Kaunas Season Open - RCB

Hello everyone,

Today we had a wonderful day for the season to be opened on Raceboards. There were 3 races overall, 2 laps for each race. Wind was very unsustainable from 3m/s to 6-7m/s so it was like gusts chasing race. I was using my 9.0 simmer pro-race 2001 (Even though the sail is ancient but the power is still greatly felt).

After perfectly tuning our gear we left the shore to prove who is the best on Raceboards.

For the first race I chose the Starboard tack as the wind was coming straight from East. After the start signal I crossed the start line second, with Martynas LTU 1 ahead. There were hell a lot of intense between me, Paulius LTU 718 and Martynas LTU 1. During the race we were all going tight together and just in the second lap, after the upwind mark I got gust and pumped until the downwind mark. Arrived first and maintained this position until very end. Finished 1st.

In second race we had a little more wind and again - it was obvious that the Starboard tack was more benefitial as wind remained coming from East. This time I started third and until upwind mark I haven't overtaken anyone. While going straight down I got to pump hard to retain some positions and I succeeded. While Paulius LTU 718 was left behind, Martynas was still in front of me. On our way to upwind mark in the middle of second lap Martynas and I made a tack and Paulius continued to sail near the Starboard tack on the right side. While going on the left side I and Martynas catched a gentle breeze (which was coming from North-East) and took the upwind mark with no problems, while Paulius was going on the right side with wind coming from East and that's why he was left a long way behind. Until the end Martynas held his position and didn't leave me any room to sneak in front of him so I finished 2nd.


In the third race the wind slightly turned to North-East and everyone were trying their luck from the Port tack.
At the start the wind was about 4-5m/s so it was enough to get going in foot straps. After we crossed the starting line the wind got a little bit stronger and I have overtaken Paulius LTU 718, but Martynas LTU 1 was still some how alive in front. I was trying hard to overtake him but it seemed he turned on turbo mode and reached the upwind mark first. There were no more extreme competing until the end of the 3rd race as the wind dropped and in the end I finished 2nd.

I want to say thanks for the organisers (Darius Daraška and Siga Gražulienė) and for the rivals who made these races exciting and intense. Tomorrow is another day for the races and I am really looking forward to hear the start signal again. I will try my best to be the 1st.