Topic: My own experience - ACA Cup Lite (Read 340 times)

Ox Seetan · « **Reply #-1 on:** July 11, 2011, 07:07:56 AM »

First, I want to thank all the organizers and participants. I had a great time, both during the races and during training. Thank you to everyone involved in this Cup, and a big thank you to my mentor/coach

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To share some thoughts (with apologies for my bad English), here's how I lived the final from inside.

The first phase of "Time Trials" permitted us to understand the behavior of the boat, and made the next step more easier.

On the "Lite" racers final, this is how I have experienced it:

Oddly, while very few "crashes" took place in the Intermediate final, the Lite final was a little disturbed unfortunately

About my races and tactics:
In general, while respecting my own starting routine, I adapted my timing on the other competitors. My goal was not to cross the starting line ahead of other competitors, but just behind (but not too late neither), windward, so that I can tack on a port tack immediately after crossing the line.
Several reasons for this:
- Remain in control of my decisions without depending on others strategy
- Avoid their "bad air" and navigate in least loaded (laggy) sims
- Arrive at the top mark on a starboard tack, as R-O-W boat
Indeed, my goal was not to reach the upwind mark as the leader, but rather in a R-O-W position, allowing me again to make my own choices.
IMHO, the ideal position, if not clear ahead with a sufficient gap, was rather to be just astern the other(s) boat(s), so I could easily pass them on the leg to the second buoy, with the windshadow effect of this boat.
This downwind leg allows to reach very high speed, and the effect of wind shadow on this boat, especially with the spinnaker, has very (too much?) dramatic consequences on the boat being wind shadowed. This is where you can gain a considerable gap.

How all this applied when racing?
Pretty well

1st race: IMHO by far the most interesting. We all started lately, I initially watched the boat in the best position (it was Orca), and then I modeled my start on her, to comply with my initial strategy. She crossed the line at 00:08 seconds, I followed her at 00:09. As planned, she kept a stb tack while I turned for a port tack after the line. I was not very good on this first leg, I didn't managed very well the variances of the wind and I was a little disturbed by a tack at a sim crossing. Well, not very important. I reached the upwind mark on a starboard tack, but Orca who managed very well this first leg, was able to tack right under my lee bow, giving me bad air. I luffed a bit to avoid this bad air. It could have been the worst case scenario if it had happened somewhere else, but as it happened just before we reached the mark zone, I was in a perfect position to apply wind shadow once we had rounded the buoy. We entered the mark zone overlapped, Orca being the inside boat. I luffed to avoid her bad air and also to give her room enough to tack, without taking any risk. (When two ACAs are too close to each other, a collision may occur with the stern of the inside boat, due to the pivot point). We rounded the buoy, me being outside, just behind her. So far so good. At this point I knew I was going to win that first race... As planned, the windshadow played its role, and I passed Orca to take the lead at the second mark, with a sufficient gap. I knew that on the next leg to the third buoy (a beam reach), windshadow won't play, so I could at least keep the same gap (if not doing any mistake), and then when we'll sail to the upwind mark again, Orca will get my bad air so that the difference at the top mark is enough that I'm not bothered by her wind shadow in the last leg to finish (if not, I had another idea in mind anyway...).
But as I thought that the race was over, SL has decided otherwise, and I crashed when I entered the Galilee Sim, on my course to third mark

. Game over.
I reconnected just in time to see Orca win the race, and also to see that Colin and Fada had crashed too (they both rerezzed after their crashes, and I believe Colin was not racing the right course, and Fada had an ID issue, not sure).
Well, anyway, Orca 1 point, all others 4 points.

2nd race: same players shoot again. I must say I was a bit disappointed at this point, but I decided to apply the same strategy. Again, Orca took the best start, crossing the line at 00:01, I followed at 00:02, windward to her. Again, she kept her course on a starboard tack, while I chose a port tack after the line. I better managed this upwind leg, so I think I could have reached the upwind mark clear ahead. Unfortunately Orca crashed when on a port tack to the mark

. That's was not fun, I had preferred by far we had a good fight on water. Fada and Colin being far behind me, the rest of the race was a formality. Simply be careful to not make mistakes, and pray that SL is not involved more.
So I won that race, with Fada runner up and Colin third.
After this race, it had been said there was a perfect tie between all of us, I didn't understood. For me, Orca and me had 5 points (both 1+4), Fada had 6 (4+2) and Colin had 7 (4+3). Upon reflection, I think the first race was rather confusing and was ranked differently: Colin rerezzed and finsihed, he was ranked 2nd, and Fada with no ID was ranked third.
Well, all with 5 points then. That was not important in my mind, I knew that the best way to win...is to win!

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3rd race: here we go for the last race, which will decide for the Lite Cup. Again, same routine during my prestart. It seemed to me that the others were a little nervous, and were positioning in a different way during the pre start. I am not sure. Regardless, I have adapted, I even made a tactical 360° turn (keeping clear of others, but keeping an eye on all of them).
Orca again took a perfect start, crossing the line at 00:00, taking some risks. No choice for me, I had to took some risk as well, I know she is fast, so I also started at 00:00 (what I don't like, I prefer nice tactical moves on the course), but in my favorite position: windward, in order to sail on a port tack once the starline was crossed. What happened after that, I do not know. I found myself at the top mark with a big lead, so I just had to continue my race hoping the gods of SL leave me alone. I think Orca and Fada crashed again

. Not fun at all.

So at the end I am the winner of the Cup, with 2 points after the discard (4-1-1), Colin is second with 4 points (2-3-2), Orca (1-4-4) and Fada (3-2-4). I suppose Orca is third when applying 8.1 Tie breaking.

But this is not very important. If I'm happy with this result for my first participation in a Cup, however, I am well aware that a lot of (bad)chance played an important role. We could all have won the cup, the choice was made by SL, and has nothing to do with sailing skills. I am pretty sure I was the fastest sailor this day, lol (sorry for that, just my competitive spirit) but Orca may think the same as the others may as well. We will never know in fact. That was lottery.

What is more important to me is that all this has taken place with a great mind/spirit, great mood and good humor.
I really enjoyed taking part in this event and "sailing" with you.
Be all thanked.