Day three of Trieste Challenge: Chris Dickson leads unbeaten, China Team beats Luna Rossa

Chris Dickson of BMW Oracle continued his domination for the third consecutive day, winning all of his three races and remaining unbeaten. The weather scenario on Thursday was diametrically opposed to that of Wednesday. After suffering from heavy gust of up to 30 knots, helmsmen and tacticians tested their nerves and skills in winds that barely went over 5 knots. Under these conditions, every team that slowed down or came to a stop was also sure to lose the race.

Areva Challenge - China Team : 1 - 0
It was an easy victory for the skipper of Areva Challenge and number one in world match racing rankings, Sébastien Col. The French team won a lead right from the start and managed to increase it considerably, crossing the finish line half a leg ahead of the Chinese.

China Team - Luna Rossa: 1 - 0
Less than two hours after suffering a defeat, China Team provided the day's surprise and upset by beating Luna Rossa in an excruciatingly slow race. Luna Rossa started with an advantage over the Chinese but was unable to hold on to it and at the end of the third leg, both boats were neck and neck approaching the top mark. Pierre Mas, skipper of China Team, was too agressive on his attack and got penalized. Still, as a result of the error, the Italian boat came to a complete stop and due to the lack of wind had great difficulty in raising the spinnaker. The chinese boat went ahead and built a substantial lead that allowed the team to offload the penalty and win the race.

Michele Ivaldi, tactician aboard Luna Rossa, insisted the jury should have raised the red flag and force the chinese to immediately offload their penalty.

BMW Oracle - Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team : 1 - 0
Chris Dickson's skills during the prestart meant the race was decided before it even started. Jes Gran Hansen was forced into an error and touched the American boat. The jury immediately gave the Italian team a penalty but also red flag. As a result, Jes Gran Hansen had to offload the penalty right at the start. With such light winds it was then impossible to catch Chris Disckson who scored yet another victory.

BMW Oracle getting Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team penalized during the prestart. The extremely light winds did not allow the Italian team recover. Trieste, 31 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

BMW Oracle - Luna Rossa : 1 - 0
The second faceoff between the two strongest teams turned out to be a comfortable victory for BMW Oracle. Chris Dickson and Francesco de Angelis had a quite even first leg but at the top mark the Luna Rossa team raised the spinnaker before the two-boatlength limit (a particular rule in this event). As a result they were penalized and once again the very light winds made any kind of recovery impossible.

Chris Dickson is leading the Trieste Chalenge unbeaten. Trieste, 31 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

BMW Oracle - China Team : 1 - 0
There is no doubt about it. Chris Dickson is the turnaround artist of the Trieste Challenge. It was the second race he got penalized for being early over the start line and still managed to recover and win. Once his penalty offloaded he needed a few tacks to reach the chinese at the top mark and get inside them. Pierre Mas was penalized and practically lost the race at that point. Dickson built a lead and finished two boatlengths ahead of China Team.

Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team - China Team : 1 - 0
Despite the weakening wind, racing continued at the Trieste Challenge. Jes Gran Hansen won the prestart and went ahead in front of the chinese, in a very long race of six legs. Given their early advantage, the Italian tactic was to hold on it, which they did, despite a late puff of wind that helped the chinese at the last leg. The Italian team finished two boatlengths ahead and earned an important point.

Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team - Areva Challenge : 1 - 0
The last race of the day was a movie in slow motion and the desperately weak winds turned it into an agony. Still, Mascalzone got the early advantage and managed to keep it during the whole excruciating race, staying on the correct side of the course. Another point for the Italian team that has almost assured its place in the semifinals.

Trieste Challenge provisional classification (after 13 races)

1. BMW Oracle Racing - 6 points (6 races)
2. Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team - 4 points (6 races)
3. Luna Rossa - 2 points (5 races)
4. Areva Challenge - 1 point (5 races)
5. China Team - 1 point (6 races)

Another three sailors from the Volvo Ocean Race join Victory Challenge in Valencia

[Source: Victory Challenge] The Swedish America's Cup challenger keeps its hiring pace at a high level! A further three sailors that took part in the Volvo Ocean Race have joined Victory Challenge:
• Andy Meiklejohn from Brasil 1.
• Richard Mason from Ericsson Racing Team.
• Anthony Merrington, who was a member of Victory Challenge during the pre-regattas in 2005, has returned after sailing with Pirates of the Caribbean.

