Achill Competition

It was a great weekend. Really! Despite horrible weather, no wind forecast and long drive on bad roads I found myself smiling in Achill :)

On Saturday morning the wind was blowing strong enough for 9m kites! Keel lake was very inviting - butter smooth water and constant off-shore wind with no gust at all!

Due to some organization problems the comp didn't kick off until 2pm and by that time wind dropped to hardly anything. 12m had to come out of the bag :)

5 girls registered and we were divided into 2 heats - I got in the first one with Cat and Aleks, Nika and Jenny were in the second heat.

I really kited my socks off and done the best I could but had no chances to go through with Aleks doing unhooked tricks. Just before the end of our heat I decided to go for double backloop and crashed it badly with my kite just falling from the sky... There was no wind at all on the surface and re-lauch was just impossible, the biggest trick of the day was not to drop your kite! ;)

Found myself doing an emergency packdown and swimming back... it took me ages and I was close to tears at some point. Gavin came over on the kayak to check if I was ok, helped a bit and then had to paddle back for his heat...

I just made to the shore on time to sort my lines and pump the kite for the next heat (thanks Fionn for your help - you are a superstar!) The fight between Cat, Jenny and I for the last place in the final. The wind was really non-existed and I had to ride Gavin's old big board, still not able to stay upwind... I really gave all I got and was constantly throwing my little tricks and I got my place in the final, but we haven't got a chance tu run that very last heat!

Jenny got unlucky again, dropped the kite at early stage of the heat - I think I'm feeding my victories on her bad luck...need to start riding better not to feel guilty! Once again I ended up all the way downwind, this time on the other side of the lake and had no choice but walk back... The wind was gone all together. At the bridge a new friend from Achill picked me up and gave me a lift back to the zone - thanks Diarmuid!!!

I missed the heat between Nika and Jenny and still hear everyone raging about Nika's amazing raileys to toeside! Girls have improved so much over past few months, it's just amazing!!! Every time I make a little progress, the others are way ahead of me :) Nika, Aleks and Jenny are all doing unhooked tricks so it's really time to unhook!

I'm on the mission now...

THANKS AILISH FOR THE PHOTOS!