212 Days until Laser Masters Worlds 2011

It's only 212 days until the start of the Laser Masters World Championships in San Francisco this August. Woo Hoo!

Yes, yes, yes. I know the last time I showed my face at a Masters Worlds it was a total freaking disaster. But we are talking San Francisco! Home of the 34th America's Cup! And if you can believe all the journalist hacks who mindlessly parrot the PR releases from Larry Ellison's boys, San Francisco has an "iconic waterfront" and its bay is a "magnificent natural aquatic amphitheater." Woo Hoo!

A few months back a commenter on this blog was extolling the virtues of Marina Bay and the Berkeley Circle as the proposed location for the Masters Worlds. Indeed, the Finn Gold Cup was held on the Berkeley Circle last summer with launching from Marina Bay on the Richmond Riviera and this was always intended as the test event for the Laser 4.7 and Masters Worlds this year.

However, an informed source has recently told me that plans have changed. It has now been decided to move the location of the Masters Worlds across the bay and it will be run out of the St. Francis Yacht Club with racing on the City Front (a.k.a. the iconic waterfront.) Woo Hoo!

But what about the fog, I hear you ask. Isn't there a greater chance of fog on the San Francisco side of the bay in the summer months? Shame on you. Don't you know that we are talking about sailing in a natural amphitheater off an iconic waterfront? Have faith. Woo Hoo!

Another big positive about the move is that competitors will now be able to use all the facilities of the St. Francis Yacht Club. And if you get fed up with that, then you can just walk down the street and have a beer with Larry Ellison at the Golden Gate Yacht Club. Maybe he'll even show you that big Cup he won last year? Woo Hoo!

But wait, it gets better. The St. Francis YC is in what's known as the Marina District and from a quick Google I gather there are a gazillion hotels and restaurants and bars and night clubs within walking distance of the yacht club. And, acccording to Wikipedia, (which is never wrong) most of the residents of the Marina District live something called a "swinger" lifestyle. Woo Hoo!

My source also informs me that there is going to be a Masters Slalom event right before the Worlds.

OMG. Laser Slalom? San Francisco? They did this back in the 70's. It's part of Laser Class folk lore. I even posted an old video of it here. Woo Hoo! Iconic!

So if you are a Laser Masters sailor and you like the sound of the above, then you need to rush off right now to the event website and register for the Masters Worlds immediately.

No, wait.

You can't register yet.

There's a big notice on the website saying THE OPENING OF THE APPLICATION FOR ENTRY IS DELAYED UNTIL WE RECEIVE OUTSTANDING FINAL DETAILS FROM THE USA.

What's all that about? I have no idea.

OMG. I just followed that swinger link. So that's what it means. Somehow I don't think Tillerwoman is going to let me go to this regatta on my own. Or perhaps not even as a couple?

To be continued...