Kiteracing Oceanics at Leighton Beach
This is a look at the event pre start looking south towards North Mole and the event site and then looking up toward Cottesloe.
The weather was what the organisers want. 20 knots out of the south west. Hope we can get the same again, though sand is very unforgiving in lens / camera bodies . Due to prior commitments I will be focusing on the weekend for the major part, so the finals and the Lighthouse to Leighton race. But never say never, I still have the early part of the afternoon to work so here's hoping for early breezes. These photos were taken on the 12th of August 2012 with 30 to 35 knots out of the nor west. The guy was up as high as I was on the road and my camera and lens were shaking in the wind. Thank god for image stabilization technology.
Saturday on the waterA great day on the water and thanks to Travis who organized it with FSC . Rob was my driver and I freely admit to not knowing very much about kite sailing and the best way to get shots. Still it's a learning process .
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Another question.
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Day Five dawned with the crackle of thermometers blowing their tops as it got hot inland. By the sea it was great and the breeze got in early. Love it.
The Lighthouse to Leighton started on time and watching from the finish line it was a case of are they visible yet?
After 15 minutes you could see the kites and it was clear that the record was under attack. But by whom was the question and it was up to Baumeister, a German ex pat to show them how.
Quoting him. "Baumeister said he was caught in the pack of 88 racers for the first 2km but after clearing a few patches of weed he saw a gap and put the hammer down and hung on. He finished at least 500m ahead of the pack in his second Lighthouse to Leighton race and said the conditions were perfect for him today.
“I had a good start. I chose a slalom board which gave me a bit more speed, it was a great race and it feels so good to win it this year.”
I can now see why the foilers were a little circumspect, I saw lot's of weed around and I was wondering whether it would interfere with their run across.
Sunday we are on the medal races. Keep an eye on the website.
The Lighthouse to Leighton started on time and watching from the finish line it was a case of are they visible yet?
After 15 minutes you could see the kites and it was clear that the record was under attack. But by whom was the question and it was up to Baumeister, a German ex pat to show them how.
Quoting him. "Baumeister said he was caught in the pack of 88 racers for the first 2km but after clearing a few patches of weed he saw a gap and put the hammer down and hung on. He finished at least 500m ahead of the pack in his second Lighthouse to Leighton race and said the conditions were perfect for him today.
“I had a good start. I chose a slalom board which gave me a bit more speed, it was a great race and it feels so good to win it this year.”
I can now see why the foilers were a little circumspect, I saw lot's of weed around and I was wondering whether it would interfere with their run across.
Sunday we are on the medal races. Keep an eye on the website.
The Medal racing and presentations .
Another day where the weather was going to be hot, but as I swung around the river on the way past Royal Perth the seabreeze was starting to fill in already. So off down the coast, get to Freo yacht club and jump onto the rib with Travis, Dan ( from China ) and Rob our driver. Breezes in the mid to early teens and out of the south west. but dropping by the time we were on the water to under 10 knots. And there it remained, meaning that the light wind sailors had the best of it. At this stage Florian Gruber of Germany had the win and Oliver Bridge of England had his hands on second , but third was to go to a Riccardo Lecesse of Italy who had been waiting for a long time ( he said) to get up on the podium. Couldn't get the smile off his face!
Light wind sailing and the ladies were doing well, but toward the end of the day some were showing the effects of a hard day yesterday after the big race and were consequently falling over today in the afternoon. Didn't stop the three top girls though. Pole Aga Grzymska first, Iriane Imbert of France second and Nuria Gomert of Spain third.
I missed reporting this yesterday and my apologies to Torvar Mirsky. The first West Australian past the post ( third ) and for that effort in the L2L he picked up the Marc Sprod medal. As an organiser and entrant Torvar put his money where his mouth was. Well done indeed.
My thanks to Janine and the ladies in the media room, to Travis and Dom for their suggestions and to Rob who drove for us on the media boat. Thanks also to Kiting Oceanics who really did well in the catering division and to Fremantle Sailing club and all the volunteers who put the show together. Oh and Project 3.
Enjoy the images
Light wind sailing and the ladies were doing well, but toward the end of the day some were showing the effects of a hard day yesterday after the big race and were consequently falling over today in the afternoon. Didn't stop the three top girls though. Pole Aga Grzymska first, Iriane Imbert of France second and Nuria Gomert of Spain third.
I missed reporting this yesterday and my apologies to Torvar Mirsky. The first West Australian past the post ( third ) and for that effort in the L2L he picked up the Marc Sprod medal. As an organiser and entrant Torvar put his money where his mouth was. Well done indeed.
My thanks to Janine and the ladies in the media room, to Travis and Dom for their suggestions and to Rob who drove for us on the media boat. Thanks also to Kiting Oceanics who really did well in the catering division and to Fremantle Sailing club and all the volunteers who put the show together. Oh and Project 3.
Enjoy the images