Looking down the line from the RC boat a second or two before the gun: I do believe that's Gerry Jackson with Kirby Burton in 3099 (nearest the camera), while just off their bow we have the Koflers about to get off to a great start. Seeing the Koflers heel like this, vividly reminds of the lesson I learned in that race: Julia and I started about 5 lengths to windward and astern of Chris and Carolyn in rather puffy conditions. I was explaining to Julia how it was necessary to sail the boat flat by easing the main in the gusts, as we were doing, whereas the Koflers were doing it all wrong. They were letting Bumble Bee heel dramatically in each puff. It wasn't until they had worked their way up over our bow that I realized that by letting W4613 heel and luff up briefly in these fairly flat waters, they were gaining windward distance each time they did this. A little trick that has come in handy many a time over the past 30 years! What you do is let the boat luff up in the early stages of the gust and then, before speed is lost, you ease the main and bear off to close-hauled if the gust persists.