“All three well fulfil the criteria we have had for the continued team recruitment. They are solid sailors who also contribute specialist knowledge to the development of rigging, sails or the boat.

“Andy is a mast specialist, Richard was boat captain with Ericsson – which he will also be with us. It’s also great that Anthony is back, that the Volvo Ocean Race was a parenthesis which means that he can bring further experience to the team,” says Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman.

For the three Volvo Ocean Race sailors it was the second time they participated in round the world sailing.

• New Zealander Andy Meiklejohn, 30, has been recruited as midbowman and rigger. He sailed with Brasil 1 in the last Volvo Ocean Race, and was rigger on shore with Team News Corp in the one prior to that. He was part of the team that won the round the world race, Oryx Quest 2005.
• Australian Richard Mason, 32, who grew up in New Zealand but lives in Sweden, is one of the most experienced off-shore sailors in the world for his age. He sailed with Ericsson Racing Team in the last Volvo Ocean Race, and with ASSA ABLOY in the one prior to that. He will be a floater with Victory Challenge and captain of one of the two America’s Cup boats in the two-boat training which will soon begin.
• Australian Anthony Merrington, 33, will also be a floater. He is, just like Richard Mason, one of the most experienced off-shore sailors. He last sailed with Pirates of the Caribbean and, prior to that, with Team SEB in the Volvo Ocean Race. For him it is a return to Victory Challenge; he was in every pre-regatta in the 32nd America’s Cup during 2005.

In total, this means that eight of those who have recently completed the Volvo Ocean Race have reinforced Victory Challenge’s sailing team ahead of the two-boat training.

Day two of Trieste Challenge: Yet another exhibition of sailing skills by Chris Dickson

The second day of the Trieste Challenge provided nice and close racing but was unfortunately shortened by bad weather, resulting in just two races being completed out the five scheduled. Morning gusts of up to 30 knots forced the race committee to postpone racing till 3pm while an afternoon thunderstorm sent all boats back to the harbor.

Racing will start at 10am tomorrow and the tentative schedule calls for the completion of the first round robin.

The first match of the day was an Italian derby between Luna Rossa and Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team, although it definitely lacked the expected thrills and excitement. It was an easy win for de Angelis and the Luna Rossa crew that forced a start on the right side of the course. Luna Rossa built an advantage of 2 boatlenghts in the first leg and by staying on the right side managed to increase the lead till the end of the match, despite some futile provocations from behind by Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team during the last leg.

Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team lost the Italian derby of the second day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 30 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team lost the Italian derby of the second day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 30 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

Luna Rossa sailing to victory at the Italian derby of the second day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 30 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

Luna Rossa sailing to victory at the Italian derby of the second day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 30 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

The second and last race of the day was another exhibition by Chris Dickson of his sailing skills. The BMW Oracle skipper dominated the prestart against Areva Challenge but was over the line early. By the time BMW Oracle had carried out their penalty the French had built a lead that kept during the first leg. At the top mark, Dickson had closed in on the French but rounded the wrong buoy. After protesting to the jury, the race went on and Dickson managed to catch up with Sébastien Col in the second leg. At the bottom mark he got inside the French forcing them to crush against the wharf. At the turn Areva touched the American boat and got a penalty. From that point Dickson covered and anticipated each move by the French, allowing him to cross the finish line first while Sébastien Col was offloading his penalty.

Chris Dickson (BMW Oracle) and Sébastien Col (Areva Challenge) racing at the second day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 30 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

Chris Dickson is staging a sailing show in the Trieste Challenge. Nevertheless, the skipper of the America's Cup Challenger of Record is facing a long winter in Valencia (or summer in Auckland?) getting ready for the moment of truth next April in Valencia. Trieste, 30 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

Trieste Challenge provisional classification (after 7 races)

1. BMW Oracle Racing - 3 points (3 races)
2. Luna Rossa - 2 points (3 races)
3. Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team - 2 points (3 races)
4. China Team - 0 points (2 races)
5. Areva Challenge - 0 points (3 races)

Flavio Favini speaks about Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team and the America's Cup

[Source: Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team] Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team is starting an important period of preparation for the America´s Cup. Flavio Flavini, helmsman, speaks about this time. Flavio, nicknamed “Favonio”, was born with sailing in his blood. He began to sail when he was only 10 years old on Lago Maggiore and he has gone on to become one of Italy’s greatest sailors.

