(machine translated in 2023) Regiocup Veerse Meer
Forecast was very good, SW 18 to 22 knots, and constant throughout the day.
Was there on time, wind seemed to disappoint. Quickly set up a few sets, first the 7.3, then the 8.4, meanwhile chatting with some surf buddies. Then quickly register and skippersmeeting. After consultation with Hans, Orion and Dave decided to sail silverfleet again.
After the skippers measurement, I went out on the water to check the track, get a feel for the start line and the time needed to start well.

The goldfleet was allowed to start first, but it soon became apparent that the wind subsided and the first buoy was too high. So the goldfleet was allowed to start again, so I had even more time to get a good feeling. Just a quick stop by for a snack and a drink.

1st heat
Start was reasonable, at something like 6 to 7 seconds 3rd over the line, Andrea was a board length ahead, Orion had a good start and was first at the first buoy. Orion's gybe was only bad, I could get inside, also fell silent to avoid it but was quickly gone with a few pumps. After that I lay first and no mistake was made. Lead only increased. From the last buoy to the finish, 1 was very long rak, very very downwind. That was a bit exciting, the last part was so wide that I unhooked and sailed quietly to the line, I was far enough ahead. Spacious1st

2nd heat
Start a lot better, at 2 to 3 seconds as 1st or 2nd over the line. Andrea sat next to me, a little higher up in the wind.
Together towards the first buoy, I walked some height in the beginning to force Andrea to walk more height so that she lost speed and I could walk away. Then well to the 1st buoy, there I was with maybe 20 meters ahead of Andrea and the rest. Wind was clearly less than in the previous heat. The rest of the heat sailed flawlessly, all gyben through planed. Neat and spacious1st.

3rd heat
I planeen towards start, try to time well, My watch beeped on the line, but the horn is 1 second later, was I too early? No idea, just keep sailing! Andrea was close behind me again, what can that girl start. I got to the first buoy first, by the gybe I fell silent, but with some pumps I got back into plane, still first because Andrea had also fallen silent. I ran into a few participants bobbing, wind was light, would the heat be cancelled? No flag on the boat yet. After the 3rd buoy towards the finish I saw the blue and white checkered flag on the boat. Heat cancelled, too bad, I was lying1st.

I went to the start boat to ask how my start was: I was right on time, race leader was just too late with the horn, so not false!! It was tight! Then waited near the boat until the next attempt. With 2 minutes they would start a new start procedure.

3rd heat (2nd attempt)
With 1 minute left on the clock, only Andrea was there at the start. A little further back I also saw Ko coming, 3 men in a heat. Badger very weining. My start was tight again, 1 second on the clock. Flawless heat, easy as first towards finish. However, I saw NED-181 sailing well ahead of me all the time, but it hadn't started. At the Finish he was still about 50 meters ahead. He went the way too, I went the way too. You, he was before! No you can't, he hadn't started. Later the start boat reported that NED-181 had started when the yellow flag had gone up (1 minute signal), so had started 1 minute early, sorry Harry. So1st!

4th heat
I was still standing on the side talking about the fact that I had started NED-181 a minute early in the previous heat and that the race leadership had overlooked that when I woke up to a beep of my watch, race continues. Sure enough, 3 minutes of flag was already up. Put drinks away and pack things. With 2 minutes on the clock on the water, fast height walk towards the start: 15 to 20 seconds late over the start, all the way to pin-end so height walking to the first buoy, only Ko and of course Andrea in front of me. In the heat Ko was still overtaken at a buoy, but Andrea was too far away:2nd

After the 4th heat break. During the break, the wind increased considerably. So just take the iSonic 111 and 7.3 out on the water to adjust my set properly and get a feel for the iSonic.

5th heat
Well there was wind, start was less tight for everyone than the other starts, I was the first to leave, but with something like 8 seconds late. Andrea, of course, is close behind that. With the iSonic 111 it went a lot faster, was therefore with a large lead at buoy 1, good gybe, on to buoy 2. Put in the gybe, sail flip, hook my trapeze. In the water. Quick water start, hear another surfer, but stand on the board when he falls silent behind me, still first! I pump 1x, but not well: Catapult and back in. Oops that's stupid, now I can forget what the whole field is already at and around buoy 2. With a lot of effort sailed out again and exhausted again on the way. Soon a man or 5 ahead I guess, and sure enough Andrea I see ahead of the way, it won't be again. It sailed well, overtook someone at buoy 3 and ran well into a few people towards the finish, but did not make it.

6th heat
It was almost back to back start, so fast altitude run, few times trial sailed towards start and then 3 minutes signal. But already at the 2 minutes I felt the wind subside, also in the goldfleet people fell silent towards the finish. But yes, no time to change sets. At the 30 seconds I started to plan. Where is Andrea? If he wins this one, it will be very exciting. I see Andrea very far away, crossing with her 7.6. She quickly changed her set. Stay calm and focus. Super tight start. Really at top speed with the iSonic within 1 second. Ko and Harry were also good and I could hear behind me, but I had plenty of room. First buoy I was first with about 20 meters lead. But the wind fell away, already when I started using my gybe I fell silent. bobbing around the buoy, hoping for a flurry. Fortunately, all the others also fell silent, although I suspected that I was standing with the smallest set. A flag came, pumps and away I was again. Furthermore, the whole race was planned, often on my toes and also walking high towards buoys was sometimes difficult with the Venom, but everything works out. Then the rak towards the finish line. Well before everyone I was around the waterskiing track, but then I had to be more spacious, I already felt that I had little pressure, caution as wide as I could, but that went slowly, sometimes a pump stroke but there was just too weining wind. Looking back, I saw Ko and Harry and a few more already arriving. They fell silent too, only Harry planned to next to me, but sat even higher than me, Harry missed stepping or something and went in. Bobbing towards the finish, I'm still lying first I hear someone planing. And sure enough, on the line with 20cm difference2nd

On the side I see the boy coming with his set with which he had won the last heat: 9.2! That was more than 2 meters more than me that it had taken him so long to overtake me, there was really too little wind for my set, I was often really far from top speed.

It was not the easiest of conditions, but the AHD GT85 has proven itself once again, what a top board in these kinds of conditions.

I am today1stin the Silverfleet. That feels good, I've obviously grown a lot this year. I was actually a size too big for the Silverfleet, next time but Goldfleet sailing although I know I can't even sail in the top 10 there. But what is not yet may yet come.

Schotsman Surfspot

11:45 1 hour Wind: S
Board: AHD GT 85 - Drake R13 Race 60cm
Sail: North RAM F9 8.4 - North Platinum(11) 490cm - AL360 E3 Carbon 210-270
  (machine translated in 2023) Set went well. Could plan anywhere and also easily walk height.
12:45 2 hour Wind: S/SW
Board: AHD GT 85 - Deboichet R10 M+ 56cm
Sail: North RAM F9 8.4 - North Platinum(11) 490cm - AL360 E3 Carbon 210-270
  (machine translated in 2023) With more wind it went very well, sometimes the wind was a bit less and it was difficult to walk altitude, but still went a lot better than the other surfers in the silverfleet.
15:30 1.5 hour Wind: SW
Board: Starboard iSonic 111 - C3 Venom v2 40cm
Sail: North RAM F9 7.3 - North Platinum(09) 460cm - Neil Pryde X9 180-230
  (machine translated in 2023) First heat went well, enough wind and set ran nicely, but 2nd heat with this set the wind was less and it was all the heat on the edge.