Let the Worlds Begin in La Rochelle…..

So fellow sailors, here we are in La Rochelle for the 2015 Dragon World Championship. With just over 80 boats now registered & launched the SRR (Societe des Regates Rochelaises), based at the Port des Minimes, have done an excellent job providing the competitors with plenty of space to unpack their boats, easy registration, detailed and efficient measurement and provided a warm welcome to us all..

Yesterday, Sat 6th, was the practice race.  To be fair, I think the practice race is more for the organisers than the competitors as none of the sailors give a hoot! It’s more like the “Gunfight at the OK Corral”, where Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt Earp with the help of Doc Holiday, took on the McLaury & Clanton Brothers 🙂  Whilst in Tombstone that day back in October of 1881 the result was 2 wounded and 3 dead….  Yesterday we ended up with 35 boats black flagged on the first recall, 44 boats OCS on the 2nd start and just 5 boats actually behind the line at the starting gun 🙂 “Laugh, I nearly bought a round”….

However, on the positive side, this morning we have a briefing at 9.30am at which the Competitors have the opportunity to air their views or question the Race Management Team on certain issues. I see this as being a very constructive way to begin this most prestigious Championship held in such a wonderful location on the west coast of France.

With so many top teams to mention, this will be a fantastic event. The weather forecast for the first three days is for reasonably strong north easterly winds, so lets pack our sandwiches and thermos flask, batten down the hatches and all go “Full Speed”……….

Higher, Faster, Longer…………..    Stavros (GBR 585).