What has changed in Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team from September 2005 and September 2006?

The differences are substantial, in the sense that last year we had, in effect, just started… We started in April 2005 and just one month later we had our first regatta. Then from Valencia we went to Malmo and right after, Trapani. Last year we were in a hurry to prepare ourselves and we were practically thrown into racing. Then, we weren´t able to use our boat, ITA 77, in August or September because it was in transfer. The real work and real training couldn´t begin until October, once the regattas had finished. The substantial difference is that, from last autumn until this spring we have worked seriously at sea in a continuous mode. We trained pretty well.”

And we saw the results…

Yes, from last year to this year we have had a big improvement in the results. Anyway, the results from last year had to be seen from the perspective of a team that was just starting and had to speed up! To expect great results from last year wouldn’t make sense or was inconceivable in this game. Then the work started to bear fruit. I think that we have improved our boat handling in all areas, from helmsman to bowman to tailer...we have learned a lot just sailing.

You have certainly been able to get some better performance from the boat

“We had to understand 77 and to learn how to speed her up… It was surely from the hours spent sailing, we came to understand how to trim the sails properly, how to maneuver, and many other things. Now we must be smart and do the same with ITA 90.

What’s next?/What’s going to happen now?

Now comes the crucial part of our campaign: to get ready for the Louis Vuitton Cup. First, with ITA 90 and then with the new boat. The next months will be very important, much more so, considering the fact that our opponents are also working very very hard and are making progress.

Your first impression on the new format, pro’s and con’s

I think the negative is only in terms of costs: the more you race, as we have done over the last 2 years, the more the campaign costs. To race at this level costs a lot. The positives, on the other hand, are many. For example, I had never been very attracted to the America ’s Cup because I was not interested in years of speed testing. I like to race, and now, it´s really good fun…. All it takes is to organize with the other teams and you’re racing!

From these informal races between teams, little is said because of the privacy agreement between the teams…can you tell us how it works?

Basically we are able to race three or four times a week. It´s very easy: we organize a weekly calendar each week or 15 days, with the others who are interested, which is usually everyone. They are true regattas with instructions, start times, and umpires. One team provides the committee boat, the other lays out the marks. We organize over the phone or outside the team bases, but it’s never hard to find an opponent, including the Defender! In fact, sometimes they are the ones who call us.

How do you explain this change?

No one wants to “fossilize” themselves doing speed tests. Sure, a little work is still done outside of the prying eyes of others… some testing, some experimenting… and the big teams still race in-house. But I think that in the end you learn a lot more in competition. To go and face the others is always interesting. For me, it makes more sense to train well, than to try to hide.

Does that mean that everyone is revealing a lot? Boats, sails, gear?

There’s always some secret, but to me, to try to hide something is only a waste of time. It is better to train well than to try to hide what the others already know!

So, in autumn you expect to have a certain amount of work in-house and many more races with the others?

Yes, absolutely. We have the intention to continue to race as much as possible. To test could also mean to lose a lot of time. The conditions for a real test are usually wishful thinking. If they are not perfect, and they usually aren’t, when you go and analyze them you find yourself throwing away 80%.

Will you reveal 90 in all for all?

Well (he laughs), first of all we have to learn how to sail 90 to her best. Sure, there are things that we would like to keep to ourselves, but we are surely not going to go and race the others thinking how good we are at hiding something! What we have to do is improve and then win the races!”

Immediate plans for work?

September and October are very important due to the weather conditions. From November to February you generally sail only one day every three days. October will be our highspot with 90.

You have another six months and then from April, the Louis Vuitton… is that enough time?

It’s very little time. It´s flying away. I feel like we’ve just started. Time is flying also because doing this is fun, much more fun than I was told. Maybe it´s because we race so much…I am sure that we won’t even notice…and then we’re there at the first race.”

What is the strong point of Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team?

I believe that we train well, and I believe that we are learning very fast….yes, I´d say it´s our ability to learn.

A wish to be granted from the genie in the lantern?

That´s a hard question….I think the wish of everyone would be to have a fast boat or at least as fast as the others…”

What do you hope for, from the second new boat?

