CAL CUP AUg 4- emeryville

Heres the poster form the 2007 Nationals in SF next week- designed by Brian Mcdougal, of Berkeley. What more can you say- GROOVY!

There's something about the east Bay that just doesnt do it for me.
Perhaps I'm spoiled from sailing at Crissy Field all the time and blessed with good wind, an easy launch and a hot shower after sailing everyday.
Nonetheless- the Calcup is a traveling series- chosen the day before.
Point Emmery in Emmeryville was the location of Saturdays calcup.
Mike Percy deserves alot of credit for putting the whole series together and sometimes you can just get unlucky with the wind.
But the best sailors usually win no matter the conditions.
Picking the right gear also helps!
With the forecast looking to ramp up- most of the fleet choose their 9.0s- only because that would be the go to sail next week at the nationals.
The wind gods were not smiling on us as they only gave us a weak 10-15 knot breeze- just at the low end for the 9.0
I was struggling to keep power in my sail as I could have been on an 11.0
Even so It was a good test to find the low end and reassured me when its time to switch to a bigger sail.
With 4 races before the wind petered out I sailed in the top 5 every race- usually around 5th.
I got killed off the wind with the guys who rigged bigger and at the leeward mark when I needed some power to round.
Race 1- Off the line of starboard with the most of the fleet. I tacked about 3/4 way up the beat as the wind was getting lighter. The guys who tacked early got the pressure on the right and came across my bow. The guys who kept sailing till the layline also arrived up top before me.
Lesson learned- in light wind- pick a side and go for it all the way.
Downwind, Fernando and I spared with his F2 board going a bit deeper in the lighter stuff. Having a 9.0 didnt help my power either. At the leeward mark- we both choose the right gate to get over to the pressure on the right side. I was able to work upwind well with the 70 cm fin and climb on him. I rounded the top mark just in front of him. Meanwhile the breeze started to fill on the left and the guys who sailed there cam out on top.
Damed if you do, damed if you dont!
Off the breeze Fernando got the edge and gybed inside of my on the layline to the finsh. With better downwind angle n the light stuff he finished a few board lengths in front of me. Up front was Percy, Mike Z, Steve S, and Eric and Ben.
Race 2- I decided to go for the port start with Ben as the right side looked favored again with better pressure. The line was pretty short so we had to duck alot of the starbord tackers and weave our way through the fleet. I kept my lane just above him but arrived at the top mark finding the left side was favored. Off the breeze it was a battle just to hold my position as I was very underpowered. I lost a position to Al who skipped the first race to go back in and rig a10.0 Race 3- I started just a the boat trying to shut down the late starters but with better speed they came in and rolled me to windward. I was trying to foot to get some speed but with no lane it was difficult to find clear air. Al and I went below Mike Z out to the port layline and continued form there to the first mark. There were 4 or 5 guys in front breaking away. Off the breeze- it got light and we were struggleling to keep planning a the leeward mark. I had a slow rounding and let Al get out in front. The lesson here is control your nearest competitor by getting better position at the mark. If I waited just a few seconds later to gybe, I could have rounded with power and kept Al behind me. Another 5th or so finsih.
Race 4: I decided to go for a clear lane at the start 3/4 of the way down the line. Clear air is king as it gets lighter. Mike Z was on my windward hip and with a bit of clear air I was able to climb up on him but not get any further as our speed was so close. Oh well it was a short race anyways. I let him and Percy tack first and extended out a few more boards to get clear air. When I tacked I was just below Steve. We fought for some time and it was evident both of us could not make the mark. At that point I opted to foot off and go for speed but doublw tacking always kills you not matter what circumstances. I dropped back to 5th again but more importantly realized where the cut off point for the 9.0 is. I know I wont be making that mistake next week!