Day 3 formula worlds

Today was about saving face.
Normally I would be happy about a big breeze day but with the Z, it
was a challenge to find the zone. I finished all 4 races in the mid 30's
We raced another 4 races in a side/off shore breeze producing big
gust and shifts around the course. In the first 3 races, the port end
was so favored that more than 3/4 the fleet ducked the charging
starboard tackers and headed towads the beach to gain the first shift.
If you were lucky enough to time if right with the puffs, the shore
paid off. Otherwise the outside was a gamble as it wasn't as windy as
often. The finish was set just off the beach in an anti-climatic non
planning finish for the first race where I lost 15 boards on the last
leg.
In the next 3 races the finish was moved further offshore where the
breeze filled in. Still though it was a parade from the leeward mark.
If you could hold your line, you could gain a lot. I had to tack off
several times to find clear air and lost out to the boards that held
on till the beach.
Off the breeze, in the big puffs, the Z was a handful, even at the end
if the day with the 67cm fin and 10.0.
On a positive note, I was able to dial in the 10.0 but it didn't seem
quite balanced on the big board. The rig responded well to standing up
in the light spots to climb well.
Overall though a bit disappointing falling a few more places down the
fleet. Tommorow I will try without the plates to see if I can make the
board go any better in the breeze.
3 more days of racing- still time to make the most of it.