Clearly, and this is the key to the game…-that she beats 90 as soon as she goes in the water!

First day of Trieste Challenge: BMW Oracle and Mascalzone Capitalia tied with two wins

Trieste Challenge, the first race to convene five America's Cup teams after the last Louis Vuitton Acts in Valencia, started this afternoon in Trieste. Five America's Cup teams are participating (BMW Oracle, Luna Rossa, Mascalzone Latino Capitalia, China Team and Areva Challenge) while, unfortunately, Alinghi renounced at the last moment due to the start of their training program in Valencia. The races take place inside Trieste's harbor.

Five matches took place today, the first of which saw Francesco de Angelis of Luna Rossa trying to beat Chris Dickson of BMW Oracle without success. The New Zealander skipper of the American team beat the Italians in a race that was decided at the first leg. Luna Rossa was first to cross the starting line but BMW Oracle's crew judiciously chose the right side of the race course and built an advantage of 4 seconds at the first mark. From that point, de Angelis was unable to reach Dickson.

Chris Dickson of BMW Oracle (left) sails to victory against Francesco de Angelis of Luna Rossa at the first day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 29 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

BMW Oracle's skipper then went on to win over Pierre Mas of China Team, managing to overcome a two-boatlength disadvantage. The Chinese team started ahead of BMW Oracle who again chose the right side of the course. This time the left was the correct one and a puff of wind pushed Pierre Mas two boatlenghts in front of BMW Oracle. Nevertheless, that's where Dickson showed his class and in the third leg caught up with Mas and forced him to slow down, coming to a virtual stop. At the right moment, Dickson speeds, passes the third mark ahead of China Team and sails on to victory.

In the third match of the day Jes Gram Hansen of Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team easily beat Pierre Mas of China Team, after forcing him to receive a penalty in pre-start. Despite the advantage the Chinese managed to build, the Italians caught up with them and won after the Chinese lost precious time offloading the penalty.

Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team at the first day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 29 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

Jes Gram Hansen beat Areva Challenge's Sébastien Col in the day's fourth and most disputed match, characterized by very light winds. The Italians started the race in an difficult position, carrying a penalty and with the French clearly leading. Still, in the second leg they managed to shrink the gap and offload their penalty. In addition, at the bottom mark, an excellent maneuver by Jes Gram Hansen forced Col to an error, as their gennaker touched the Italian boat. With such light winds and a level race, offloading the penalty cost the French too much time and the race.

Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team and Areva Challenge bowmen signaling the start of the race at the first day of the Trieste Challenge. Trieste, 29 August 2006. Photo copyright: Massimo Silvano / Trieste Challenge

In the day's last race, Areva Challenge beat Luna Rossa on water but lost it after a protest by the Italian team. During the race, Areva lost one of their crew members but did not recover him, as they were obliged according to regulations. The jury agreed with Luna Rossa and awarded them the victory. It was a pitty for the French skipper, since Col had a comfortable lead of various boatlengths throughout the race.

Treiste Challenge provisional classification
BMW Oracle Racing 2 points
Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team 2 points
Luna Rossa 1 point
Areva Challenge 0 points
China Team 0 points

Jan Dekker joins Alinghi as foredeck crew

[Source: Alinghi] Jan Dekker, 39, well known French/South African bowman, joins Alinghi, the Swiss Defender of the 32nd America’s Cup, as foredeck crew to strengthen the sailing squad at a time when the emphasis will be switching from testing to more racing in preparation for next year’s America’s Cup Match.

He has a wealth of offshore racing experience having just stepped off the winning Volvo Ocean Racing yacht ABN Amro One to notch up his fourth round the world race. With America’s Cup experience on the 1995 French challenger in San Diego, with Alinghi crew mates Yann Gouniot, Christian Karcher and Bernard Labro, he is no stranger to inshore racing either. He will bring rigging know-how to the shore team, as Jochen Schuemann, sports director and helmsman, comments: "We know he's very experienced having done various Volvos and trimaran campaigns in France, aside from other big boat programs, and have put him in the rig team, hoping that we can learn a bit about the technology of the VOR.”

On the boat, Dekker will slot in to the ongoing crew rotation policy, Jochen adds: “He will be part of the bow group as a sailor and as he settles in and we learn more about his competences and strengths, we might adjust it a little, but at the moment that's where he stands."

