A long day for 5 races today due to horrendously shifty and gusty conditions this morning which meant our semi finals didn't start until about 1 this afternoon. As highest ranked skipper going into the semis, Leroy chose Hazard to race against and so we were matched with Spithill's (AUS) team in which ended up quite an eventful and close contest.

At 1-0 behind after the first race, the second looked like it could be over for us at the start when we tried to squeeze in between Spithill and the race committee boat at start time thinking there was enough room. Evidently not however as a collision with both the committee boat on one side and Spithill's boat on the other side earned us a double penalty! Although that would often be a race loser, the team worked really well and by the top mark we were ahead and nearly but not quite able to take our second penalty. The downwind was close but a gust which wiped both boats out gave us an opportunity to gain and that we did earning enough space to do our other penalty on the second upwind and take the series to 1-1.

The third start was almost a carbon copy of the first where we did all the hard work keeping control early on but then slipping up at the last minute giving them a winning start which they were able to close out the race. At 2-1 to them, the fourth race was quite tense and the conditions getting harder and harder to manage due to the size of shifts and difference between the lulls and gusts. It was close all the way round but in the end a poor leeward mark rounding by Spithill's team gave us enough of a lead to take a little breather on the second lap and take it to an all deciding final race.

The all important final race had it's excitment too as an even start but left shift enabled Spithill to lead round the first windward mark but with us breathing down their necks. By the final gybe into the leeward mark we were positioned to windward and we though with room to pass round the mark ahead however the umpires did not agree and a luff from Spithill led to us broaching out...unfortunately game over for us!

So not really our day today, but with fairly crazy conditions the team put a great effort in and we are confident going into tomorrow’s petite final against Hazard's team (NZL). We are still learning as a team and learning about the boats so need to make sure we use all of that in tomorrow's racing, despite further wild conditions expected!

We will start with a fleet race tomorrow and then will be into the petite finals in the afternoon.

Lucy

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