The SA Mosquito National Champs took place from 24-27 Sept 2004 at Saldanha Bay, 100km north of Cape Town, South Africa. The venue is a sheltered bay with (mostly) ideal flat-water sailing in 15 knot winds at this time of year.
The first 2 days were quite strong, with wind at 25,4 knot average, gusts to 30 knots, and sailing was put on hold so as not to break too many boats in the first race.
After 2 days of waiting, the wind dropped to 20knots on Sunday morning, and the Race Officer put in 4 quick races before 12pm, in a steadily building breeze. With the minimum number of races to count having been held, and the wind increasing to 25knots, we all agreed to have another 2 races to spread the points out more evenly, since Kevin Webb had won all four races so far. Some of his closest rivals were having problems getting their new boats teething problems out of the way, or having equipment breakdowns. Others were doing capsize drills all over the bay.
Race 6 saw only 6 of the original 20 competitors get to the startline, and Kevin won this race even after losing his crew overboard, having to take the spinnaker down and go back to fetch her. I could have perhaps passed him at this stage, except that I put in a HUGE pitchpole with the kite up, and finished 4th. To my knowledge, Kevin & I were the only 2 boats flying the spinnaker in the last race, with 27 knots of wind and a very lumpy bay. Kevin won all 6 races in perhaps the easiest defense of his title.
Results :
1st : Kevin Webb & Claire McDonald
2nd : Danie & Gideon Snyman
3rd : Steve Mellet & Wilco Hall
4th : Peter & Beth Odendaal
5th : Sarel & Charmaine vd Merwe

So in the windstrength we sailed in, the title of this post makes perfect sense. I`d have hated to have 0,5sqm extra sail area in those conditions. 13sqm main, 3,7sqm jib, 13sqm spinnaker. It might not sound like much, but it was enough for Sunday.

When I get the pics, I`ll post them.

Cheers
Steve