Manolo wins Spanish Nationals

Report by Manolo:

Last weekend we held in La Manga del Mar Menor de Spanish Cup 2011. 20 A Class were there including  Luc Du Bois (DNA, Fiberfoam 2011 and Ashby model 20).

We raced on Friday with 11 to 13 knots and I won each race with more than 200m over the second. Gustavo Doreste (Nikita, Fiberfoam 2011 and Micky Todd sail 2010) did 2-2-2. 

Second day we raced 3 races with 7 to 10 knots. In first race it was Gustavo that passed 1 at first mark, Luc 2 and me 3, all in 30m. In the down flat style downwind I passed Gustavo and Luc and manage to win the race with more than 100m. Gustavo second and Luc 3.

Second race, I start at the pin to go left but a shift to the right obliged me to tack and go to the right but Kike just tack front to me and I needed to carry out 2 more tacks. I passed the 1 mark 5. Gustavo 1 and Luc 2. I started my comeback to finish second after Gustavo by 30m. Good performance.

Third race I did a good race and finish 1 with more than 200m over Gustavo with 10 knots.

Last day, no races, +25knots.

I did 1-1-1-1-2-1 and Gustavo 2-2-2-2-1-2. Luc was 3 but with more than 20 points just closed with Kike that finished 4º.

Next step for me will be French Nationals ate the first weekend of June in Montpelier (300 km from Barcelona) and after the 17/18 June the Spanish Circuit Regatta in Barcelona.

Comments Arno:

Manolo told me that he improved his light weather performance by sitting more forward while going flat downwind (as Stevie did in Cesenatico) and my moving the daggerboardslider more foward under 8-9 knots. He feels now that he is competive is all conditions and that he has superior speed downwind in anything over 10 knots.

Manolo is one of the few guys he masters the trapezing downwind thing. He practiced all winter and he shows us that hours on the water make the difference.

Tarpezing downwind with quite a loose sheet, traveller on footstrap and walking over the side to keep the boat flat (slightly nose up but not too much as that adds drag).

Manolo did use a fFberfoam 2011 mast and an Ashby 20.