Dekker has been persistent in his approach to the Swiss team, “In the 2001 round the world race, we stopped in Auckland and already then I wanted to join Alinghi, I wrote my CV and gave it to the team. Since then, once a year, I’ve told them that I’m still keen.”

His knowledge is what counts for the Defender: “He's an experienced bowman and has sailed on a lot of different boats. He is physically very strong and that is useful on Cup boats. We need strong, solid, experienced bow people. We always have a good choice of experienced sailors from different fields and he will hopefully add value to the core of Alinghi," says Jochen.

Dekker will start training this week with the sailing team as they continue with the two boat testing and training program out of the base in Valencia.

Shosholoza's Paolo Cian slips to third place after day two at the Melges 24 Worlds

[Source: Fiona Brown / Melges 24] Day two at the Melges 24 Worlds in Hyeres brought a mix of conditions for the 119 crews with racing starting in 8-10 knots and finishing in 30 knots as the Mistral began to blow. Two more races in the six-race round robin series were completed and in the overall standings Francois Brenac, helming DPR Partner & Partners for Philippe Ligot of France now leads by 7 points.

Second to twelfth place are separated by only 10 points so the regatta remains wide open at this stage. Jean Marc Monnard aboard Poizon Rouge from Switzerland and Paolo Cian, helming Sherekhan for Maurizo Cardascio from Southern Italy are both on 20 points with Monnard in second on count back. Chris Rast, helming Blu Moon for Franco Rossini from Switzerland is in fourth on 21 points and the local Euro Voiles Team, owned by Denis Infante and helmed by Christophe Barrue are just two points behind in fifth.

Victory Challenge recruits two more sailors

[Source: Victory Challenge] A mere four days after the recruitment of three new sailors, the Swedish America's Cup challenger announced that an additional two have joined the team in Valencia. They both have previous experience of the America’s Cup. Additionally, they won the most recent round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race with ABN AMRO ONE.

The New Zealanders, David Endean, 27, and Tony Mutter, 37, are two of Victory Challenge’s new sailors as the team begin their two-boat training.

“They both have a lot of experience, both from the America’s Cup and a number of round-the-world races, where winning the last Volvo Ocean Race is a real triumph. Also, they both have important specialist skills for our continuing development work, David as boat builder and Tony as sailmaker,” says Magnus HolmbergHelmsman and skipper of Victory Challenge

Click for more info, skipper and helmsman.

David Endean was the youngest sailor on board ABN AMRO ONE, which won the Volvo Ocean Race in convincing fashion. It doesn’t mean that he lacks experience. That was his second round-the-world race. He sailed with Team TYCO during the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race. He was also part of the American One World Challenge during the America’s Cup in Auckland, 2002-2003. David Endean’s position in Victory Challenge: pitman

Tony Mutter did his third round-the-world race when he won with ABN AMRO ONE. He sailed with Swedish Match in the predecessor to the Volvo Ocean Race, the Whitbread Round the World Race, in 1997-1998 and with SEB in 2000-2001. He was a member of the American America’s Cup team Abracadabra, during the America’s Cup in Auckland, 1999-2000. Tony Mutter was New Zealand champion in OK Dinghy in 1989, 1991 and 2000. He has known Victory Challenge since Auckland. He stepped in as trimmer in 2002 when Lars Linger was injured and it is as trimmer that he has now joined.

Therefore there are now five ABN AMRO sailors with Victory Challenge. The other three are Simon Fisher, Andrew Lewis and Luke Molloy, who all sailed with ABN AMRO TWO. They are all part of the recruitment of new sailors ahead of the two-boat training that will soon begin.

Paolo Cian leads the Melges 24 Worlds

[Source: Fiona Brown / Melges 24] Day one of the Melges 24 World Championship in Hyeres on the French Riviera brought stunning conditions for the 119 competitors from 14 nations as they completed the first two round robin races of the championship. There was plenty of close action and more than a few thrills and spills with broaches galore and two broken masts by the end of the day. It was also a very long day on the water, particularly for the teams sailing on race course Alpha who did not get back to the dock until after 6pm.

