Race 3 of the Défi Wind by Andy Laufer

30/05/2022

"As this one was one of the best races I ever did Défi Wind, I had to put it online as it is, uncut and raw. For the last 7 years I always started right in the middle of the starting line and went straight to the beach to look for flat water. Yesterday in race no. 2 I started the 1st time right down within all the PWA riders. Had clear water and could go 2-3 knots faster than on the 1st day. Thanks for the tip Jordy Vonk ! So in race no. 3 I started right down below again, very close to the boat. Was early so I had to slowed down a bit. Some other sailors just passed my right at the start wich didn't matter as I catched up after a while. I got faster and faster on the 1st leg, catched up lots of places even if I couldn't go 100% as my fitness level is pretty bad. Arrived at the 1st mark in 12th position, overtaking Tristan Algret as he went for a little swim :)
So I rounded the buoy in a superb 11th place juhuuu! Accelerated pretty good, got faster and faster, concentrated on the waves and on those 1240 guys coming straight torwards myself. Suddenly there was Johan Søe D-37 right down below, we almost crashed into each other as I didn't see him coming upwind. Sorry for that Johan Soe :) After a while there was former D2fi Wind winner Nicolas Warembourg pushing from behind as I got weaker and slower. I started pushing a bit, could even gain some meters again but I felt in my arms that I coulnd't push until the next mark. I decided to let him go, took it easy to spared some energy for the 2nd jibe.
Arrived there in a good 12th position when Antoine Albeau passed me inside. Right after that jibe I saw Pierre Mortefon pushing from the top. I started pushing as well, but after a while had to spare some energy again. Pierre decided after about half way to go upwind into the sandbanks to find some flat waters to gain some speed. That was a good decision as he overtook me on that run. Right before mark no. 3 there was Malte Reuscher passing me downwind as I couldn't go full speed anymore. Cramps, pain, stiffness in basically all my body. Only "Les Defieurs" know what I am taking about :) Arrived in a still very good 13th position at mark no. 3. - when Matteo Iachino just passed me right there. Still came out in 14th place, one more leg to the finish!
Didn't had the energy to push as hard as in the 1st reach. So I heard Maciek Rutkowski coming from behind. Could push a bit to keep him away for a while but was to weak to keep the speed, too exhausted. So I let him pass and went to the inside, looking for some flat waters again. That was the biggest mistake of the race as the finish line was much more downwind than mark no. 2. So i ended up very too far upwind, had to go downwind a lot, got slower and slower, GPS readings was even under 20 knots :) Just before the finish line 5 more guys passed me downwind as they went straight into the finish - Armand Genevois, Andres Boje, Ingmar Daldorf, Alex Cousin and Bruno Martini. Anyway I ended up in a superb 19th place, super happy with that! The wind was between 20 and 40 knots. Used my JP Australia 62 Slalom and my new NeilPryde EVOXIII 5.8 and a NoLo Fins Model 5 32.5cm. That combi seems to be incredibly fast."

For more information on Andy Laufer: www.facebook.com/andylaufer93

Source: Andy Laufer