Another LOC mission...

Nearly missed the start when I took the 7.0m/91L board for a run and on the way back noticed everyone's sails up on the beach... When I got in there was still almost 2 minutes to go so I had to decide on which rig to take. They both felt good. Glad I made the choice for smaller board and sail because the wind really picked up in the middle of the race.

Got a pretty bad start considering where I was on the line but made good ground catching up on the first leg. By the time I got to the first mark I could only see 5 people in front of me. Second leg I got past a few more so by the second gybe there was only Jesper and Bjoern in front of me. I smacked a piece of chop pretty hard as I rotated the sail in the gybe and tweaked my lower back, sending it into spasm. Great timing... but I could still sail, albeit a bit less flexibly. For the rest of the race I had a good battle with Jesper, we passed each other a few times- I was doing really bad (falling in a few times) gybes. By the last outside leg my lower back was getting worse so I couldnt push it, and Jesper got a break. Next thing I see him in the water. oops. I was in survival mode at that stage, and was just hoping it would take him a bit longer to recover than he did... I fell off on the last gybe and Jesper got past again. Spent the next minute or so trying to get past him again, and finally did so around the reef for the stretch home on flat water.

So it was a good battle.

Congrats to everyone who competed, and especially to those that finished. Stoked to see Marcus finishing so well. Nice one maaate.

Great party, and awesome to catch up with everyone again. Great effort by all the guys who travelled a long way to do the event.

Absolutely perfect racing conditions for the event and I am glad it went off with so much wind with such a dodgey forecast the night before.

Well done to all who finished a very challenging race.

For me I chose to go the small board ten minutes before the start instead of the wider 102ltr. Good choice. I ran with the 90 rrd x-fire and 6.5 tushy t-bird and a weed fin for safety, instead. Having struggled last year with the 7.8 I did not want that mistake again and the wind looked like it would fill in.

After a good start it was on. I had guys going past me all over the place on the first run then turned into the 2nd leg thinking what have I done as I was underpowered and could not go low enough to start with. Then the wind filled in a touch and from then on it got better and better.

For the next few legs I was having the race of my life with the gear working perfectly and started to claw back some positions. My board was firing like it had the home co-ordinates programmed in. No spinout, no rail grabs, no nose dives and no dropped gybes. I could not believe how comfortable I was one notch down from serious stress and never the oh s*%T moment. Guys were dropping in or going over the front ahead of me and I was thinking my turn is coming soon so pay attention.

I make the last inside turn and feel the wind fill in some more. I am feeling great if not a bit of tiredness starting to set in. Only one more outside gybe and we are home bound.

As I set off I am still having the race of my life and cannnot believe I have not crashed. I am going to get in the top twenty for the first and maybe only time ever. I am sailing out of my skin.
500 metres out from the inside gybe it happens. Ping goes the harness line, but wait no crash...I am still moving. No way am I stopping to fix it as this will cost valuable time. The forearm of the front arm starts to burn, man up I tell myself, you can rest when you finish. I get what I think is about half way through the reach and I can't see the boat. I have to gybe and change tack to give my arm a rest for a bit. I tell myself this is loosing ground...I gybe back around and push on... the burn increases...I can't feel my fingers...why won't they grip the boom...come on I can make it.

I look for the boat and can see the guys ahead of me gybing around it. How far out are we? I feel like will be coming in to the north of the island. My arm can not hold on any longer. Man up you Bas&%@d - don't quit now...so close. That's it - I am never going to make it so I gybe and head for the beach.
(Looking at the posted tracks I figure I made it to last years mark and if 5.5 was the km's, I did about 4 with out the harness line. I could see the guys about 900m in front gybing but the kite on the boat was so small. How far out were we?)

As I headed back in totally demoralised the yellow rescue boat headed over, no doubt to tell me I gybed early. Yes I know - don't worry - I signal that I am done.

As I have the most relaxing run back in I head through the bouys for good measure and pass some exposed reef thinking "I hope no one hits that" to find out later that someone did. For a moment I think of what to do. Sail in and cross the line...nah that will screw up the whole system. At this stage I would land around 15th and it would stuff up the whole order. What if they can't delete me from the list till later or forget - I couldn't do it to the guys coming in just behind me. So I have a clear run into the beach and head south of the finish gates. People are cheering and trying to point out I am heading the wrong way. They go quiet when they see the look on my face. I am devastated after such a great run so I avoid the crowd, throw my gear to the beach and sulk around the back to tell the guys I am a DNF, thoroughy filthy at myself.

But what a great race overall, great conditions, very tough but fun. Shattered at the end but loved the thrill of going so well for the most part. Again well done to all who finished and all who tried. I was in very good company of much better sailors than I, that also DNF'd. So no great shame. I would have made it if the last leg was the same as last year. Oh well maybe I will have to try again.

Jesper arriving...

