NSW State Slalom Titles @ Myall Lakes
Day 1, 29/Nov/2024
Light winds greeted everyone who arrived for the first day of racing, and by 2pm a reasonable NE had kicked in at 6-12kts with occasional 16kt gusts (very occasional)!.
A modified Figure 8 course was set, with the last finish leg slightly deeper downwind to give everyone a chance to put on some speed!
It was a big gear kind of day with sails 9m proving to be most successful, although 8m could work especially if the lulls were NOT near the gybes... WingFoil wings mostly 6m. Foils around the 1000 mark were most common, with some riders opting for even larger foils to help get up early.
I was very happy with my setup, F4 GP100, Cobia 870 (1000 wide), CHS 9.1 Aero and FMX91, providing the goods - with a bit much power in the gusts but entirely manageable.
Debacle
The day was not without incident though... Byron had a gear failure right before the first start - which was delayed so he could swap over to MY spare 85 wide Phantom Mk2 board that I hadn't even ridden yet... recently acquired from Tom (Thanks).
Race 1
Back on track I felt too early (wrong) and slowed down a few seconds only to watch my board ridden by Byron nail the start... but his 850 wide foil didn't have the lift and speed of the new edition, while his 7.8 was a bit small in the lulls and I was able to roll him before the first mark, and held the advantage to the finish!
Race 2
Race two I left my start too late again but so did most of us... I watched Byron race of into the lead but the gybe mark was in a bit of a lull and he fell of the foil, as I did on rounding... but when the gust did come the larger foil proved best and I was able to pump up earlier and take another win!
Race 3 was abandoned when everyone fell of the foil.
Day 2 is looking good!
Shout out to:
Volunteers - so helpful to have a crew of 4 on the boats helping, specifically thanks Glen for the photos! Great course from Ian and starts with Lindsey and Phil for the finish duties !
Myall Shores Caravan Park - Sal & Phil doing a great job hosting our races year after year.
Race Committee for making the event happen!
Racers - without you it doesn't happen!
Day 2
Tricky conditions greeted us on day 2. The forecast was for a solid NE to 20 knots with some rain, which was delivered. Kind of. What wasn't forecast was the massive holes that typically arrived just before a race start or at the outer gybe mark!
Like a good rider I went out early and tested my new to me Phantom 85R2 with 8m CHS and F4 540 but with gusts kicking at 20kts I came back to the beach and rigged my 7m.
Most of the crew elected to race 7 to 7.5m sails with some on 6.0 or 6.5. Big foils were still common but I went with the small foil for the first 2 races.
A few went out on fins with some good speed runs on about 7m sails but ultimately the holes made fins difficult to win with.
I rolled a few who got a better start on the way to the first mark and we all got parked at the gybe in no wind.
In a reversal of fortunes Byron had the bigger front wing (620) and got out of a lull ahead of me to win the first 2.
The run to the finish was intense. A long deep bear away to the finish boat had speeds rising (I hit over 29kts!) but couldn't catch Byron despite having g a more controllable foil in the "black gusts".
Race 2 (or 3) was probably the start of the weekend with at least 8 of us nailing the flag, with fins, foils and wings in the mix.
I got to the gybe mark in a good position but watched with sadness as a lull hit killing Byron's gybe so a few of us extended our run hoping to gybe in the next gust. Muz made it around in a weak one but it wasn't enough for my poor low speed gybe on 540 and he got away from me along with most of the fleet.
After a break I went back out on the FMX 91 that still had the GP100 F4 870 (1000 wide) front wing and it was much better in the lulls while only a few knots slower at speed and surprisingly capable across the wind (given it is a course racing wing!). Most people stuck with the same gear, including Muz on a 7.5 and 85 wide duotone combo with phantom 730. Nick who saw the error in his way, swapping a 100L fin for starboard 85 & 650 combo with 8m point 7 (after not being able to finish the 2nd race unfortunately).
Races 3 to 5 were similar with light winds affecting the course with some more intense bullets.
One gust was barely 50m diameter- enough to pump onto the foil only to drop of seconds later.
Byron ended the day winning all 5 races with the other places fought over between Nick, Muz, Berowne and Hugh on a well overpowered 6m wing. Muz probably had the most consistent starts down at the pin end while Byron and I had to wait a few extra seconds to start late in race 4.
Couple good drag races between fins, foils and wings. For example Hugh and Nick for the last of the podium places.
Dion was screaming along ahead of the fleet for one race on a ka 7m, Patrik 100 with 36cm fin and led race 4 or 5 for the first two legs with a fleet of foils chasing. Until he got caught out at the top gybe mark on last rounding with another lull.
Bruce rode 6.8 and 109 with 42cm fin, beating James in one race.
On the wings the places are all between the northerners from Port Macq and even Brissy coming down for a great weekend.
Hugh leads the small fleet on his 6m wing with 1050 on day 1 and 850 for day 2. The QLD kids Laken & Kelson were on a mix of 5.5, 5.0 and even 3.5m wings with 1050 and 1500 foils while Brett was giving it a solid go on a fanatic.
sorry but the GoPro 360 was recording as a camera and faced the wrong way.
Thanks to all the volunteers as alwyas, especially Glen and Ruth for some amazing on the water photos!
Fin, Foil or on Wing it really didn't matter - everyone was having fun either racing for a win, or just to beat the guy in front of you for that leg... Send It!
What a great weekend away in a fantastic location.
You can't thank all the volunteers and helpers enough as with out them great times away with family and friends would not be possible.
Murray , James , Ian , Jeff, Berowne, Glen, Phil, Lindsay , Michael, Dave thanks heaps and also Myal shores holiday park who always accomodate us.
There are some great photos that's for sure.Thanks Glen and Ruth
I like the one on the start line with wings , fins and foils sweet.
Note next year's State Slalom dates are 28th,29th,30th November so book now, waiting to see what the forecast is going to do , is just an insult to all the organisers and volunteers.
Come and enjoy a great time with friends.
According to Myall Shores website all accommodation is booked out again for those dates.
The whole site is booked for the Windsurf Slalom Comp. Call the team at Myall Shores and tell them you want to stay and race. They will sort you out!
