Simon´s Xs

Titles are important. I bet you this one got a hook into you. I thought of "Bavarian Rhapsody". That would have been very appropriate as I spent three great days in a bucholic setting on the shores of a beautiful Bavarian lake. But I know gossip sells....

It is a matter of fact that I did run into, and spent the week end with not one but two of Simon´s Xs. We are talking moths here. One of them trounced me convincingly and if you look at the flags and are a sharp blade you might correctly surmise that it was not the young skinny one but the more mature shapely creature in a red dress.

The Bavarians, being very efficient, calculate the avg. speed of the boats and the highest speed of a race won by Harald was 5.2 knots while the lowest speed of a race won by me was 6.5 knots. We won all the races between us, Harald 4 and I 2. As consolation Harald thought I was fast low riding - for a foiler. As the courses were up and down but not necessarily perfectly aligned with the wind this gives only a rough idea of where low rider/foiler break even point might be. Most of the time there seemed to be a steady wind of 4.5 to 5 knots, just a fairy´s breath away from getting me up on foils.

I did learn one very important thing: the muscles used low riding are not the same as those used foiling. After a month on Garda I thought I was fit but days later I am still feeling the very long hours of low riding. I will work in a couple of low riding sessions a week if I can manage it. I would hate to get to a major championship and be knackered for the duration due to a first day of low riding.