In the overall standings top Italian match racer and America’s Cup sailor Paolo Cian, helming Sherekhan for Maurizio Cardascio, has just a one point lead. Fellow Italian and double Mumm 30 World Champion Luca Valerio, helming Alina Helly Hansen for Maurizio Abba, is tied on points for second place with Reigning North American Champion Brian Porter of Chicago, whose Full Throttle crew includes 2002 Melges 24 World Champion Harry Melges. Simon Strauss's Team Gill, with Irish Olympian Mark Mansfield at the helm, is in fourth place and Switzerland's Jean Marc Monnard lies fifth just one point behind them.

There are currently five boats counting a score of 10 points which can only be separated on count back. As a result John Pollard's Excellent (GBR) lies sixth, Francois Brenac sailing DRP Partner & Partners for Philippe Ligot (FRA) and Sandro Montefuseo helming GEBL (ITA) are tied in seventh with Eamonn O’Nolan's Wild Thing (GBR) ninth and Antoine Frickey helming Benjamin Cohen's Sogeti Hyeres (FRA) in tenth. Clearly the next few days are going to be very interesting.

The pink and yellow groups sailing on course Bravo had the slightly easier day as their racing got underway sooner, they had shorter courses, less delays and fewer recalls. Initially course Bravo was set in the channel between Porquerolls and Giens where the sea breeze built rapidly enabling racing to get underway after a half hour delay. At the start of race one there was 15-18 knots which rapidly built to a steady 25 knots. Mark Mansfield got a lovely start then stayed right and took advantage of his clean air tacking on 10-15 degree shifts to lead at the weather mark from Germany's Alba Batzill, helming No Woman No Cry for Eddy Eich, Jean Marc Monnard and Eamonn O'Nolan. Mansfield kept control of the race throughout the following two legs and Monnard pulled up into second. In the closing moments of the race Monnard held off his final gybe gaining valuable yards to slip past Mansfield right with O'Nolan third.

For race two course Bravo was moved into the lee of the Giens peninsular which reduced the wave height slightly although the wind was still a steady 25 knots. It was another tense race and this time the trick was to hit the corners with the right appearing slightly favoured. After some incredibly hard racing it was Luca Valerio who took the honours from Switzerland's Chris Rast, helming Franco Rossini's Blu Moon with Francois Brenac third.

On course Alpha that day did not go as smoothly with false starts, two complete course moves and several general recalls. Initially the course was set on the Hyeres shore and after a one hour postponement the first race was started in around 5 knots but was abandoned within minutes following a massive shift. The course was then moved south to the Porquerolls shore where the sea breeze was well established at over 20 knots. Despite the delays the race officer set a long six leg course to test the crews to the maximum. Almost from the off the race was a dog fight between Christophe Barrue helming French Class President Denis Infante's Euro Voiles and Brian Porter with Porter eventually getting the upper hand on the final leg. Frenchman Bruno Jourdren sailing FR Environnement Nautique took third with Italy's Nicola Celon helming Bette for Ezio Amadori fourth.

After a long delay course alpha was moved back up onto the Hyeres shore for the second race which eventually got underway at the second attempt when the boats found themselves sailing into the now setting sun. Whilst the battle between Maurizio Cardascio, John Pollard, Sandro Montefuseo and Antoine Frickey was a stunner the spectator's were momentarily distracted at the first mark when two boats lost their rigs in rapid succession as they hoisted spinnakers in a strong gust. Ultimately Cardascio held his lead with Pollard second, Montefuseo third and Frickey fourth.

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Mold of new Chinese America's Cup yacht is ready

[Source: China Team] It is on its way! The mold for the future China America’s Cup yacht was validated last week. After several adjustments, “the good to go” was signed off by the China Team Design Team on Wednesday, August 23rd. The lay-up of the hull can start.

Daniel Andrieu, member of the China Team Design Team, has just made an express trip to Dong Guan. He spent two days on site, following the visit to the boatyard, at the beginning of the month by Luc Gellusseau and Pierre Massé. Welcomed by Lionel Antognelli, the local project manager, who is in charge of construction for the Chinese America’s Cup yacht, Daniel Andrieu was also present to validate or control the hull mold: "When I arrived, the mold was completely finished, and they were in the sanding phase. "I could do all the necessary verifications like measuring the line for the keel, the conformity of the hull sides, and make sure that there weren’t any deformities or concaves in the mold and that the surface was smooth." There is a precise and indispensable checklist to go through before starting definitively the construction of the hull. "There have been some small details which we could still improve, like small inflexions…luckily or else we would have come for nothing!"

