I am in Clearwater, Florida for the Laser Midwinter's East regatta. The event is an ISAF Grade 1 event.
Update: I finished 6th. See results and daily reports below.
Results
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Thursday, February 24
Today was the first day of racing. The first race was sailed in a light offshore wind. I had a good start near the middle of the line, and held out to the left side of the course. There was pressure at the left layline, and I came in to the weather mark 8th at the back of the front back, with a big gap back to the next group. I passed one boat downwind and had a nice second beat to round the 2nd weather mark 3rd, which I held to the finish. For the second race, the wind had swung to the right with the sea-breeze. I started at the boat and flipped out to the right, but the wind filled from the left. I rounded the weather mark with about 12 boats behind me. I was able to pick off boats throughout to come back to 8th.
Friday, February 25
In the first race I was lined up for a pin end start. The wind went 10 degrees left in the last minute, and I was not able to make the pin end. I had to scramble off the line, but found a clear lane on the left. The wind filled from the left, and I rounded the weather mark 2nd. I lost one boat downwind, but held 3rd to the finish. In the second race I had a good start in the middle of the line, but didn't realize when I had weeds on my boards and spent too much of the beat going slowly. I had a good first run and continued to pick off boats throughout to finish 9th. In the last race I had another good start in the middle of the line. I held out to the left side of the course and rounded the weather mark around 8. I stayed even throughout and finished 8th.
Saturday, February 26
After a long wait ashore, we headed out to the course in a light southerly. I had a good start near the middle of the line and worked the left side nicely to round the weather mark in 4th. I dropped a couple of boats throughout, including a pack of 3 on the last beat to finish 9th. The race was sailed in near drifting conditions at times, which made it quite tricky.
Sunday, February 27
Today was the last day of racing. After an hour of waiting on the water for breeze, a light seabreeze filled in. In the first race I started one up from the pin. I got pinched off, but decided to go low and try to get out to the pressure on the left. There was not enough pressure, and I rounded the first weather mark deep. I sailed a good first run, lost a bit on the next beat, and gained a bit back on the final run to finish 16. In the last race I had an okay start near the middle of the line and decided to tack out. The wind was quite unstable, having increased and then decreased again, with 20 degree shifts. Most of the fleet headed out to the left where the pressure had been all week. I stayed out to the right and found good pressure and rounded the weather mark 3rd. I passed one boat on the run, and split gates with the leader a the bottom. I headed out to the left side of the course, went to the layline, and tacked back in good pressure, 15 lengths ahead of the boat that had been leading. I held my lead throughout and won the race. I dropped my first race today, and counted a 9 and a 1 to move up to 6th overall in the event.
