You can find complete results on this this page, which is also where you'll find the live feed that should start today together with the pro men and women.
My performance in the Masters (still to be completed) was effected by the decision of including one jump (together with two waves) in the scores. Jumping is not part of what I like in windsurfing, just like planing isn't. At the moment my quiver of sails consists of two sizes: 4.3 and 4.0. I use the first one by default, irregardless of wind speed (the lighter the wind is, the more I like it) and the latter when it's gusty/offshore. When it's more than 20-25 knots, I usually don't sail at all.
Thanks to some vigorous pumping, I think managed to get the board planing for about 3 seconds in my heat, during which I couldn't find a small ramp to attempt a jump and right after which I went like:"oh, fuck this shit, why am I even trying to do that?"
Remember last year's incredible surf contest at Jaws? Despite the huge size of the waves, Albee Layer was riding a board that was around 8.8 (while everybody else was on 10+ feet boards), because all he cared was to have some maneuverability and get barreled. He didn't win, but he did get barreled and the day after Dave Kalama posted a comment on Instagram saying:"congratulation to Albee for staying true to his surfing".
That's what I did. I stayed true to my sailing.
Enough of that, Jimmie posted this gallery of the day. Instead I'm gonna post two photos of two good friends of mine that I took in the last heats of the day, when the sun was low and the light was magic.
This is Jeff Henderson, founder of Hot Sails Maui.
And this is Glen Haslbeck. As you can see, the waves did pick up noticeably during the day as they were predicted to. Early morning they were chest high.
This is my car that I parked at Hookipa around 7am and left it there all day. With the bike I could go home after my surf session and come back for my heat without stressing about the parking.
Safely carrying a bike on the roof without having permanently installed gas consuming roof racks... good luck at figuring that out.
Inside I have one longboard, three shortboards (that's my quiver for the winter), a windsurf board, couple of sails, boom, mast and my quiver of at least 15 different wetsuit pieces. Good luck at figuring that out too. Love my surf mobile!
This is the pro men bracket and that is going to be as exciting as wave sailing can get. With or without jumps.
5am significant buoy readings
South shore
Lanai
1.3ft @ 13s from 246° (WSW)
That looks like a wrap from the NW, so not much energy from the south unfortunately.
North shore
NW
3.5ft @ 14s from 329° (NW) (4am was 4.5f)
3.3ft @ 12s from 326° (NW)
N
N
4.5ft @ 15s from 329° (NW)
3.2ft @ 12s from 321° (NW)
Hanalei
4.8ft @ 14s from 320° (NW)
3.2ft @ 8s from 59° (ENE)
2.8ft @ 11s from 305° (WNW)
Waimea
2.8ft @ 12s from 318° (NW)
2.4ft @ 15s from 321° (NW)
Pauwela
Pauwela
5.2ft @ 8s from 80° (E)
2.7ft @ 15s from 328° (NW)
2.4ft @ 12s from 330° (NW)
The northerly buoys might seem a bit confusing today (in particular the graph of the NW one is unreadable), but here's what's happening:
Yesterday afternoon's pulse started at around 14-15s and is now down to 11-12s (you can see it all the buoys). Today there will be another pulse that will start at 14-15s, while the previous one will keep decreasing in both size and period.
Yesterday afternoon's pulse started at around 14-15s and is now down to 11-12s (you can see it all the buoys). Today there will be another pulse that will start at 14-15s, while the previous one will keep decreasing in both size and period.
Not particularly big numbers yet for this second pulse (Hanalei has the biggest one), but I have the feeling that those numbers will increase later today.
The not so clear separation between pulses is a consequence of the fact that the fetches have been quite elongated and overlapping.
The not so clear separation between pulses is a consequence of the fact that the fetches have been quite elongated and overlapping.
The NOAA has called a high surf warning, but that's for Oahu and they expect the warning levels by the evening tonight. Also here in Maui we should see an upward trend in the afternoon, but the big bang is going to be tomorrow.
Head judge Duncan Coombs has made the perfect calls so far (he's the most experience windsurfing head judge on the planet) and I'm sure he'll do the right thing today too. But of course, here's a little unrequested suggestion from the blog author: forget about the women (there'll be plenty days to run that category later on in the waiting period, like Sunday/Monday before too big for Hookipa swell hits on Tuesday) and focus on the men.
Head judge Duncan Coombs has made the perfect calls so far (he's the most experience windsurfing head judge on the planet) and I'm sure he'll do the right thing today too. But of course, here's a little unrequested suggestion from the blog author: forget about the women (there'll be plenty days to run that category later on in the waiting period, like Sunday/Monday before too big for Hookipa swell hits on Tuesday) and focus on the men.
23 heats to complete the single elimination (not seeing non elimination rounds on the bracket makes me thing that there will be the old format of single and double elimination) can be done today and tomorrow the waves should be so big that only the guys should be able (hopefully!) to handle.
Plus, I'm gonna work morning shifts and I'd prefer to watch the guys on the webcast... :)
Plus, I'm gonna work morning shifts and I'd prefer to watch the guys on the webcast... :)
Current wind map shows more fetches along the strong jet stream which will provide no shortage of NW energy for at least two weeks from now. Hopefully for the whole winter, but let's keep it real.
NAM3km map at noon shows the usual trades.
And forgive the non surfing related topic, but this video of my favorite human on the planet Doc Greger, is too good not to share.
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