2005 Interclub Slalom regatta

Next up was slalom racing after a hour break from course racing It has been almost 11 months since our last slalom race here in SF after last years nationals which was a huge success. I got the bug after sitting on the wall and watching all that racing. Since then I tried a bunch of different slalom boards and sails and finally settled on the SF standard- a mike's lab slalom board from last year and f2004 race sails from Micah!
The breeze was still up so I choose the 6.4 and 32 cm fin. As the heats got closer, I put on my 7.6 and bigger fin as it was starting to lighten up. I watched the first heat go off and headed out to the line. I tried to time my start to get going well and did a few practice runs timing myself. I was the first to get across the line and had a nice lead at the first mark and gybed well enough to stay there and felt pretty comfortable until the 3rd mark just in front of the beach where the rebound chop was just as high as the incoming swell. I dug my bow in and fell into a waterstart. Vlad and Chris went by on the inside and that was the race-3rd- still in the top half to qualify.
I quickly got back upwind as I was in the next heat and this time it was a face off between Bill and I. I lined up for a good run towards the line but doubted that I had the time right with about 30 seconds to go. I was the closest to the line and I stalled and waited then Bill went by below me with speed and led to the finish. Ben was quick to stay up in the front of the pack but fell on the mark closest to the beach where there was washing machine of a slop. I was conservative knowing I just had to make it around the course. Probably not the prettiest of gybes but it got the job dome for 2nd place in the heat.
After that the wind died off and we called it a day with only 4 of the 13 heats run. Bill was first, Vlad 2nd and myself 3rd in short but fun slalom series.