Phil reports from the US Nationals where he steps out and dusts off his old SB158 and new Maui Sails TR6 xt's to mix it with the top formula pros.

"Day one of the US Nationals.

Four Course races completed today, winds varying from 12 to 25 knots, temperatures were a chilly 60 degree?s and who wants to know what the water temperature was, burrrrrr. We finally got under way about 1.15pm in about 12-19 knots. Easy upwind and downwind course, finishing upwind after the last bouy rounding.

Most of the fleet started in starboard with slight moving flood tide and some offshore puff?s to be had if you tacked in the right spot off Chrissy field. I started around the middle of the line with my 11m, hit the upwind mark in 4th, close to the leader. Rounded leeward in third and pushed really hard to the upwind mark, I managed to out point Paulo and an another South American, not sure his name and rounded in first place. Paulo got me on the downwind and sneaked ahead of me at the finish.
Next race I switched down to my 10m and had a good start in the middle of the line, got an amazing lift after tacking across onto the port layline and rounded the weather mark with a nice lead. On the next upwind I put some distance on Paulo and Wilhem Sherman was pushing into third place. I got the win from Paulo and then Sherman.

Race 3, rounded second, but had a water dunk on the downwind so lost a few spots. Managed to catch a few on the upwind and finished the race in 6th. Paulo won, Sherman Second and third was a Frenchman Metayer.

Race 4. Decided to start on port and shot out of the line with clear air, flying up the first upwind. Rounded with Paulo and Sherman close behind me. I headed out again to the flood tide, while Sherman headed in and he rounded ahead of me at the bottom mark, both of us chasing behind Paulo. Next upwind was the same places, then downwind I had a swim just before the bottom mark, so Sherman got away from me. Paulo won, Sherman second, Phil third.

It was cold and with plenty of challenging winds, not ballistic yet, because it?s still cold here and the tides were flooding all day, so the water was pretty flat. Some great racing from everyone, Paulo and Sherman especially who are very fast and well polished around the race course.

So top 5 at the moment, discarding our worst result.
Paulo- 1, 2, 1, 1.
Phil- 2, 1, 6, 3
Sherman- 4, 3, 2, 2.
Metayer- 10, 4, 3, 4
Seth Besse- 8, 5, 4, 5.

Tomorrow they are talking about 2 course races and a long distance in the afternoon down to Treasure Island and back."