I know some of you guys are foaming at the mouth to know what was going on at the Alter Cup. Here's the quick and dirty:

There was plenty of wind, when the first group went out for the first race, I would guess it was at least 17knots out of the SE, which is right up the river putting up a nice chop. We were on a pontoon boat and were taking spray over the bows (I'm GLAD I didn't have a camera or it would have been soaked!)

At the start, the fleet went off on Starboard of course but soon a few taked back to port, the fleet spread out pretty far, and we motored up to the A mark to watch the spin sets. JC and JW were in the lead wire to wire, with ohters catching them when they did one big stuff, deep, but they kept it together, didn't capsize, and held on to first until that race was abandoned because a few boats were having trouble. Seems a few of the lines that hold the spin. poles tips were coming untied, one pole broke and two more were coming untied, so the race was abandoned, after sailing 5 legs of 6. JC was in the lead at that time.

The fleet returned to the beach, the spin pole lines were all retied, the boats checked over and the same fleet returned to the course for a new race. Team JC/JW was pushed much harder this time by Team Tomko but held on for the win, Tomko in 2nd, I can't remember who after that. It was fantastic to watch these top teams flying downwind on the Blade, through the chop and spray, the wind was now up near 20 with some gusts over 20. There were only a few capsizes, maybe 1-2 per race. Even without footstraps, these guys figured out how to make the boats fly downwind in chop. We nearly pitch-poled the pontoon boat on the way in, going downwind, over the top of one big wave the bows burried deep into the back of a wave and we had a foot of water running down the floor. I thought for sure we were going to roll it but it popped back up and we kept on.

Race 2, (second fleet) the wind was about the same, near 20, plenty of chop. A real fight at the front of the fleet between Kenny and Johny Lovell. They both had blue spinnakers so from a distance it was hard to tell who was in front, but the lead changed a few times and at the finish line, it was Kenny by a couple seconds, Krantz in 3rd. Very exciting finish.

I had to leave before the third race so I didn't see what happened with the mast failure thing. I did see some crews going downwind under spinnaker with the mainsheet eased WAY too far off, and you could see the mast bending the wrong way. I was amazed a few didn't break. The one that did break I think was due to a capsize, maybe it hit bottom, the river is not too deep, about 10 feet.

I hope some of the sailors will add their insights into the racing, they will be able to tell you how the Blade handled in 20 knots and chop. From what I saw, it was having no trouble. There were some troubles being had by some crews who were unfamiliar with spinnaker boats in 20 knots however, which led to a few capsizes. The leaders were not having trouble and made it look easy, fast and easy. But I don't know if JW got JC's shoe out of his butt yet...

Roy was on board for race two and should have some good pictures for you later.

I wish I were going to be around to watch the rest of the week but I'll be away.

Anyone who does go, please try to keep us posted.

Thanks.