 50 eager sailors registered for the comp. All there was left to do was rig up and maybe demo and tune my brand new sail and wait for the wind to fill in fully! |
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| As a rule, I’ve always made a pact with myself never to compete on gear I’ve never used, but with no alternative I tried to get in some runs before the racing started. The wind was barely 12 knots but incredibly, the 6.2 RSS was pulling me onto the plane. Trying to reassure myself that it was gonna be ok for competition, I noted other sailors on 9.0’s + planing in the gusts, but also dredging in the lulls.. How hard was this gonna be? |
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| Err hard... First 2 races kicked off in 8-12 knots of wind. Everyone on formula gear pumped their way onto the plane while I just drifted around by the start. Ce la vie... The day was young, and there’d surely be discards! |
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| By Race 3, the wind had started to fill and this time I got across the line at full tilt and made the first mark in the leading pack. Unfortunately the wind lulled and I watched the 9.0’s plane off into the distance, standing still with water around my ankles! Not to be disheartened, I was pretty glad to know my now trusty 6.2 had the speed to compete with the big guns as the wind built... |
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| Cue: lunch break, and the wind began to howl. I couldn’t go in to eat. The 6.2m / Slalom 60 / 31cm Select Slam combo was sick and I couldn’t give it a break. Awesome! Scraggane in the sunshine with 28 degree hairdryer winds is purely blissful windsurfing. Kept thinking I was at Kanaha in Maui... |
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| Anyway, the racing recommenced after an hour of great freesailing and it was amazing fun. Maurice Owens pretty much dominated the entire event but I have got to say I was stoked to finish 2nd or 3rd in all but one of the remaining 7 races! Full speed starts, carnage at the gybe marks, football field flat, crystal clear water, short sleeve wetsuits made for epic action, only made better by Tim Smith Visuals yelling “younnggg mannnnn” Harry Enfield style from the photo boat. Hysterical! |
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| The last race was the highlight. Despite making the first mark in pole position, it was Fintan Day who gybed underneath me and drove his JP Slalom 59 to victory (duh, 2nd again!) But stoked to hold off the 2011 champion Hannes Louet who was nudging my heels on his 8.4 the whole way, and almost untouchable Maurice who finally (and uncharacteristically) fluffed his start! |
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| Jamie Knox then decided that a final handicapped master blaster was in order to finish the day in style! Not quite sure if anyone knew what or where we were supposed to go, but it was great craic to go and sail out to the Maharee Islands fully powered with all the crew! |
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| All in all it was an amazing days sailing. I ended up 2nd overall behind Maurice Owens who sailed a blinder. Thanks especially to Jamie Knox and his Watersports for hosting the event, and Greg Day and his ISS team for running the event seamlessly. The official results can be viewed here. |
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| Massive thanks also to Rik who again delivered just the right hardware just in time! I’ve never been so impressed by a single piece of equipment as I was by the RS:Slalom he sent. Amazingly simple to rig, effortlessly tuned to the numbers on the foot, Heaps of get up and go, limitless top end, super smooth rotation and tons of power and acceleration out of the gybe. If only it came in red! oh well, the 6.2 RSR now on its way ticks that box... |
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| After 8 sun burnt hours of sailing I ended up working in Spillanes Bar till 2:30am. Needless to say the impromptu beach party outside my bedroom window didn’t keep me awake for long! |
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| See yous at the next race! |
| Rob Jones |
