From Rick Bliss:........... Fantastic day on the water yesterday at the F-18 Championships is Sarasota, FL. The race committee is doing a great job of getting races off. The strong winds depleted the fleet by the end of the day. I was on a fast power boat with the photographers so we were racing from one mark to the next and Capt Randy was positioning the boat for close in action shots. Flips and stuffs and people flying through the air. A few minor fender benders. A few ripped sails, broken tillers, exhausted crews and a couple of people separated from their boats. The safety boats were kept busy. They tell me there are great videos of the action on Sailing Anarchy. I haven't had time to check. Been too busy. I've extended my stay down here twice. Cold and wind today.

The New England teams are doing very well. Mike and Tripp took a first in one race but almost blew it when they came through the gate and reached off toward the finish line. They stuffed the bows, recovered, tea-bagged, recovered, stuffed again and Mike steered from behind the beam. The second place boat quickly closed the gap but Mike held them off. Following that boat after boat stuffed on the tight reach and a few unlucky ones pitchpoled. Super viewing for us!