Ryan Palk

                                                                Hanging at the Hollywood sign…

Yesterday we went to the Hollywood sign and chilled out at Malibu beach for a surf, where we literally froze our butts off.  Dad got run over by an out of control surfer and got a nice fin gash. 

 Today the youth worlds started and i didn;t have the best day.  We had a two hour postponement as we waited for the breeze.  Somebody brought out a tennis ball so so 180 of the worlds best laser sailors decided to have a game of brandy out on the water.  The racing got under way in a 5knots breeze from the WSW.  I had an alright start and a consistent upwind but nothing flash.  The real light guys were hiking off their feet while we were sitting in and they flew around the course.  The second race had a breeze which filled in to the right to about 15 knots throwing the lighter guys behind and giving the massive look over 18 guys a good shot.  I had an alirghty start lined up when somebody rammed in underneath me on the start.  All of a sudden in irons, i had to be really aggressive with the tiller to get myself to closehauled.  BANG. Start goes, i have no speed and to make it worse a judge watches me move tiller and deems me to be sculling so next second, WHISTLE!! 1-6-6-0-2-1 Australia!  I do a 720 and am all of a sudden coming 75th in a 75 boat fleet!  Ahh nuts.. With no other options i bang the right corner first then left on the upwind and caught up quite well to about midfleet.  I keep on the pace and catch up to the front pack which i was quite pleased with.  Even though results were sketchy today i was happy with the way i sailed in the second race and had some fun with the other aussie youths, Julian and Ben.  I’m currently coming 34th, so lets hope with some good results tomorrow i get can get myself up there!!!

heads up, cheers!