The 2008 edition of the Walley Wagatta is now over.
 It was a dynamic weekend that included some great light wind long board racing on Saturday as well as some intense high wind short board racing Sunday. We utilized two different courses Saturday, first a modified typical MOWIND Kevin Gratton course but instead of starting trying to get to the upwind mark we started on a full reach, hoping we could be ahead of the Div 2 boards into the jibes. This was a fun course that worked out great, see link below for full explanation of how it was done. We might try it again this weekend at the Dam Jam.
After our mid day (or mid afternoon) break Saturday we changed the course to a more slalom look alike course. The conditions were still light so it was still longboarded that ruled. We started by jibing down the course and then when you reached to last mark you had to do the same back but instead of jibing you tacked the course upwind instead. This was intersting when you met people at the markers that were on their way downwind when you were heading upwind. This works well in non-planing conditions but would be pretty scketchy in light wind. See example of course below.
Sunday we woke up to light rain and lots more wind. Before our race meeting it was blowing 20-25 MPH, the word for the day was slalom racing. Kevin set a course close to the beech since it was straight onshore. After 3 of them we took a break and then set a long distance course. People were sailinb mainly short boards and 6.0 – 7.5 sails. some were on long boards. Andy Gratton kicked butt on a Gaastra 7.5 and his Equippe. Arden sailed a 80 some liter short board and a 6.5m.
Below is the course we sailed in the short slalom races, lots of jibes. Â
The long distance race is not shown here but it mainly included the same start as in this slalom, but you headed straight to the light house where there was a bouy, jibe it, then across the lake (4-5 miles) to the deadwood point (pretty far upwind) jibe the bouy there, then sail back to lighthouse, jibe the bouy again and then back towards the start where you had to complete the jibe course above (after about 1 hrs of sailing) then finish by the finish line by the dock. Andy Gratton won that race ahead of Arden. Andy was on a equippe and 7.5, arden on a ML 101 Formula and a 9.0 North sail. Arden’s brother got in 3rd with a Starboard formula and a 7.5 NP RS6, Don Altmeyer got 4th with a 110 l slalom board and a Gaastra nitro 7.0.
Will posts some photos in a bit.
Below is the official scoring of the whole regatta.