A belated  roundup of the Dart European regatta from the perspective of the Windsport pitts crew …

Rest Day and Race Day 4
Ok the rest day was hot, too hot to sit in the sun, we apologise to those back at home in the English summer!
The rest day event support team opened up until midday then took a break.
Yes the part of the Windsport team (Tom P) went Kite surfing while the event support team watched and handed out a few useful tips like jump higher and oh what a crash landing!
Laura Croft was also out on her board ( well she had a long pony tail) and Tom P got a few waves from her as she passed by in the opposite direction. The shore team asked for a backie but were not successful. We failed to take pictures.
Back to work at 4.00pm and still Dart sailors asking for technical advice , replacement parts and repair jobs.
The work day ended about 7.00pm and the sailors accounts are all up to date, we just need them to pay!

So here we are Thursday and the wind has just flipped around to onshore and started to build . Will come back to you with the action later on.
Ok back on the case, after the first race . It took time for the wind to build today and the first race started in marginal trapezing mode. As it built there was light patches and some shifts so testing for all. It looks like the Windsport race team called it right and managed to hold on to the lead into the finish, but by then boats were coming ashore with collision damage and breakages so the Windsport shore team were busy back at the support trailer.

Race two got away in what is now a solid breeze moving left. Looks like the same top 1o teams are fighting it out at the front but the team in the middle of the pack are having just as much fun. Forty minutes and it will all be over for the day with stories to tell and situations to amylase .
Visit the event website for the attest results and event pictures . http://eurodart18.org/
Party to night with a Rock Band, food and a few beers so there could be a few sore heads tomorrow.

Just packing up for the day at the event support trailer, thx to all the teams that have come to settle their accounts , it makes life much easier. Few more still to go but hopefully they will pop n first thing in the morning.

The Windsport did the business with two more wins so they have won outright with a day to spare, well done team, as we have left you to it.
I think they have a plan for tomorrow along the lines of swapping crewing positions so we will how Tom P likes the front of the boat and Nikki will practise her starting !!!
Ciao for now
Brian . Windsport event support.

The final report on the Dart 18 Europen Championships came through on route –  our returning Windsport Support Crew giving a little more insight into the activity that goes into the Dart 18 Catamaran Fleet. Remember next year will be 40 years since the Dart took to the water for the first time! We look forward to seeing you at next years championship.

Day 5 and onward
Well the party went on well into the night on day 4 and with Tom P and Nikki knowing they had a day to spare they did some partying along with many young Dart sailors from France , Italy, Switzerland, and the Brits.
Day 5 has been busy for “Windsport event support” and with the boats ready to leave the beach on time, we have been stuck at the trailer sorting out account payments , additional parts and other going home challenges.
So all I can tell you right now is that the Windsport race team plan to go on the water at opposite ends of the boat , I am sure they will have a good time along with the rest of the fleet.
More to follow once we get caught up.
Ok back on the case, only one race on the final day, in lightand shifty breeze with no trapezing. Nikki helmed around the course with Tom at the front crewing and finished a very credible 9th across the line, a good time was had by all with two Brits and one French in the top three of the final results. The prize- giving went off well with the ‘Union Jack’ heads above everything else. Congratulations to Tom and Nikki for a clean sweep of 8 x 1st places, discarding a 1st and a 9th against some very seasoned Dart 18 sailors with many wins under their belt. Windsport-Dart-Euro-Trophy

We are all packed up loaded and about to leave 8.00pm our time, as we need to get some miles under our belt so not sure when you will get this update as we roll along!

Day 6 on the way back to Blighty.” It is never over until the fat lady sings” Well had a burst water connection that took the engine temp up to max , so had to fix on the way to the Alps, and we finally got heads down at 3.00am in the morning. Now skirting Turin and on a mission to make the Roscoff ferry with a few minutes to spare on Sunday! All good so far on day 6 of the trip home.

Sunday , just loaded on the ferry, and on our way home, Tom flew into Stanstead this morning and is doing a Windsport pick up of parts from Brightlingsea and then Southampton water.
We should all be back at Windsport for Monday morning ready to start that other work!
Brian
Windsport technical support.