The mold of the first ever chinese-built America's Cup yacht is now finished. As a result, construction of the hull can now start. Dong Guan, 23 August 2006. Photo copyright China Team

Since then, the final touches have been done, like placing different cleats so that the mold will be ready receive the elements needed to create the vacuum during the heating phase. This week, Lionel Antognelli has finished the complete check of the mold. In parallel, he received the necessary material for the next stage: nomex, glue cloth, pre-impregnated carbon and has finished a quality control with the objective being a perfect traceability of products and fabrication.

So the stratification consists of placing the carbon layers one on top of the other and allows the hull to start taking its shape. The lay-up will start at the end of the week, for delivery of the hull at the end of September, leaving the boatyard mid November and an arrival in Valencia mid December.

Warpath wins last race but Mutua Madrileña wins Athens Trophy

[Source: Breitling MedCup] A text book display in the final race by Dean Barker and the crew of Warpath, winning by 47 seconds, could do nothing to dent a clear overall win by the cool, calm and collected Mutua Madrilena team skippered by owner Peter de Ridder.

De Ridder and the Mutua Madrilena crew win the Athens Trophy, their second regatta victory after winning the season’s opener in Punta Ala, Italy back in May. While their win was immensely satisfying for the Mean Machine team, their 3,3,1,2,1,9,2,3 scoreline proved a model of consistency for a notoriously tricky venue but more importantly left them with a 14 point cushion going in to the final event of the Breitling MedCup TP52 circuit, a showcase finale in Ibiza next month.

“There will be a bit a duke out in Ibiza. I am sure neither of us will be taking any prisoners. It will be all out war and it is going to be a fun event, certainly.” Mutua’s tactician Ray Davies grinned dockside.

The fourth Corinthian Trophy from five regattas for the De Ridder mantelpiece is a bonus, but the winning Mutua Madrilena crew know that they will be given no quarter in Ibiza from their Emirates Team New Zealand friends and rivals off Warpath, which finished this regatta with two wins to secure second overall on tie break with the Roberto Bermudez skippered Caixa Galicia.

In a light south-easterly sea breeze Warpath made the best start in the middle of the start line and were able to take advantage as the breeze stayed in the left phase with more wind pressure on the left side of the course.

Mutua MAdrileña, winner of the Athens Trophy, racing to victory in front of the Acropolis. Athens, 26 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

Mutua Madrilena did not look clever in the first minutes of the first beat, but managed to track across to reap the benefit on the left, taking four boats on the approach to the windward mark to round fifth.

While Warpath was never challenged after the first turn, Mark Reynolds kept Riccardo Simoneschi on track on the helm of Anonimo to cross in second, with Mutua Madrileña nailing a useful third. “Our whole team are sailing are sailing really well as a group. We are getting good boatspeed out of her, good sail combinations. We are confident in the sail crossovers and sail shapes.”

Reported Mutua Madrilena’s Davies, “It has been a very tricky place to sail, there have been a lot of opportunities to come back and so you have to keep looking over your shoulder. We had an awesome first beat after being stuck a bit in the pack.”

“We struggled at times but in the light patches we were very quick and downwind we were very fast, managing to pass Bambakou down the last run to get third.”

“It has been the trickiest place to sail so far. The sea breeze and the Meltemi fighting each other through the week has been a challenge, and then this final day with just a soft sea breeze developing close to the shore and getting lighter at the top of the course. We got all the races in and this is very good venue, and to experience what everyone went through at the Olympics.”

“I am a happy man.” Peter de Ridder confirmed, “As we get closer to Ibiza it was important to have a good one here, at least top three but we had a net gain on Warpath, and it was very important to be on the podium.”

“Ray Davies is the tactician. He is the head of the office. Ray, Tom Dodson and I will sit down and discuss things before the regatta and then we have team meetings all the way through and have dinner, breakfast together and go out together and so the team spirit is good. And it also means we don’t have to have a lot of talk to get the team going.”

Spinakker drop by Warpath, winner of the last race of the Athens Trophy. Athens, 26 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

“I think there was such a small chance of moving up to second, that we needed two races today, and we managed to claw back another couple of points so we are clearly not out of the overall yet, there is still a chance in Ibiza and that is all we can hope for after the start we made here.” Remarked Warpath’s Dean Barker, “I think we figured it out here towards the end but we had a couple of mixed results at the beginning and that’s frustrating.”

