After the wild winds of Fuerteventura, the next PWA stop on the tour brought us to Alacati, an old traditional Turkish town in a bay along the beautiful curved coastline of the Aegean coast. A mecca for people living in Istanbul going on holidays to unwind, and for windsurfers a heaven due to the hot and dry mediterranean subtropical climate and warm waters, the enjoyable and comfortable low humidity air fueled by the consistent and reliable Meltemi winds.

After difficult conditions in the canaries, the lack of chop or swell on the course make for super flat water and easy conditions, yet fast and even tighter Slalom racing. Unfortunately for the guys heading straight over from Fuerteventura via Barcelona and Istanbul, of the excess baggage 80 pieces altogether very few bags actually made it. My scheduled training 4 days before the event didn't happen because I received exactly 0 windsurf bags. Renting a moped for getting around the old fashioned way, like always as in Greece, it was very relaxing to get out of the canaries into a sort of cleaner and more liveable environment. And actually getting a proper rest from sailing was nice. But after a couple days the frustration really set in, and it was clear I wasn't getting any more training or testing in. Little by little bags arrived at the event site from Izmir airport and I had to borrow some booms to be able to rig my sails on the first couple days of the event. At first I didn't even have 1 long enough for my 9.2 and did some underpowered heats on 8.4, until I could borrow an old one from Maciek. Pieter, Micah and Josh, Jimmy, lots of guys were missing bags. Well, at least I had my boards masts and sails, the booms are less critical and I could manage to race a few days without my MauiSails boom. But it was a relief when after 2 full days of racing finally they rocked up in the morning of the 3rd day of competition...

Well, the contest also didn't start off good at all! In the second round of the first race I was called over early only the 20 cm of the nose of my board. damn!  It was pretty upsetting, and I decided to change my strategy and press my start a touch later at the 4 min signal from now on, just to be safe. I know it worked, as afterwards I have not gotten any more over earlies. Following came some real inconsistent results in the light winds and after 3 days I was stuck in 26th place with already 5 races counting! The pressure was on and a position within the top 10 seemed impossible. But then the magic happened. Come back plan allowed for no more mistakes and solid racing with a second and last discard at 7 races, but a forecast for a lot of wind was on my side. In the morning we were greeted by 25 knots of wind, but since my heat was the last one counting and sailed in minimum conditions previous day, I failed to qualify and I had to watch this race in perfect conditions. It was not nice to have to watch the final from the beach, but at the same time very motivating, and I had not given in yet!

Blam!!  round #6, finally arriving in the final and a second place behind Bjorn, and almost passing him on the last reach. It certainly moved me up in the rankings a little bit and after day 4 into 16th position. What a feeling getting the awesome start in the final and power down the 1st reach. After a great start I arrived neck on neck with Bjorn at the mark and could not let him pass me, but therefore I made a wide jibe allowing him to pass anyway after the mark upwind. at the last buoy he seemed to struggle and there I made a tight jibe to try and pass him but he pointed up towards the boat and I had to go underneath. I caught right up to him, but having to push through his turbulence I came just a few meters short: the acceleration I got on my 6.3 TR-7 and 85 liter Falcon in that gust was mind blowing though and I know I can win finals with that speed. Now I just need to keep this momentum, and the comeback plan did not allow for any more mistakes or bad fortune. Stuck with a lot of points 2x 36.5 are my discards and actually already counting a 30th that I won't be able to discard anymore, my other results were averaging better now.

Friday August 12, Race 8: It's a bullit!! Winning the race was such an amazing sensation, this is why I love racing so much. I got off a great start close to the pin and arrived at the mark in first, but close to the pin and it was hard to stay tight to the mark. Sure enough Antoine and almost also Micah passed me only just staying ahead of him in clean air. Arriving at the last mark I had the 2nd place in control when Antoine caught a rail and fell! Now I just had to stay on my feet around the gybe and with Benny close behind I finally won a final. Sweeeet!

The last day was the following Saturday, and we managed another 2 final races. I finished in a 3rd place after a cracking start down by the pin. With Bjorn right close upwind I chose a line little lower to the first mark and power full speed down the leg. I am on my vin and head straight to the mark, with a wonderful gust filling my sail nicely to deliver drive. My stance is steady and weight balanced, the board is flying perfectly straight and is not even moving. The 7.6 is locked while charging to that 1st mark! I chose the direct and shortest distance, but have Bjorn right next to me overpassing, I am nearly there. While being a little underpowered I could not hold benny off either, yet a 3rd place a lot better then how I started the event.

The final result is a 9th place in the event which still leaves me in 7th overall, with a shot a 6th in Sylt on the North Sea if I can beat Micah on the North Sea by 4 points.

Aloha
Peter Volwater H-24