You Can't Win a Regatta on Day One, But You Can Lose It

I wrote that at Hoovers in the SPring too. I ended up 2nd in that regatta.

Today I finished 5 and 6 in the first two races of the Nor'Easterns. I'm sitting 5th overall.

Race 1 started in 6-8 but the breeze quickly died. I had a second row start and split to nowhere to try to clear my air. I did and ended up 5th at the top mark going the long way. The air REALLY died. I found some streaks and made some money downwind to compete for the lead at the last bottom mark. I had an overlap on the inside but no speed. I got rolled by the leader and 3rd place rounded inside me. I was driven left on a right favored leg and finished 5th.

Race 2 was worse. I started mid-line on port on a heavily favored port shift. The top guys were all to my left. Farther left was the place to be. I could not get over there without losing my shirt so I went the bad way and rounded the top mark 15-17ish out of 22. I passed 4 boats downwind by jumping to the unfavored uncrowded side. The upwinds I banged the left corner and rounded the top mark about 8th. Downwind I made some moves and picked up 3 more. Then on the last leg I hit all the shifts right with clean air until the last few. I got to third, then lost 3 boats at the line to finish 6th.

The leader has 4 points, the next three have 5 and 6 points. I have 11 points in 5th place. To advance I need help from them in the form of bad results. I doubt it will happen. I'm quite disappointed. I will have to drink more gin tonight.