Challenging Racing for wind and SUP racers
Andy Morrell - Friday, July 2nd, 2010 at 8:41 AM
Day #4 of the Highland Spring HIHO 2010 saw tough racing action. The fleet relocated from Nail Bay to start off the Dogs. Winds conditions were good with 11-13-knots from the East with small chop, except in some areas of the course where current threw up steeper waves.
In the windsurfing fleet Wilhelm Schurmann continued his unbeaten record with another convincing win. He led off the start and although Jean-Marc Peyronnet threatened him on the leg to Ginger Island and the leg back to Scrub he pulled away on the long downwind portion of the race through the Trellis Bay channel down to the finish on Long Bay, Beef Island.
Tortola racer Rusty Henderson squeaked in to third overtaking Andrea Colombo of Switzerland.
“It was a great race,” he described on the beach drinking a Highland Spring water under the sea grape trees. “Two good reaching legs and then a challenging downwind run to the finish. It’s so beautiful racing here, and good fun.”
The stand-up paddle racers had a tougher race. They started off the beach on George Dog and then ran downwind past West Dog towards Scrub Island. Here the race became very challenging with a quarter see pushing the racers off course. Race leaders Ernie Johnson and Lance Erickson, both from California, took the wrong course heading and had to retreat to honor the Marina Cay rounding. The two reached the beach together and touched the finish flag together. Florida racer Tom Pace nabbed third followed by Tortola’s Adam Cole.
In overall results Schurmann leads the windsurfing class while Erickson and Johnson are tied in SUP’s.
Tomorrow’s race is the longest of the event: 30-miles down the Sir Francis Drake Channel with a finish at Little Thatch.
The annual Highland Spring HIHO takes participants on a week-long tour of the British Virgin Islands. The event is sponsored by Highland Spring water, The Moorings, Red Stripe and HIHO 100% Caribbean clothing.
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