A Competitors View No 2

Report from Holland
All of us (the Dutch guys) found the whole event last year so nice and good organized that we
decided (as a small group of enthusiastic IOM sailers) to do the Uk nationals this year again.
Rob, Joop, Walter and Krijn went by plane and we (Huub and Hanneke) took all the IOM
boats and other stuff in our VW Transporter to the UK. Graham Elliot was so kind to
organize a good Hotel in West Kirby for us.

Thanks for all your effort Graham.

The event had the same armosphere as the one in Eastborne. The whole organization was
very good and also the volunteers did their Job very well.
For me (Huub nr 99) was the event not so successful. Sliding seams, broken goosenecks,
broken topping lifts, broken side stays, unhooked backstays and more funny misery did me
end on place 37. Joop performed pretty well and ended as nr 8.

The first day started with a lot of rain and we kept that for the most of the time. One heat with
the nr 1 rig and than all the races with the nr 2. What a terrible job to get promoted to a higher
group. And it's so easy to fall down. Some guys stayed for ever in the A fleet (I still have a lot to
learn) Others (like me) jumped constantly up and down. It's more sailing when you behave
like that :0).
That's why I created so much technical problems.

What makes you a good IOM sailer. Small details can give you that advantage you need. I
analyzed a lot of trims of the top sailers. There is nu rule to find.
Some like to sail with a lot of twist, others like to sail with everything very tight. And all
performed well.

The second day 20 -24 knots. I love these conditions. It gives a lot of spectacle on the water.
Starts are stressful and you must react very quickly. For me better conditions than begging for
wind.
That was the case on the last day.
No wind-- ore winds from different directions.
To Finish last while you where first by rounding the first mark was no exception I found
out....
The wind became more stable during the day. And we could sail a couple of good heats. Not
to forget the good organized meals. We enjoyed it all. It's nice to speak to people with the same addiction. We certainly come back next year for the
Nationals.

I don't know all the names of the guys yet, but I felt sympathy for the big guy yelling for the
boat numbers from the next fleet to sail. He was standing like a rock with a voice like a bear.
Nice guy. Don't forget the lady with the terrible job to find observers..... Complements for
here perseverance.

But to be honest no one likes to be an observer. But she did a good job. Thanks for that.

And then Peter the man in charge. Wow what a perfect job he did. The Right decisions on the
right moments, never something to guess left. Absolutely perfect!

All the guys thanks for giving me advice and for helping me to trim. Hope to do better next
time.

Hanneke (the photographer, think you all have seen her around) and I enjoyed it, despite my
personal result. We had a wonderful time.

Hope to be there by the worlds. We only have two places, so I do my best.

Hope you enjoy the pictures

http://picasaweb.google.com/hankieberen/IOMNationals2010WestKirby#

Huub Gillissen
NED 99