Just a quick reminder for all the race heads out there that we are holding another race day this coming Sunday. With the forecast as it is at the moment we are looking at Leighton beach. The WAKSA web site ( http://www.waksa.org.au/kitesurfing-events/events-calendar/event/16-course-racing ) says that we will kick off at 11:00 this is a typo and is meant to say 1:00

There will be a load of Airush Sectors there to demo so if you don't have your own race board yet you can still come down and borrow one of the Sectors to race on (which by the way at the last race day took 1st,2nd and 3rd!)

For more info PM me or call Airborne Kitesurfing 9244 4474

Looking at the forecast we will have to change locations again

Where would people prefer to race? on the swan river or the Mandurah estuary?

I know the river is going to be much easier from an organizers point of view but i think the wind might be a bit better down in Mandurah on Sunday

3 days out still I reckon just wait until Sat Arvo to Call. Never been to Mandurah to kite - along way to go if no good & hard for everyone if spots in Perth are just as good for race boards. The River near Attadle is perfect ( a bit gusty in SE ) a few markers already set up.

Kited South Beach 2 nights ago was supposed to be SE but was S 10 to 12 knots S and PERFECT ( NO weed) on race board, but that was during week, weekends seem super busy at South beach and probably not best for racing until full sea breeze drives off bathers so probably a bit hard.

johnno is correct . bourke street would be a good option and there are already plenty of buoys in that area we could use .

I agree - river is better than Mandurah. More likely to get a bigger group of people if its closer.

Does anyone know someone who might be willing to volunteer to run the starts??

I'll. Check with a friend back asap

Plan A We find a starter -

How about this as plan B.
( OK yes I'm work on internet avoiding work and wasting time until I can go kiting this arvo)

10minutes - Every one on beach 10 minutes white flag up start 10 minutes count down on all watches. No count down watch / just normal watch we start race at 2.30pm. No wrist watch - YOU GOTTA GET A LIFE PLAN - but bad luck just follow other racers as they start.
5 minutes - Every gets kites up and on water I reckon everyone will be out there on 5 minutes.

0 Seconds / start - every one starts and smashes over line & record finish places - every on can agree on beach to there places then

Race 2 & 3 & 4 the same..


Plan C -

As we did in Safety Bay Last Year - Divide groups in 2 - half stay on beach and run race - other half race - then change - each racer has a finish time and this places them on day. In race time order.

Just for a fun finish - Get top 4 or 6 racers times to go in winner take all final race? Was easy & super fun last year.


Thats it with a touch of humor on a Friday Arvo - got to get back to work.

If Plan A fails I prefer plan C. I think we do need someone to run the race and the starts/finishes to dividing people into 2 groups sounds more fair to me.

Cant wait!

Yes I agree - plan C worked really well last year

OK so we will say that it is on for 1:00pm tomorrow

We will go with plan C if we can not find a volunteer starter before 1:00

But if by 11:00am tomorrow the forecast has not improved and it doesn't look like there will be wind i will put another post on here to let people know that it has been canceled.

So to recap: It is on but check here again tomorrow after 11am to confirm that it is still on

Edit: We will be on the river just up from Point Walter (where Stock road meets Burke drive)

Should be fun ....

OK so the forecasts are all over the place Bom is calling for a 18-23 knot sea breeze, Laurie is calling for 10-15 knots SE and willy weather is calling for 5-10knot easterly. My (limited) interpretation of the Synoptic Charts are saying no bloody way are we going to get a race in today.

Add all of this together with the fact we have not been able to find a volunteer to run the starts for us means we are going to need to cancel/postpone.

I know its disappointing but its the weather!

Keep your eyes open on SB and the WAKSA event calender to find out when we are going to re run it.

Damo

What the !!!!!!!!! 99% will be perfect 15knots at 2 - 3pm this arvo - with a building 15 to 18 knot S in late arvo. Looks like 4-5 good hours of racing to me.

I Will be there to race. If anyone keen see ya at 2.30 pm - there we will run a few races anyway when breeze comes in. I'm keen to run 2-4 races as we need to get some practice in. Lets go.... Not sure why today called off ...

Hey if breeze doesn't come in at least we had a go. I will bring timing/ flags & bouys to race.

If any body wants to go race at Kite race Nationals in June you gotta learn how to race in 8 to 15 knots.... every race last year was 6 to 13knots.... today could be perfect training if not a bit windy.

Kite Racing - Leighton Beach Western Australia - Open ocean 1m swell - rough flat inside 500m / rough big swell outside 1km of coarse and 1.5km down wind leg. with a solid 18 to 24 knots of wind.
Racers on 9m, 10m , 11m & 12m Kites. Alti & I were lit on 11m & 12m Kites maxed 100%.

All racers on race boards except kiter on F2 free race 4 fin board board board. Looked fast & filth.

We all arrived to WAKSA kite race this arvo & at 3 pm it was 18 knots plus building , what a great racing day, perfect to build skills and try and run the bigger 4.5km triangle coarse( last year 3.5km, but now new north Marine bouys are set at least 1km down wind from last year - maybe this NEW POSITION will help to track Great White SHARKS in Perth metro area- I'm not kidding -). We also has a 1km side - up wind coarse and back that suited the newer racers. Sean, Johnno, Steve & Alti & f2 rider all gave it a go. Everyone turned up and had a good go. I had a great 2nd run and recorded a record time of 9minutes 2 seconds for triangle coarse. On 3rd run I did a big down wind kite loop on my 11m and got smashed at 22 to 25knots and had a 15 min brain slowdown & rib pain & even though I was wearing a helmet & impact vest.

Results of races Round 5. As I remember & placers as I gave on day. Acknowledged winds 20 Knots plus on day & a BIG effort by new & old racers on day - I reckon Steve should have got a 1, 1, 1, 1 as he showed 110% dedication to kite racing and was smashing a good 18knots cross wind on a NEW AA YELLOW race board board as I followed him in from 2 km off shore at full speed.. As the WAKSA race rep on day I scored as follows for 110% efforts.....

Sean M : 1, 2, 3, 4 -
Aliti: 4, 3,2,1 -
JohnnoKeys : 2, 1, 4, 3
Steve: 4, 1, 4, 2
F2 guy 5,5,5,5,

Great racing everyone in big winds and swell -
Race WAKSA official JohnnoKeys & co organiser of the 2011/ 2012 WA race series-

A great day , can't wait for next round.

We will add these to last round and see how everyone is placed in series.

I reckon Sean M looks likes the man to beat with 1 round to go in March with a 3, 3, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4 in series.

Hey Johnno,
Thanks for writing up the race results, Thanks for the added pressure now I have a target on my back.
We all had a great day, tough racing especially off the wind runs, very long, my legs are sore today.
We've had a solid 2 days of racing and the die hards will be there again preparing for the Nationals in Townsville.

So anyone else interested to race we should be down at Leighton. However, if it's light and southerly South Beach about 5pm.

Looking forward to the next event. Better practice some more..