Three weeks have now past since Round 1 of the Wellington Freewave 2011 and we are looking down the barrel of Round 2 this Saturday 26 November 2011. Round 1 saw a group of dedicated sailors take to the water in Evans Bay for the freestyle round and for our first attempt to include freeracing. Conditions were light but just enough to run a race and a 30minute expression session. 

Eight competitors started the freerace from the shallows beside the rocks, racing out to a bouy on the far side of the bay and back to a finishing bouy downwind of the start. Marginal wind saw competitors slugging to the far mark with most requiring a couple of tacks to make the rounding. Leading from the front James Court tacked his way to round first while Tim Haxell pinched his way upwind to follow him in second. A straight blast to the finish saw no change in position with Nick Hunn finishing in third ahead of Rob Harrison. This was a fun new aspect to the freewave and is to continue at the next round conditions permitting. 

The freestyle expression session was battled out between Court, Haxell, Hunn and Harrison. Marginal planning conditions saw the competitors hunting for the gusts. Harrison decided to change down sails which saw his heat limited to non-planning moves coming in fourth place. Hunn edge ahead of Harrison with an array of old school freestyle moves. Court and Haxell slogged it out for first. Court struggled to nail his spocks, leaving his vulcans to do the talking while Haxell easily trumped him with a couple of solid flakas, gruby and vulcan to take the freestyle section of Round 1.

Hopefully wind and waves will ensue for Round 2 of the freewave. Watch deepfried.tv and here at wwa.org.nz for details of start time and location.

Freeracing     

• 1.       James Court
• 2.       Tim Haxell
• 3.       Nick Hunn
• 4.       Rob Harrison
• 5.       Andy UK
• 6.       Colin Doig
• 7.       David
• 8.       Andy Galinkski

Freestyle

• 1.       Tim Haxell
• 2.       James Court
• 3.       Nick Hunn
• 4.       Rob Harrison

Overall Standings

• 1= James Court/Tim Haxell 
  
• 3 Nick Hunn
  
• 4 Rob Harrison
  
• 5 Andy K
  
• 6 Colin Doig
  
• 7 David
  
• 8 Andy Galinski
  

Apologies if your full name is not up or it is spelt wrong. I will correct once I catch you at the water or flick me an email at admin@wwa.org.nz