Penultimate Day in Hyeres
Written by Libby Greenhalgh | 28 April 2011
It is the penultimate day of the SOF 2011 ISAF World Cup Regatta here in Hyeres and things have finished unusually early which does mean I can get back to putting my bunting and other Royal Wedding decorations for my own little street party outside the van!
I sadly had to turn down my invite to the wedding (thank you Wills and Kate) in order to support the team here is Hyeres during some very tricky conditions.
Conditions here have been as testing as ever. The last three years have been dominated by light winds with one windy E day normally at the end of the regatta. This year we started off with some decent breeze rain and colder temperatures than UK (not good for ice cream tasting) and have seen it deteriorate through the week.
Light E gradient winds and SE developing sea breezes meant unstable and shifting conditions with ranges of 20-40 deg and generally below 08 KT This has resulted in a fairly high scoring regatta across many of the class, with possibly the exception of the Finn, as the wind gods fail to play to help everyone.
It has very much been a mentally challenging regatta with long days and a fair bit of hanging around.
I am sure the highlight for tonight for most will be the continued bottle boat racing being had in the swimming pool at the team accommodation as the sailors unwind ahead of the crucial final medal clinching racing tomorrow. For me it will be an early night before I put my trucking hat on at the end of tomorrow to make it back home for the rest of the bank holiday.
Libby