The 2011 Lancelin Ocean Classic entries are now open - remember the earlier you enter the better starting position you receive. The 2011 event will be the biggest in its 26 year history so if you have not entered this race why not make 2011 your year. If you have entered before, you know how good the beer tastes when you finish… not to mention the after party. For all event details please go to the new event website www.lancelinoceanclassic.com.au

Rob Goyen
Lancelin Ocean Classic

Looks like it will be blasting in from the SE all weekend, with a bit a swell in the gulf too. Great for wave-sailing at Sellicks, but no good for the marathon.

This weekend was the last roll of the dice for this event – it’s a long weekend next weekend with everyone away, and the boys with the rescue boats have been very kind but need to get on with their lives. So we will have to put the idea on hold till next Spring when a SW is a dead cert. Thanks to all those who put in to get the idea moving forward. Looks like we may have pushed our luck too far scheduling it for early Feb.

The boys and girls at Windsurfing SA will get together soon and make plans for events for next season. Thanks to everyone who ran or attended an event this season. We have had some hits and some misses. Always looking to improve the stoke factor. Maybe a format where events are held on, say, the first Sunday of the month regardless, with the venue and format to be decided by conditions? Any feedback welcome.

Regards,
Richard for Windsurfing SA

When
 First windy Saturday or Sunday from 6th February 2010 onwards.
 Wednesday before: Heads Up
   posted on Seabreeze.com.au and Windsurfing SA blog.
 Day before: Final decision
   posted on Seabreeze.com.au and Windsurfing SA blog.

What
 20 km Open Ocean Marathon from Seacliff to Semaphore.
 15 knots (~SW) minimum wind speed.
 The event is organised by Windsurfing SA and sponsored by KA Sail.
 The Race Committee for Windsurfing SA is Richard Upton (Race Director), Chris Dimond, Marty Sellars and Dave Lane.

On the Day
 12pm: Meet on Seacliff Beach near Boat Ramp
 12.45pm: Briefing
 Figure 8 slalom till wind hits 15 knots
 Last departure time: 3 pm
 4pm:  Finish. BBQ and Prize giving at Semaphore

For further details, see the
Seacliff Semaphore Coastal Marathon 2010 PDF (1.1mb)
www.windsurfing.org/sa.htm (membership form)

I did a practice run today (NYD) in a 15-25 knot SW seabreeze. 7.5 KA Koncept, ~110L slalom board and 23cm weed fin.  Took a waterproof bumbag with a mobile phone and wallet and bribed my wife with a coffee to pick me up at the other end.  Very glad I did.  First, it was awesome fun.  But I also learned a few things.  It took me 44 min to get from Seacliff to the north side of the new breakwater at Semaphore.  Quicker than a car I think so the idea of starting people at Seacliff then driving down to record the finish won’t work.  I pressed on to Largs Bay, as we did discuss finishing there – I wouldn’t recommend that.  The change in angle to the coast means that you may be forced a longway out to sea (see pic) once past Semaphore.  Otherwise it was possible to hug the coast all the way down, never being more offshore than the short-boarders BAFing at the various spots along the coast. The idea of having inshore gates along the coast isn’t as good as it sounds.  At a deep angle off the wind you seem to be concentrating on bearing away on the swells to get closer to shore, and rounding up slightly if you lose pressure in the sail.  It’s a delicate balance – the shore is behind your sail and very hard to devote attention to things like a person or a buoy, or in fact identify things like Yacht clubs or SLSC clubs along the way.  There are only 2 very obvious structures that appear in front of you – a west cardinal mark just north of Adelaide Shores, and the intake for West Lakes – about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way.  I suggest we make it mandatory to pass inside of these, and have an observer onshore at each with binos.  To do the first one, you need to head inshore after the breakwater at Glenelg.  The jetties are very obvious of course.

The sea conditions were chop and a rolling swell which disappeared between Semaphore and Largs.  The wind strength seems to come and go on 5 min cycle or so.  My average board speed was about 20 knots, with bursts to 25 k.  Not that fast because of the deep angle, but the fastest VMG downwind according to my sums – happy for someone to prove me wrong!  Sailed comfortably and safely at this speed, with at bit of load on the back leg.  It is a different style of sailing however, which I think it pays to practice before hand.   The main problem is going for a gybe after a long session on one tack – all your muscles seem to be frozen in the one position.  However, physically it wasn’t too demanding and I actually felt I could sail the same distance again.  It was almost too short!  With this particular board, I was totally confident in not stuffing the nose into the back of a swell (= big prang).  The weed fin was a success in that it didn’t catch weed and was fast enough, but too small and prone to spinout which with this board can trip a rail – fell off 3 times I think which were all due to spin-out (not pilot error of course :-) ). Had one panicky episode off Glenelg when waterstarting just wasn’t working till I realised my harness loop was hooked on the fin.  Panicky mostly because I realised I might be blowing a PB time to Glenelg.  I didn’t particularly feel at risk for the whole trip except when uncomfortably offshore from Largs.

