Since last weekend Adam Piggott and I have driven the X40 to Hyeres for the next Extreme 40 event, and then travelled the length of Europe to come to Texel for the 31st edition of the Round Texel race, on Saturday the 7th June. The day was a mixed affair, with light offshore wind from the North East to begin with, and tide underneath the boats at the start. This pushed a big group of boats over the line early and a few black flag infringements were signalled. But for the Fat Face team, of Hugh Styles and Adam Piggott, they benefitted from the situation, with a near perfect start, and a clear lane off the line, they were with the leading boats for the first mile. The sea breeze started to kick in and made for tricky tactical decisions, either staying in by the beach with a good angle for the breeze, or going off shore for the building sea breeze. Hugh and Adam positioned well and rounded the first gate, first F18 with a 100m lead, they extended this to 200m by the next mark the VC bouy. The downwind did not go so well and the team were not able to maintain the lead and dropped, back. But put in a late charge through into the finish, when the wind increased in the last 5 km to the line. Finishing 10th the team were pleased and gutted all at the same time. Hugh commented “Through to the half way point we were sailing really well together and this maintained, but we just couldn’t get going on the downwind. The good thing is this regatta has given us lots of good training time and we feel we are right on top of our game on the boat. When we get to Vigo for the F18 worlds in 3 weeks time we will be well prepped and on fire, watch this space!!

All the best and many thanks to all our sponsors:
Fat Face
Nacra Europe
Gill
Tactick
Marlow Ropes
Towergate Mardon

On Friday June 22 2007, the British Fatface-team Styles/Crawford won the Texel Dutch Open after an exciting conclusion. In the end, the gap to Dutchmen Heemskerk and Tentij was only half a point. The British F18 Capricorn duo Gummer/Burke were third. The Open Class I showed new leaders, as both F18 Nacra Infusion teams Huntelman/Van der Kamp and De Koning/Van Leeuwen took a bullet. Thanks to a moderate south-western wind, the course was laid out along the coast, which gave a good view for the people on the Texel beach. They witnessed the battle against the current while beating upwind. The consideration whether to choose for less current or more pressure, made it an exciting game. In the very last race, Hans Primowees was finally beaten once in the Open Class II. He finished second after the British Nacra 500 of Luke and Adam Butler, but he won the overall series. Later in the afternoon, Heemskerk and Tentij won the TNG Short Track Races.

Today was the first day of the Texel Dutch Open, this is the regatta just before the round Texel Race this weekend.

We were onfire won both races today, sailing the Fat Face boat. Racing was postponed for 3 hours and so we went out and did 2 hrs of training with our Nacra Infusion team mates Mischa Heemskerk and Sebastian Tenji. This really paid off as once the racing got underway at 4.30pm we has very good speed.

We started really welll, punchy some might say, but then sailed conservatively which worked to our advantage, taking places in race 1 and leading from the front in race 2.

Looking forward to another good day tomorrow.

Ciao for now.

Hugh

Today saw us launch the Offshore challenges X40 onto the waters of lake Geneva. This is rather a relief for me as this week has been a bit epic. Monday saw 24 hrs of travelling picking up vans, trailers and sorting out Swiss customs for an X40 container.

We have managed to get the boat all tickled and out for a sail on the lake. We have seen some wacky cats out there sailing, some 28 ft cats and then the daddy of the lakes catamarans the, One Design 35’s. Ernesto Bertarelli’s (of Alinghi AC fame) boat, and his sisters boat with its all girl crew were also out training for the event. They are amazing machines completely over canvassed and doing 3 times the wind speed up and downwind, in what most of us in the UK consider to be un-sailable conditions.

Funniest of the day was upwind hull flying past this motorboat which was drifting in the middle of the lake and we interrupted a couple naked as the day they were born in a rather compromising position. Didn’t stop them though and the cheeky bloke gave us a wave too.

Tomorrow is corporate sailing and training prior to the BOL D’OR which starts this Saturday with 530 competing boats and a race up and down the 83 miles of lake. Shouldn’t take too long, but last year some of the fastest boats took over 17 hrs to complete the course!! Aaargh hope its windy this year!!

Other images included with this entry..