Weeks of preparation were leading to the start of the ‘Martin’s Nieuwpoort Channel Race’ on Sunday July 6th. Felicity II passed the safety inspection and with all the food stored on the boat, we (Glenn Van den Bergh and myself) were ready to set sail and race to the Isle of Wight and back.

During the briefing on Sunday morning, the decision of the race committee to postpone the race was made public. With an expected wind strength of force 7 to 8 (Southwesterly) on Monday afternoon and night, the organization found it best to postpone the race start until Tuesday July 8th. As the weather condition were not too bad on Sunday (SSW force 6), a coastal race would be organized. The race would start at 13.02 hours and should take us from Nieuwpoort downwind to Ostend and back upwind to Nieuwpoort. A total of 18 miles, but with the current against us during the upwind leg and some serious wind shifts around the clouds, it seemed to become a tactical race that would be 33 miles long for us. Felicity II is racing in the Mini class together with three other minis. Koen Willaert skippering Pikes (Pogo 1), Grégoire Dumont skippering Vung Tau (Pogo 1) and Pim Schulp skippering Flying Dutchman (Pogo 2) are our opponents.

As it turned out, it would become a very tragic racing day.  Next to some accidents, on one of the IRC 1-boats, a crew member suffered a cardiac arrest and did not survive.

Yesterday, July 6th 2008, was supposed to be the start of Martin's Nieuwpoort Channel Race.  The weather decided differently, though.  Both the French as well as the English authorities had released a gale warning, meaning that wind speeds of Bft 8 or more are to be expected.  In France this also prohibits the starting of any sailing race.  As we would be sailing along both French as well as English coastal waters, the race organisation decided to postpone the race.