RIGA - With a loud snap, the red and white sails jumped to attention and the small, two-hulled boat sprang to life. Within seconds it was speeding off into the river Daugava, leaving the towering cranes of the harbor behind.
The boat soon reached top speed and the real sailing began. The two sailors leaned impossibly far out over the edge of the boat until they were nearly parallel to the water. The boat lurched up and down with the waves, spraying white foam that momentarily obscured the sailors from view.
The crew went into a flurry of activity as the boat began to tack. They calmly but quickly pulled on ropes to reel in the sail while throwing themselves to the opposite end of the boat to keep the weight balanced. The boat spun around and shifted direction without losing speed.
The sailors danced across the river, nimbly weaving between the larger boats as they prepared for the upcoming competition. When the referee's boat blasted its air horn, the boat headed for the start line.
Catamaran sailing is a relatively new sport to Latvia but is growing in popularity every season. July 26 saw the first competition of the year.
"There have been kind of poor conditions so far this year. Hopefully this will be the start of the real sailing season," Kristaps Bluss, president of the Topcat Sailing Association, told The Baltic Times in the run-up to the competition.
The weather conditions were perfect. There were clear blue skies, a moderate temperature and only slightly choppy waters. The wind felt strong 's the safety inspector fretted that it may be too much for the small boats, but the sailors themselves said they wished there was even more.
"It really is something of an extreme sport," one of the referees told TBT. He said the sailors are always trying to push the limits just a little bit further.
A catamaran is a boat with two hulls under one mast. Originally developed in India, their popularity has recently spread throughout the world as sailors have begun to recognize the greater stability that the design affords.
The competition consisted of topcat-class catamarans, which are small, agile boats designed for two people. They are widely recognized as some of the fastest in the world for their size.
Latvia's Topcat Sailing Association was founded in the summer of 2002. Its goal is to promote sailing in the country, and so far it has been relatively successful. There are currently 25 topcats in Latvia, about 10 of which regularly take part in competitions, an association spokeswoman said.
Anyone interested in trying their hand at the sport can contact Bluss and arrange a time to take a ride on one of the boats. The association president said he was also searching for appropriate places to teach people how to sail topcats, and that he hoped more organized lessons would soon be available.
Kristaps Bluss, Topcat Sailing Association
[email protected]Tel.: 26585666
