I always like Palma it’s a great place to sail, even though it’s a bit of a trek. I drove down with two 2.4’s and a RIB. Considering one 2.4mR weighs around 256 kg, it was a big load to tow, but the car was brilliant! I did ten hours on the first day and stopped at mum and dad’s house which is perfectly located on the Spanish/French boarder. My ferry from Barcelona was not until 23:00 the next day, so I took the opportunity to go for a ride on my bike and explore the country side which was stunning!
We had a week of training, which Adam came out for, even though he could not stay and do the regatta. It was a really productive week, testing out a few theories we had and some new systems. By the time Adam flew back to the U.K I was fired up and looking forward to the regatta.
I got off to a cracking start with a race win in the first race and a 4th in the next race placing me second overall. It was a classic Palma sea breeze day and I had great speed round the course! The next day was similar conditions and I was feeling really confident, even more so after I got another bullet in the first race of the day, I was leading the second race but was really unlucky when the wind totally died and I got caught out on the wrong side of the course, to finish 4th.
The next day saw the dogs blown off chains. Libby had been calling for big Tuesday three days prior to the start of the regatta and it was certainly that with 40 knot gusts! We didn’t get any racing in that day.
I was hoping for another sea breeze day, which was forecasted but not until the afternoon. We went out in a 25 knot northly, blowing straight off the mountains, which proved to give us some very tricky conditions. Our windward mark was only 100 meters off the shore and the shifts and difference in pressure were massive. It was like a game of snakes and ladders, one minute you would be miles ahead and the next behind. It was conditions I have not sailed in much so felt a little on the back foot. On the last run the wind completely died and we all drifted across the line. I had my fingers crossed that this was the sea breeze coming in. Alas after waiting for 2.5 hours, but being entertained by 4 dolphins that were playing among the boats, we got sent in and no more racing for the day. Half an hour later the sea breeze came in!
The last day and three races planned I had dropped to 3rd after finishing 5th in the race the day before. I was just one point off second and four points off first. If the conditions were sea breeze I knew my chances were good. Unfortunately it was not and we had 2 races in the northly again. I finished 5th in both and needed a good result in the last race to secure a medal. Thankfully the wind died and the sea breeze quickly developed. I lead the race from start to finish claiming the silver medal, which I was delighted with considering it had been such a tricky day.
Things did get rather interesting on shore though when the Dutch team, fuelled by their coach decided to protest the race officer claiming I was over the line in the last race. A very tricky one for them to win, especially as any video evidence worth viewing would incriminate the coach for not being 50m behind the start line, as stated in the sailing instructions. It all got thrown out and I think it was a little bit of sour grapes on behalf of the Dutch, as I scuppered their score line of a one, two, three. Thierry won the regatta, sailing solid series, but I still fancied my chances if we had not had the crazy northly.
After the prize giving in the palace and being presented with my medal and a massive trophy by Princess Sophia (which unlike me, I did manage to make it back to the hotel with both), I caught the ferry to Barcelona and dropped the boats off in Hyeres before flying to Turkey for a couple of days to see Steve.
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