Exocett S cross 115L & Severne 7.5m
Starting position was really good on 3rd row but no one on the 2nd in front. Clear run the water. Until a sail came crashing down across the front but luckily managed to push around the top and had a good start. Was feeling great on the way the the first mark just telling myself to relax as long way to go. As I gybed the first boat the gybe turned more into a aerial rather than carve and hurt my ankle landing but pain went with the adrenalin. Next few legs were getting more and more powered up but going well. As with everyone the last mark just couldn’t be seen…the legs and arms felt they were going to combust they were burning that much. Stacked it a couple of times but the saw the final mark. The home run… all could think about was wow my best race ever until BANG.... as I go in to the water just holding the arm of my boom…snapped clean off at alloy end and carbon snapped the other.[}:)][}:)] After spitting the dummy out for a while I swapped the boom upside down to try and sail in anyway. Now the wind was blowing that much the remaining boom arm just kept flexing too much and I couldn’t hook in due to it basically feeling like sailing with no outhaul. I had no energy left so sat on the board thinking it’s going to be a long walk back as I was nearly level with the island….until I thought whats the point in walking when it’s the one time can get a taxi easily!! I set the flare off as it burned away to nothing I thought no one would have seen that but sure enough a few minutes later boats headed my way. It took a while to derig the kit and get it on the boat with the swell but finally managed and was passed a beer
Talking to people later I would of made between positioning of between 30-40 which made me even more gutted. But on the bright side there always next year!

All around another great event. And a big thank you to the guys that rescued me.

good video here


Lots of arrivals including
Porka at 9.42
Nebbian's face plant at 10.16
JC's wrestle at 10.23
Bender at 10.31
Hooksey 10.50
Bertie 11.11
Stringer 11.30
And many more

Hi Lao Shi

Thanks for posting the Kuma Movie clip,,

I nearly spitted out a mouthful of my coffee onto the keyboard, when I watched Nebbian's face plant!! (10:16)

He he he,, very entertaining (he recovered well and was still smiling)

Lots of other good stuff too,,,

Wow Darryl that some big damage to the 112 board :(,, was that the mast foot going all the way through it?

rookie error

Was my toughest year bar far too...

Gear was spot on (RRD X-fire 90 and KA Koncept 5.8) but I simply got tired and started making stupid mistakes. Haven't had much sailing this year which is never a good things. My last catapult (yes there was a few ) was a cracker...finally found and rounded the last boat, was absolutely stuffed but glad the end was in sight. Then of course lost concentration, spun out and tripped the rail.

Took the whole impact on my ribs taking all the air out my lungs. Hugged my board and tried to regain breath for what seemed like forever (prob about 5 minutes in reality). Decided to try one last effort to make the beach. Felt like the longest run ever. Was very relived to finish....

Evidently the Chinook carbon is stronger than my ribs... looks like I've got a fracture but the boom is fine.

Lesson to be learnt here... I probably should have called it quits after my earlier catapult, that rattled me a bit and I was pretty stuffed once I got going again.

And of course the same thing I say every year... I MUST SAIL MORE IN THE OCEAN NEXT YEAR.

Big congrats to all who finished... it wasn't an easy race this year.

Great stories everyone, and well done to all who competed. Certainly sounds like a very challenging event this year. I'm yet to complete the LOC, and at the last minute had to cancel this year's trip. I have full respect for everyone that competes in this race. I have experienced the conditions and know how tough it is.

I wonder if we'll ever see the footage from Bjorn's boom mounted Go Pro? It would be good to see how composed he is with a 7.8 in 25 knots and massive swell.

Once again, well done to everyone. Hopefully I can have another crack next year.

i spectated this year due to a CBF
and took the time to take some pics..
this one is of bender and nebs both indicating the posistion they
thought they would finish!

Well done Jäger stone in the waves you trained hard,and was carrying a minor injury.but showed them what a true talented champion you are. Sick full page picture in the geraldton rag to day. Nice tv performances

This was my 3rd attempt at the Ocean classic.

My first 2 tries were as a youth about 8 years ago and i didn't end up finishing because it was about 12 knots both times.

Super excited there was enough wind this time. went out on a north Natural 6.6 and a JP 268 Freeride 100L. Was going fine on the legs with reaches but found it very difficult going so far down wind on some of the legs.

I obviously need to practice my downwind sailing more as it felt like it constantly wanted to catapult me and that my toeside rail was trying to grab.

Does anyone do anything differently for sailing that far downwind?

Oh and i finished in 1 hour and 2 mins. Pretty slow but i'm glad i finished it. I've never been that exhausted before in my life.

Just found this video of the start:

Bails said...

Celebrated with a nice body drag coming in to the line - unfortunately that youtube vid doesn't capture it

Hahaha yeah I saw you do it Bails. Funny shish

djdojo,
I just knew it - reading your kitesurfing posts I just knew that you must have once been a windsurfer from your ability to spell and write articulately. Nice story too.