Audi Laser Quattro Cup, Felixstowe Day 1
by David McNamara 7 Aug 1999 23:00 BST
GREY, DRIZZLE AND NO BREEZE ... LUCKY THE RUM'S GOOD!
Sailing is a bizarre sport, and the weather can change the venue enormously. Felixstowe has a reputation for being a lion - large waves and huges tidal streams make it a
challenge against the North Sea ... but not today.
It was a pussy cat today, light winds, no waves and precious little danger, unless you lost your bearings and couldn't find the harbour in the poor visibility!
On a day when consistency was almost impossible, Aquatonic's Andy & Dave Richards somehow managed to put together a first and a fourth, which gives them a sizeable lead overnight in the Laser 5000s. Chasing them are Steve
Tylecote & Fiona Coates, back in the fleet after Steve's World Team Racing Championship campaign, which saw him finish in the bronze medal position.
The Laser 4000s had only one race in the very light conditions. Audi Foundation's Ricky Tagg, who has sailed a Felixstowe on many occasions in other classes, together with crew Vanda Zadarozny won convincingly. With
Preferred IT's Doug Baker & Hilary Sutton and Adobe's Pete & Lisa Nicholas contesting the overall series with second and third today, it is sure to be nailbiting tomorrow.
The Laser.eps fleet managed to prove that it can be very hard to get upwind against the tide sometimes, and have only completed one race. Even more astonishingly, only two of the boats finished that race, with Emma Paull setting the standard with a clear lead in the difficult winds. More
inventive minds are now coming up with innovative solutions to the course format for tommorrow, and plenty of beer is being drunk to console those who have yet to score.
In fact, with free rum, a carribean steel band and a barbecue, things are improving already. A bit of wind tomorrow and we might be able to ignore the grey skies and return to the usual spirit of Audi Laser Quattro Racing.
For more infomation, visit www.lasersailing.com/audi-laser-racing