(machine translated in 2023) 1st Scottish Cup: ROHAbokaal: Sun and wind
Since ZW7 and WWT no longer organize the Regional Cups together but now both have their own competition series, ZW7 had to take a new name: Schotsmancup. So today is the first game of this new competition series. Well it was just like all the years, easy track and as many heats as possible sailing, with as many people as possible, so as few people as possible in the boat.
This was going to be my first race in the Gold fleet, with the real men, so working hard to come along since then. Goldfleet would also sail 3 rounds per heat instead of the 2 heats for the silverfleet. So half as much sailing. We would start with 4 heats back-to-back.

A nice breeze was predicted, but also rain, but the race continued. It was really nice weather, wind was a bit gusty, but all day a lovely sun, I now also type this with a fairly burnt head. (yes, just apply it again next time)

I was a bit late on the Veerse Meer. Quick registration and rigging, not too much time to chat. Alexander Verhage (NED-75) already told me to take the same set as last week. ISonic 111 with Warp 7.8. I'll be who had caught his 7.8, so then you just join in. Skippersmeeting, and quickly tackle and get on the water. It was getting on and flying away, okay, that'll be fine. Soon the wind subsided and I was bobbing. Next flurry, full-power again. Just sailed the track a few times and timed a few starts. Sometimes fell really quiet, or very little pressure, not ideal for a match. It was also predicted that the wind would decrease. Quick to shore for a larger board and sail. With the chance to miss the first heat, but better to miss 1 than to perform nothing for 4 in a row. So GT85 and Warp 8.6

1st heat (missed)
I was almost ready to rig up my larger set when I heard the start signal and I saw everyone going over the start line. (With every 4 heats sailed we have 1 deduction, so that will be this one) Quickly on the water to adjust my set and participate in the next start.

2nd heat
I started about 5 seconds late, was in the middle of the field. Could quickly catch up with a few men at the handcuffs. No idea who is in the gold or silverfleet, so every place counts, after 2 laps the silverfleet surfers went to the starting line and I saw that I was 4th. Neat, and so it remained. It was tough, in the gusts really hard to keep my board on the water, but at the buoys where the wind is always more difficult I had no trouble at all to gybe through and catch up with some people. (4th)

3rd heat
Start better, I went for pin-end, but found out that it was a lot forward, so could easily start 5 seconds earlier. I sat behind Alexander. At the 1st buoy Alexander collided with my buddy Patrick van Mol (BEL-38) So my chance to finish ahead of Alexander and get a 3rd place. Unfortunately he was very fast on the shelf, and before I was at the 2nd buoy he was already behind me, how he did that I don't understand yet. (4th)

4th heat
Good start at pin end, was nice, all the time right behind GER-1313 who was also in the goldfleet, all the more reason to get everything out of it, but fails to overtake him. After the 4th buoy he had a tail-walk, board all the way out of the water and he got in. Okay, again4th.

Break
Just relax, and time to chat, again very cozy. After the break we would sail 3 times back-to-back and then see if there was any wind for more heats. Wind was still strong, so with 7.8 I went back on the water, less heavy and should be easy.

5th heat
At the start immediately problems with getting away with my smaller sail. Could not walk enough height, no pressure in my sail and came out 50 meters below the 1st buoy. Okay, don't do this, or toast the whole heat and maybe the next heats as well, or don't sail it out and immediately get my big set and sail that full tank the other 2 heats, simple: to the side, so not finished.

6th heat
Since the wind was less but started at the boat, less bothered by the wind. Start was very sharp, orion was lower and for me. In the signal or the start, was I false? I look back, a flag on the boat. But was that me or Orion. I guessed I wasn't cheating, good decision in hindsight, I was just good. Heat sailed well, managed to stay ahead of John coins (NED-30), but finally I had to let him go:4th

7th heat
Good start, was good. I was 3rd, Alexander and Dennis (NED-192) in front of me, I fall still, wind away. I see Dennis and Alaxander also falling silent, end of wind? End of heat, end of match? Nope, John plans coins for us all. Followed by Ko, the old hand (65+) just plans everyone past. Fortunately, the wind came back at the 1st buoy and we were able to sail the rest reasonably well. (4th)

Break
In the break, sip drink some chatting. HONK, start of the next start, really everyone still on the side: RUN!

8th heat
With a lot of height I went with Ko, Dennis and John towards the starting line. With difficulty we make it, 30 seconds late the start line. Wind is minimal. I'm 2nd behind Dennis. With difficulty we continue to planere after the 1st buoy. We lose all 4 height, but we really have to go to the 2nd buoy. I'm happy with my GT85. Dennis comes out way too low: YES! With a few more pump strokes just before the buoy I get it 1st. However, John gets into my dirty wind and doesn't make it to him either. Ko, how could it be otherwise, even seems to get him with ease. I sail the heat nicely, Ko is in the Silverfleet, so no threat. I win by almost a whole rak ahead of John and Dennis. First day Gold Fleet, immediately won a heat. (1st)

9th heat
Another good start, right next to the boat. A lot of surfers were in good shape. Here and there people sometimes fell silent, including John after the 2nd buoy. He tried to recover, but fell silent again (3rd)

10th heat
Super start, again closest to the boat. Immediately Patrick van Mol and his buddy Koen Onderbeke in my neck, thick flurry, and those 2 were immediately gone. Well, I'm not in the Goldfleet, but it's a shame I didn't stay ahead of them. Otherwise well sailed, and again:4th

I had a good time. Caught 2x wrong material, but was clearly not the only one. Missed 2 heats as a result. But I don't notice it yet.4thIn the Goldfleet today, all right, but just short of a podium. Guys like Dennis, Alexander and John are just a class better, but I'm definitely going to try to make their lives miserable more often. My starts went back to the way I did last year, so I can still do it. Too bad Marco was in the boat, I could have had a few nice matches with that: next time.


Schotsman Surfspot

Present: Orion (osluis), Patrick (Mr skate)

11:30 0.5 hour Wind: SW
Board: Starboard iSonic 111 - C3 Venom v2 40cm
Sail: North Warp F2011 7.8 - North Platinum(b) 460cm - AL360 E3 Carbon 210-270
  (machine translated in 2023) Set sailed nicely, but there were a few wind holes on the track, and I fell silent 2 times, and there were no other participants around, so certainly not an option for a race.
12:15 0.75 hour Wind: SW
Board: AHD GT 85 - Deboichet R10 M+ 56cm
Sail: North Warp F2011 8.6 - North Platinum(11) 490cm - Unifiber Freerace/Slalom 220-280
  (machine translated in 2023) Set ran nicely, sometimes I was a bit short of speed, sometimes I was really too big. But I could really always plan. Never a lot of pumping, hooking up and direct planing.
14:45 0.25 hour Wind: SW
Board: Starboard iSonic 111 - C3 Venom v2 40cm
Sail: North Warp F2011 7.8 - North Platinum(b) 460cm - AL360 E3 Carbon 210-270
  (machine translated in 2023) Again tried if this would be a better set, but again trouble planing, so quickly to the side for my larger set
15:00 1 hour Wind: SW
Board: AHD GT 85 - Deboichet R10 M+ 56cm
Sail: North Warp F2011 8.6 - North Platinum(11) 490cm - Unifiber Freerace/Slalom 220-280
  (machine translated in 2023) Set went well, mostly nice, some hard gusts was the fighting. And sometimes the wind was so far away that even I was afraid to float. Most of the time it was just really good.