Unexpected Wave Session
at Triple Crown!
13/05/04
Well, I have just got back from the Triple Crown in Ireland and I all I can
remember is one of the best UK wave sailing sessions ever!
Sunday greeted us with light wind and sunshine. The decision was made to go
to Gowlane and wait for the wind. Event organiser Andy Groom laid on a Speed
Sailing competition in the light onshore conditions - with many of the sailors
opting to borrow my Naish 6.8 Edge.
At about 5pm all sailors were released for the day with the chances of competition
that day being over. At about 5.20pm I got a call from my good friend Oisin
Van Gelderen ... "just had a call from Gavin - he'd at Inch on a 5.2!"
At 5.45 Oisin and I were at Inch Strand rigged up and straight onto the water
for an evening of amazing wave sailing. Both Oisin and I had made calls back
th the rest of the competitors and organisers and within perhaps half an hour
almost every competitor was at the beach and on the water!
An unofficial expression session was held in which we were judged on our freesailing
over the entire period that we were on the water - and hte cameras rolled and
the photographers tookheaps of pictures.
Sunday evening was truely one of the best wave sailing sessions I have ever
had. Chest to head high sets walled up for hundreds of meters on the dramatic
beach giving us 6 or 8 bottom turns on a wave. THe wave itself was not too hearsh
or heavy and everyone was just going for it. Skyeboy took the victory, announced
that evening, with Andy King and Oisin taking 2nd and 3rd. I also hearedfrom
inside sources that I had made 'the list' of sailors who stood out during the
session so I was really happy as I felt I had been sailing well.
On Monday we headed over to Inch Strand again in the hope that we would gain
the same conditions as the previous evening but we were met with disappointingly
small waves and a light to moderate wind... which then transpired into my worst
nightmare - light wind freestyle - being the heaviest sailor in the fleet and
with freestyle not my strongest discipline. So I unfortunately got knocked out
in the first round. At least the competition took place and delivered a result
for the first round.
It doesn't matter as the memories of the unexpectedly amazing session on sunday
will live with me for a long time to come!