Issue date
Bonjour all
Happy Bastille Day. The French revere July 14th like the Americans do the 4th of July. Picture the scene of the National Day, the start of the French summer holidays in a seaside town, 27 - 30 deg heat, packed beach, bands playing ...and in the middle of it all and in the hottest part of the day, a major running race exactly where 88 420s are parked. The three Kiwi teams are at Plenuef Val Andre in Brittany, France's Norwest corner and a very beautiful part of the world.
Today was also the Practice Race before the French 420 nationals officially start on Monday. With typical French flair, it was decided that as all 420 competitors were known to push the Start line, a 'Rabbit' start would be in order to sort that out. This humble writer was working on the official boat that marked the starting place of the Rabbit and had the duty of recording boats OCS. While incredulous of the whole concept and wanting to be respectful, the mouth was kept firmly shut as the whole thing turned to custard ...competitors trying to start in front of the Rabbit, collisions, patrol boats in the way ..... a very normal Major event Practice day.
Some got off to a great start, some didn't. The Kiwi Team of three boats, Eliza Wilkinson and Sam Bullock, Taylor Balough and Sam Lee, and Taylor Burn and Henry Gibbs started around the middle if the chaos, the first two boats got away reasonably well but Taylor and Henry paid for not having Clear air. The breeze was dropping during the race from 5-6 knots downwards with many competitors pulling out half way round ......the sailors seem to believe the legend of luck and not finishing practice races ......a good story at best...
Eliza and Sam had a great race, shortish around a trapezoid course finishing 5th to the French and Singaporeans, Taylor and Sam finished around the 20th mark but Taylor and Henry pulled out without completing the race. The sea had turned into a mill pond, no wind, blazing sun as we waited for more wind or the call to go home. The Call came, Coach Ben Goodwin hooked up the three boats and towed them in. With a tidal range of 12 metres, the 400 metre trudge up the beach at low tide in the sun is pretty energy sapping.
The running race was still on. Boats had to remain on the beach until 6pm until they could be hauled up the ramp onto to what is called the 'dyke', the promenade at least 15 metres above the beach, smack in the middle of the holiday revelers.
Home at last to a great dinner and some very acceptable wine at the Petit Chateau. Tomorrow the real work begins. Slightly more wind forecast and more energy sapping sun ...great conditioning for the upcoming 420 Worlds in Valencia a few days away.
Great to see a kiwi Sealegs Rib driving down the sand into the water, made us all proud.
A huge thank you to all the sponsors and supporters that have got us this far, especially the fabulous Singapore Airlines and their very generous luggage allowance.
A Bientot Mes Amis
