There were pretty strong winds blowing as the regatta took place and right from the start I already had trouble keeping the boat upright. Even though my dinghy was a Laser with Radialsail (shorter mast section and smaller sail), the old laser slowly started to fill with water making it increasingly unstable! As we reached the part of the run where the wind blew at an angle from behind I capsized…and then capsized … and then again and again. Because there was a lot off water inside the hull. Evidently I would not win the race so I just enjoyed the sailing and I had a lot of fun. Then after capsizing some twenty times or the like, I carefully maneuvered so I would cross over the finishing line as I should in any case, for it doesn’t matter if it is a few minutes behind, the important thing being to finish… with a half sunken boat back on the beach and having had a great time. And then the big surprise … I was awarded second place because I had done so well yesterday! Sogno d’Oro has sailed in too and is now anchored next to me. Together Henk and I we concluded that the last crossing had a place in the top five most difficult ever. I personally rank it number two. The first place I give to sailing from Bora Bora to Tonga where a was sick, have no wind or very strong winds and then cross seas with shifting winds… The Atlantic crossing gets a well deserved third place..

Laura