Part One

Now in the third year, Zwischenahn Sailing Club hosted the annual German Tasar event on week-end September 15th-17th. Although this year, there was only one Tasar from the Netherlands taking part, there were ten entries for the first time, unfortunately only nine teams could go racing. Many thanks to TAUK for two entries!

At the welcome party Friday night - perfectly arranged by restaurant manager Nicole ("the same procedure as every year, James!"), we were very happy to welcome the first Tasar ladies' team in Germany, Mandy and Robyn Stock, GBR (unfortunately, Robyn resisted to all my temptations to withdraw her from the 420 class - together with all her friends, of course). Next morning, NED-champion Tijn Udo arrived on time directly from Japan (only because of this event, of course) to join his crew Jan Slotemaker who had been just waiting. For the first time, we could welcome the Knight family (many thanks again to the President's wife who is reported to have decided to go and see the Germans!).

As scheduled, three races took place on Saturday afternoon - in moderate, slowly decreasing winds.

The first two races were won by Tijn & Jan ("the same procedure as every year, James!"), followed by Tim & Mayumi - Robyn and Mandy had capsized shortly after the first start, and as lake Zwischenahn is pretty shallow, the masttop stuck into the mud - and tried stubbornly to stay there. That is why they lost too much time to cross the line on time and received an annoying DNF, but subject to the discard. Our youngster team (at a combined age of 28), Michael Knabe & Laura Steinhage, gladly took the benefits, and made third in race one. The second race, our three guest boats allocated - as expected - the medal ranks among themselves: Tijn & Jan, Tim & Mayumi, Robyn & Mandy, followed by Michi & Laura plus the other German boats. The last race on Saturday brought Tijn's first defeat in Germany: line honours were taken by Robyn and Mandy, and bronce rank again by Michi & Laura. After their unpleasant travel to Germany, Tim & Mayumi had returned to the club supposing to discard this DNS by the last race.

Prior to the decision on Sunday, Tijn & Jan were unreachable in lead, and after one discard, the GBR teams were undoubtedly supposed to take the
other two medal ranks because of their impressing superiority to the German teams. "The same procedure as every year, James!"

Sunday morning, Sep 17th, the sun rose to a beautiful late summer day, adequate to Saturday's night party at Zwischenahn Sailing Club's restaurant where Nicole had offered a voluminous buffet accompanied by fine wines and froth beer ("Thanks, Mr President, for this new word") - and some other fluids, of course.

The last race was to start at 11:00, but the lake surface only shew a very smooth rippling. This seemed to increase what strenghened our hope for the
now postponed start. First place was fixed (see the first part of my report), but Tijn could wipe out his second place. Robyn was eager to defeat him again, and Tim was ready to fight back for a medal place. Our youngster team, still on second place, were willing to give their best against the overwhelming competitors. Tammo's crew had had to leave Bad Zwischenahn the evening before, so had Doris' helm. That is why Tammo prepared to move over to Doris' Tasar to stabilize her ranking (Believe me, there are no questions about legality when one is happy to have half a dozen German Tasars in a race!). Mike and Rolf with their crews were looking forward to pleasant sailing.
Any team missing? Oh, I have to mention our international team, young Mariko and old Egbert. Tasaring together with someone who does not speak
your own language and whom you have never seen before, is not very easy (Many years ago, after sailing together with a young Dutch boy, who did
not speak German nor English, I suggested a special International Prize for language mixed teams).


Back to Sunday morning: After Mariko and me had changed places for an after-race-cruise Saturday afternoon, we were looking forward to make last
race with Mariko at the helm.
11:00 The race officers postponed the start for another half an hour
11:30 The race officers postponed the start for another half an hour
12:00 The race officers postponed... They seemed to acquire that taste!

Race instruction had fixed latest start time on 14:00. In the background, the Goddess of Wind was playing her game: Increasing rippling on the water, decreasing, increasing... And she must have locked our Youngsters, Michi & Laura, in her heart: Decreasing wind at last, mirror-like lake, no more racing, no discard, no changes of ranking - our youngest team on second place!

At the awards ceremony, the commodore dedicated trophies to the first three ranks: Robyn & Mandy, Michi & Laura, and again Tijn & Jan. Then
Mayumi presented the NickyBethwaiteChallengeCup (dedicated to the honour of Frank as Tasar creator and Nicky as patroness of the German fleet) to "the best German Tasar team" of the year - this year to the "28yrs-team", Michi & Laura & LaGioconda.
But prior to this, the first Tasar Ladies' team in Germany, Robyn & Mandy, were honoured and so was 13yr-old Mariko, forehand of MagicMurre, as
bravest one of the event.

There had been a "tiny" occurence during our Zwischenahn event which I should like to add to my - I admit: very subjectiv - race report on the 2006
highlight of Tasar sailing in Germany. I use the word "tiny", because... let me tell you:

During the races on Saturday afternoon, Sep 16th, the only team within the chronicler's sight (right, our 2006 International German Tasar Team, i.e.
young Mariko & old Egbert) used the in-between time by giving HRM MagicMurre the feeling of better and better cooperation of helm and forehand (believe me, we really made better!) during a private cruise on lake Zwischenahn (please help me if necessary, because the Zwischenahn people call that "sea"). When the first class started (there were three classes on the waters - "the same procedure as every year, James"-, but both others were not very interesting, of course, for Tasarians), I asked Mariko whether she could recognize the now current class flag in the distance, and she seized the binoculars (yes, of course, on lake Zwischenahn the HRM MM crew enjoys binoculars to detect the next mark - because the helm is nearly blind, but keep that secret! Only because of this overweight, we politely do not beat all those Tasar experts around) and answered "There is a tiny white flag..." (if this is not good English, I obviously do not well remember) - "Tiny - white ? O.k. that's for us! Let us gybe to approach the start line!"

Hhmm, Tasars - tiny? Hhmm, at that moment, I remembered my English lessons, when learning the word "tiny" (here, let me give my regards to my
English teacher who is going to celebrate his 85th this year), and furthermore I remembered that it had been me to hand over that "tiny"  Tasar flag to the race officers two years ago!

Returned home, I put on order a not-tiny (I hope so) race flag: 2,5 feet square (question to the experts: Is that not-tiny enough for non-experts? Anyone else interested?), and this is - undoubtedly - "Mariko Flag"!


P.S. If interesting: I shall be happy to present a bottle of my favourite wine (red: Lüb'scher Rotspon or white: Hungarian Oremus) or my favourite beer (only black: Andechser Doppelbock) to the furthest competitor! Come and see Mariko Flag next September at Zwischenahn Sailing Club (I admit:
in Germany)!

        Even more gossip? O.k.: