LOC 2018 Tell your story here!

I heard that 2:30 has to be the latest start in time to allow for stragglers to get in and send planes up if required. I understand that, I just can't figure why they didn't wait another 10 minutes and go for 2:30.

I'd like to add a big thanks to the organisers and all the volunteers on boats and on the beach. They (including my missus) do this for free guys.

The start certainly was chaotic, but only marginally more so for me compared with the weedfest shore break trying to get past all the other 2nd and 3rd line guys becalmed downwind in last years race. Same as everyone else getting planing over the reef but knew from last year that the fleet were pointing way too far upwind at the random boats. So shrugged as I wasnt gonna get up to where everyone was heading and thought that if I've missed it I'll just cruise round instead, and followed the kites knowing from last year that you can't see Mark 1 and need to bear off towards it. Turned out it was the right boat and I was possibly first board round the mark. The briefing should point out the general direction we need to go-simples. And if there is any chance of later starts, all the better, perhaps less likely to have people in trouble if 1 wind has filled in, 2 most people on correct gear and less likely to get knackered, sink, crash etc.

Other than that, the usual mad scream 30-40 degrees off the wind with 7.6 on 104 Futura was more than enough in the later stages for my weedy 73kg. But managed 3rd in category so super chuffed with that. Will def do again as overall its so exciting for a Brit to compete in the windsurfing magazines super sexy event the other side of the world from all those years ago when I first started sailing.

I'm a kiter (ex windsurfer) that competed, over here having a look.
I just wanted to say that I totally agree with amoka above, starting before 2:30 made it MORE dangerous than if it had started at 3.
Most of us guys ended up overpowered too, with a half hour delay on the start most would have dropped a size.
As it was with the offshore conditions at the start I made the decision to not use my custom slalom board (which is hopeless upwind) and used my strapless surfboard instead because I thought I might struggle to get back to the shore from the last mark if the wind didn't fill in.
I along with a hell of a lot of kiters was still trying to launch after the start time.
So as it was I ended up overpowered on a little strapless surfboard, no real a problem and I finished well but it would have been way more comfortable and controlled on my slalom board.

I am finding all this very interesting.

As an observer who became involved (but have not raced) about the time it changed to a private company running it, I agree with all the complaints. I have also said much of the above to the committee over the last few years, and its a shame that when MANY of us said the above in the online feedback to the organisers in the last two years they clearly have not taken it on board.

Maybe we need to petition Project3 to actually listen? They are a private company getting paid for this event...

History:
It was run by Lancelin Chamber of Commerce - all non windsurfers - with influence from local windsurfers who assisted the commitee.
BTW - Shout out to Werner who was on the committee and was the voice of reason at many meetings I went to. (eg: trying to finish at the "windsurfers park" a few years ago when Gem Events ran it, and they had no idea that we can't cross a 25cm deep weed bank at 30kn. He put a stop to that rubbish even though a finish there would have benefited his business)
There needs to be a windsurfer and kiter's voice of reason on that committee and whilst not a WWA event I implore them to please try and go to all meetings. If I was in Lano I would, but my presence on the committee was not as a windsurfer it was in a professional role and I have a conflict of interest in some senses. I can't... and I am 400km away now.
Anyway it worked well with non windsurfers at Lancelin CCI and Werner helping, now all these complaints are popping up are since a private company and Eventscorp (Govt funding) got into it.

Now:
Gem Events (2yrs) and now Project3 (4yrs?) have run it as it was the only way to ensure major sponsorship and the Lancelin CCI are worn out / limited in numbers etc.
We are very very very lucky to still have it..... the event would have folded about 4-6yrs ago without going to a private events mgt company. But now they have had our $$$$ for 4-6yrs we need to push them to make it like it was. They sent a survey out last year, and many of us made comments like the above ones in this thread, and they have ignored it.

Suggestions:
(1) as above an early start can be as dangerous as a late one. Wind picking up and people get smashed. Start it later, or if Project3 are too scared of liability at least get a wind reading from offshore turn markers - there are commercial vessels out there with $2K weather stations on board it will be a good reading - and have 3 people reach consensus as to when to start. Not just one bloke under pressure from an insurance company (and 200 competitors ) deciding to start in 15kn when we all know it will be 25kn soon, as that's what the boats are showing.


(2) The issue with first turn marker was the police boat being there. It is needed and we are very lucky to have it every year. BUT this year it was close to turn one and then moved, and same time as the course had been changed to suit an offshore wind (a dumb decision in itself) so of course ppl wondered where the first turn was. If that happened in any other professional event there would be people suing as they missed their prize money. Ridiculous and inexcusable.

The one year they used the Police boat as first turn marker (about 4yrs ago?) it was brilliant. It is huge, and it also has a safety advantage as if the Police boat is the first marker, when the last competitor goes around they can pull anchor and follow slowly acting as the sweeper. If a cray boat also followed it, the water rats would not need to rescue, just keep following the fleet . That way it is safer, you could start at 4pm if needed and no confusion about where 1st turn is. Fixes all the safety concerns.

(3) WTF is with wave event on Friday with a reserve day of Thursday? In effect people need to book an extra day of an already-expensive accommodation cost just to be sure.
The new organisers act like the waves event plays second fiddle to the race. No, the waves is a really good marketing tool. It has the flash pics and video. The waves should always run Thursday with reserve days of Friday AND Sunday as it needs more wind than a race so it needs reserve days.
If it runs Thursday, that's the chance to get it on the news and garner some interest for the weekend. But, no, for the waves we don't get any results at all, or pics or anything, until 2 or 3 days later.

(4) the event is big enough. It is famous. It does not need the last few years' additions of downwind SUP, jetski, beach runs, yoga or anything.
The only addition I reckon was good was a freestyle comp about 4yrs ago, just before sunset, in front of the Thursday night welcome party. Lots of non windsurfers saw that and thought it was bloody brilliant. As a non watersports person you would be on shaded grass, with 3 food van options, listening to a band, and see amazing talent 30m away busting out moves.
Now you have heat, no food, hot sand and nothing, to maybe see somebody come in on a board then a party 6hrs later. What 'normal' Perth or Lano dweller would be interested in that "spectacle"?

Back to grass roots. Waves & Race. Race starts when seabreeze has stabilised a bit, not 10min after we get a puff of southerly.
Waves has plenty of time to suit conditions.
Farken huuuge party. (Thanks for John Keating at Endeavour Tav for getting that right again, I'm still feeling it )


DONE.

Brilliant summary from a different point of view, Mark.
I hope you will forward your ideas to the race organisers

We had planned to participate next year, but will reconsider after reading the reports from this year.

Seeing that most of the fleet was confused about the first mark - how about setting one or two race marks for orientation on the way to the first mark? At the OBX Wind long distance race where a leg is about 5 km long, such orientation marks are an absolute must, since you can't even see the outside make from the start. Setting a couple of large buoys should be easy enough - or am I missing something?

Last year the first mark crayboat could be seen from the beach.

I wonder how it would work with only one mark, the one outside the reef gate? I suppose there might be some nutter that tries to do it with one gybe and sails 12km out. And we would miss the spectacle of the mark rounding. I've done a few coastal downwinders and they seemed to naturally pretty much follow the course layout, maybe not going out quite so far.

In a nutshell the problems all seem to stem from the fact that the event is organised for windsurfers, by non-windsurfers.

If you were going to run a golf tournament, you'd wanna get some some golfers on board yeah?