Day Four

Today was the fourth day of the Laser Worlds, and it was also the final day of qualifying.  I sailed in yellow today, starting first and sailing the outer loop.

In the first race, I had a great start at the pin and was one of a few to be able to tack immediately and cross most of the fleet.  I sailed on port for a couple of minutes and tacked back left with the lead pack, playing some shifts up the left side of the course.  I thought things were going pretty well and that I was in the top ten, but it got a little patchy and a bunch of guys from the right all crossed the fleet.  The first three were miles ahead of the fleet as they reached into the mark.  I found myself in about 25th at the mark!  On the downwind, the pressure filled from behind and the fleet compressed at the second mark.  On the first downwind I was able to separate and gain a little bit.  I played the second beat well, but was the victim of yet another big righty at the top.  I rounded in about 20th and caught up to 18th by the finish.

Knowing that I would need to score a very good race to qualify for Gold fleet, I decided to get a little risky with my strategy in the last race.  The right had been good so far all day, so I wanted to win the boat end and quickly flop to port and head hard right.  I did just that -- getting a great start at the boat and tacking immediately-- and headed to the right.  Again, I was looking pretty good, but this time the left came in!  I could not pick the side correctly!  I rounded in the mid-twenties and frantically tried to rally.  On the first downwind I separated and was able to get around a pack and into the low teens.  On the second beat I played the middle left really well (for the first time picking a side correctly!) and was able to move up to 11th at the last windward mark.  On the downwind I passed two more boats and hung in 9th until the finish.

So I scored an 18-9 today to round out my qualifying series.  53 boats qualify for Gold fleet, and I ended up missing out by THREE points!  Every boat counts!  So it's slightly disappointing to be racing the rest of the event in Silver fleet.  It's been a tough month with my poor result at Sail For Gold and now here at the Worlds, but I truly think that I've learned a lot and have narrowed down a few areas upon which I need to improve.

Three more days of sailing are left.