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Lithuanian Slalom champion - Karolis Sipavicius

1st November 2011

After quiet a tough season of racing, with its ups and downs, time came for Lithuanian championship. As I was setting goals for the season at the beginning of the year, I decided that this will be the most important event and I have to concentrate on it, especially Formula windsurfing discipline. After doing lots of training and getting more and more experience from competition I felt good about it, until my gear started failing. First I broke my old boom (not MauiSails), repaired it and then broke it again, after that, my best mast broke leaving me with one, which I managed to snap in the notorious Baltic sea shore brake. So, just few weeks before competition, I had to find a mast to borrow and, as there are no two masts the same, tune my gear to it. I can tell you I wasn‘t feeling very optimistic, because getting enough good tuning sessions in such short time with local wind conditions wasn‘t very probable. Anyway, I tried to stay positive, thinking that every problem is just a new opportunity.

I didn‘t have many problems tuning my 12.0 TR5. It wasn‘t as perfectly tuned as before, but really close to that. The bigger problem was 11.0 TR6, for which due to the lack of windy days and not  having a good training partner on some of those rear ones, I couldn‘t find the setup I was used to. Before braking the mast , it was my favorit sail and I was really fast with it. I love the 12.0 TR5 too, but I am not the biggest fan of ligtwinds, which after some testing turned out to be due to my fins selecton (note for the next year).

Lithuanian Slalom champion

Anyway, organisers announced the date and I had to forget about more tuning I could have done or masts I shouldn‘t have broken. I just concentrated on visualizing how competition should go, where I want to end up and give my 110% to get there.

The first day greeted us with unexpected winds as no forecast showed anything like that. For first two races I chose to go with 11.0 and more light wind biased fin, just to be on the safe side. First start was quiet good, started in the middle of the line in clear winds and had no problems accelerating forward and gaining some ground over the rest of the pack. I managed to stay in front through the rest of the race and finished it with a bullet!

For the second race the wind changed a bit and I did not adjust accordingly, so my start was far from perfect and I came only 4th to the upwind mark. I didn‘t make much on the downwind, but started closing the gap really fast on the second upwind. I got close to one of the guys from the leading pack and decided to tack but as it turned out it was a mistake. The wind was decreasing further out and I came much more behind to the upwind mark than I was after catching up. Good I was still in the fourth place and finished there.

For the third and fourth race of the day I rigged my 12.0 meter sail as the wind decreased drasticly.  The next start was mediocre but I just couldn‘t keep up with lighter guys with more powerful fins. Got into some wind holes and in the end, finished only 8th. Fourth start was even worse, the wind decreased even more and at one moment I stopped planning. Good that after some time, the race was cancelled. The racing was over for the day, and forecasts promised more high wind racing for the next one, so I was expecting to discard my bad results.

As expected, winds were blowing hard in the morning of the second competition day. I rigged my 11.0 and hoped that I will manage to hold it down if the wind increased as much as it was forecasted (I still don‘t have a 10.0 meter sail). First two starts were quiet good, but I felt I couldn‘t put the hammer down as the gear wasn‘t working as I was used to. Anyway, I managed to finish second on both of the races while my main competitor took two bullets. I had to finish the rest two races with at least two points of advantage to get first and I concentrated on doing it.

When I was heading to the starting line, I could feel the wind increased a lot, averaging 10m/s and gusting even more. My 11.0 was hard to hold in transitions so my main goal now was at least not to fall during races. I somehow managed to do this and take two seconds. My competitor took 5th and 1st so I had the two point difference I needed to be equal in points but win with better discount finishing first overall and becoming Lithuanian FW champion! I couldn‘t be happier!

Just few days after perfect racy weekend, forecasts started to show promissing weather for the next one and shortly after organisers announced Lithuanian slalom championship. I have to say I wasn‘t sailing slalom much this year, but I had a few sessions on my bigger gear. My small gear (90 ltr board and 6.6 TR7) on the other hand, had only three runs and I didn‘t manage to tune well to any fins I tried. Anyway, Friday came and the first racing day greeted us with winds never droping bellow 10m/s and gusting up to 14m/s. My small stuff had to go and I needed to use the only fin I had. On the test runs I made some adjustments and the gear started feeling really nice.

Lithuanian Slalom champion

Race comitee decided to do PWA style elimination system on figure 8 slalom course. 20 of us were divided into two groups and to get in to the Winners final, you‘d have to finish 5th. First start for me was pretty good – timed my pre start run quiet well and hit the line jus a bit late, but still much infront of the other guys. Finished easily in first. On the first winners final, my start was even better, but by first or second mark I hit some steep chop and fell in. It took some time to get the sail out of the water, and I had to play catch up for the remaining race. Finished 3rd. The second and third eliminations went smooth, as also the winners finals – finnished both with bullets! My board speed was really good and no one seemed to be able to match it. On the last elimination though, I pushed too hard and went over early.. Considering speed I had before, it was a really a stupid mistake. Anyway, I won my loosers final and got 11th place for race 4. A result to be discarded. After the perfect first day we once again went in to the sauna to share the impressions of the day.

Lithuanian Slalom champion

Second day, as forecasted, was a bit lighter. Just right for my trusty old 7.6 TR5 and my 110 ltr. board. First elimination went well and I got into the winners final. My start wasn‘t perfect – I was a bit late and not going full speed. The guy in front and bellow of me tried to cover me by going upwind so I had to turn downwind and overtook him from bellow racing to the first mark with my main competition rival (who happened to be the same one as in FW champ). We reached the mark at the same time, but I knew that being above me, he will try to squeeze in by the mark. I tried to do a really tight jibe, but I didn‘t manage to pull that off and went in, as well as my competitor. Anyway, it took me longer to get my sail out and I only managed to finish 6th. On the second elimination I did a really bad start and due to some guys in front of me falling by the first mark, I stopped planning. It took a while to get going again and I was far from qualifying position. I had to push really hard, catching up and overtaking guys in front of me. Just before the last jibe I managed to overtake a guy and put my self in qualifying 5th position. Whew, that was close! Second winners final of the day went without drama – did a good start, jibed precisely guarding my position and finished with the bullet. Before the last race of the day, I knew that it was enough to finish behind my main competitor to win this championship and thats what I did. Safely got into winners final, did a safe start, and continued all the way to the finish line in second, keeping sure no one would squeeze in between me and my rival. Victory! I became Lithuanian Slalom champion!

Lithuanian Slalom champion

Remmembering those two weekends still makes me happy today. It was my goal for quiet some time. Now I have to set some higher goals and do everything to make them reality. I know its possible! Aloha!

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