 From the Seabreeze responses, it looks like this will be a pretty small event – I think the main challenge will be the reality that in Adelaide we have to call the event at short-notice when the wind looks good. Seabreezes can be hard to predict, even the day before.  Not conducive to elaborates plans, where people are constantly on standby.  I think a boat would be good but possibly optional if logistics are too hard.  A buddy system with mobile phones could address a lot of concerns if the SeaRescue Squad and SLSC are advised and on standby.

Read the forum discussions at;
http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=59806

Just for a bit of fun, let’s collate some times. Post your results to seabreeze.com.au with details of your equipment, wind and water conditions and comments. Post your GPS data on a speed site if you use one. Use this format thanks:

Sailor:
Date:
Time of day:
Wind speed:
Wind direction:
Board:
Sail:
Fin:
One way time (Seacliff to Glenelg):
Return time (if done):
Comments:

For more details:
Practice course (PDF) – course picture included
SA Calendar (PDF)

Article submitted by Richard Upton

• 06 September 2009 (rescheduled to 13th)
• 11 October
• 01 November
• 17 January 2010
• 07 February

Events may be postponed to the next windy Sunday, so watch the Seabreeze Forum for updates

The Series will consist of Slalom + Marathon racing predominantly at the Murray Mouth, but will consider other locations depending on the forecast conditions.

The final race day in February will be a marathon race / social run along the entire length of the Adelaide metropolitan coast line from Seacliff to Semaphore.

Entrants must be current members of Windsurfing SA or interstate equivalents if you are travelling from interstate to compete. Refer the Windsurfing SA website for membership details and procedures www.windsurfing.org/sa.htm

The emphasis for this race series is on FUN. First time racers are very welcome and encouraged.

Keep checking the Seabreeze Forum Topic regularly for updates.

Allison departed from Stanley in Tasmania at 7.52am expecting 20kt winds from the NW, swinging 25-30kts for a few hours then moderating to 20kts SW in the afternoon with a 1-2m swell. In reality Allison was faced with 20-25kts from the NW then 25-35kts W/SW for six hours straight with swells peaking over 4m at times.

After the first four hours Allison was nearly half way across Bass Strait and on target to smash the current record. The middle third of the crossing proved to be the greatest challenge and after a courageous nine hour slog resulting in severe cramping and the onset of hypothermia, Allison’s challenge was ultimately brought to an end when she was helped on board Calypso II, her support boat, before she was able to set foot on Victorian shores.

A real highlight of Allison’s Bass Strait crossing was being escorted by about 50 dolphins showing off by surfing through the face of the waves and diving under her board. During a break, her companion was a beautiful Albatross out in the middle of nowhere, and a couple of friendly seals made an appearance. “This whole experience is one I’ll never forget”.

Bass Strait Challenge

The “Life on the Edge” campaign officially concluded on 31st March.

Allison would like to thank her sponsors Electra Energy, Club Marine, Pacific Sailing School, Jesus – All About Life campaign, Musto, Audi, Jetstar, Suunto, Icom, Calypso Fishing Charters, Digiboat, Aerotrac, Telstra Next G, Lapstone Hotel, VMG Blades, Uvex, RFD, Zhik, and Balance Water.

More information, videos and pictures can be found on bassstraitchallenge.com, video of the Challenge can be seen HERE!

Allison’s Home Page: www.aus911.com

The wind was slightly stronger for the first half of the event (around 15 knots max) and most of us were planing around the course. Sam Doecke took an early lead and managed to lap the entire fleet and myself (I was in second at that stage) and continued planing the whole time. The wind dropped a little towards the end and some of us could no longer get planing, but Nick Bellgrove came to the fore with his 9.0m and ended up battling it out with Sam for the lead.

In the end, the results for round one are:
1st – Sam Doecke 16 laps
2nd – Nick Bellgrove 16 laps
3rd – Chris Dimond 13 laps
4th – Joe Belluzzo 12 laps
5th – Richard Upton 10 laps
6th – Tim Hemer 8 laps
7th – Geoff Shuttleworth 7 laps
= 8th – David Lane 2 laps (retired)
= 8th – Milo Milutinovic 2 laps (retired)

Well done to Sam Doecke (can’t believe he got a 36 knot peak too!!)

bathymetry of Boggy Lake & course location

Thanks to all for participating.

Next weekend is round two. We will hold either Slalom or GPS Speed depending on the forecast. Hope to see you all there – Chris Dimond Aus06

Chris Dimond
M 0419 035 031
P  8338 0041
dimond@adam.com.au