The NTSB said conditions reported at the time of the crash included a gentlewind, "visibility greater than 10 kilometers" and broken clouds 1, 700 feet (520 meters) above the field.
By this point the sunshine in which the match started had given way to cloudy skies, a fairly strong wind and gentle rainfall, and break-point opportunities were few and far between.
The wind rushes along the footpath before them, muting the gentle snapping sound of their sails and of the waves crashing against the cliff face 200 metres below.