After a disappointing Copa del Rey, where they finished 11th overall, Caixa Galicia bounced back to finish third overall here in Athens, losing out only on countback to Warpath’s two firsts.

“The top guys sail so well it is hard for us to take the overall but to be third and near second is very good for us.” Said Roberto Bermudez, “It is a tricky place to sail as I knew from the Olympics. John Kostecki did a good job for us and it is a pleasure to sail with him. We have a good time and he makes us improve.”

It was another disappointing day for the British boat Cristabella, which promised so much at the start of the week,but faded badly over the last two races, bagging a pair of 13ths, to finish fourth overall, 11 points shy of Caixa. “It’s disappointing.” Stated Cristabella’s Charlie McKee, “We chose the wrong side today and it just did not work for us. But we sailed a good regatta, just not good enough to win. The boat is good and the crew is good, but in the end I think we deserved to finish where we did.”

Sébastien Col, helmsman of Areva Challenge, is new #1 of ISAF Match Race Ranking

[Source: ISAF] Sébastien ColHelmsman of Areva Challenge

Click for more info, the new Areva Challenge helmsman, hits the top spot thanks to a magnificent run of victories which began at the ISAF Grade 1 Marseille International Match Race in March and was then followed by another win at the ISAF Grade 2 Internationnaux des Alpes Maritimes Antibe's Cup in May. During the latest Ranking period he upped his game even further, defeating the defending champion in the finals of both the ISAF Grade 1 Internationaux de France de Match Racing and the ISAF Grade 1 Danish Open. Victory at the Danish Open was particularly impressive, as he proved he could continue his winning form away from his home waters and he also took his first ever victory on the World Match Racing Tour.

Although his run of victories came to an end in Switzerland at the ISAF Grade 1 St. Moritz Match Race, eighth place there was also good enough to give Col the overall lead of the World Tour after three stages of the 2006-2007 season.

Sebastian Col helms from leeward while preparing to ease the mainsheet at a windward mark rounding. Photo copyright Per Heegaard/Danish Open

Warpath scores comfortable victory in coastal race at Athens Trophy

[Source: Breitling MedCup] On the penultimate day of racing at the Breitling MedCup’s Athens Trophy victory in the short, sharp coastal race went to Steve and Fred Howe’s Warpath but there may have been a certain hollow ring to it since Peter de Ridder’s Mutua Madrilena finished second to extend their overall lead in the regatta to 10 points over Vicente Tirado’s Caixa Galicia.

Caixa Galicia, with John Kostecki as tactician, have only once finished outside of the top five at this regatta and now have two points in hand over Cristabella which slipped to third today.

With the SW’ly wind at a promising 11 knots at the start Warpath were sharp at the pin end of the line to win the favoured left side of the course. A relatively safe start again from Mutua Madrilena still found them good speed and into a clear lane quickly to see them second around the windward turn of the seven mark, 20 mile course on the Saronic Gulf.

It proved another course that pressed the crews sail handling and trimming for speed – another Code Zero test – but it lacked upwind and downwind tactical opportunities.

Start of the coastal race at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 25 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

There was just one opening 2.4-mile beat and a short downwind run, which limited the passing opportunities after the initial shake-ups. And even the breeze started to lose interest after a while, dropping back to 7-8 knots. Starting the day with a deficit of just two points behind Mutua Madrilena, it was not the day that the Cristabella crew wanted. They could not get to the left of the course and rounded the windward mark in the depths of the pack in 11th. They did not have a good run and at one stage in the race lost their Code Zero in the water when the halyard broke, to finish 13th, leaving Mutua Madrilena with the prospect of a relatively straightforward task for the final day.

With their acknowledged edge under Code Zero reaching conditions Warpath were never pressurised by Mutua Madrilena finishing 1 minutes 33 seconds behind.

“It was a good day to get a good start.” Recalled Warpath’s Kevin Hall, Warpath’s navigator. “I think things got pretty comfortable for us as soon as we were on the Code Zero. It was a nice course to be leading on and pretty tough to be behind on. The square run we had was only a mile long.”

“We had a tough first day and we would have liked to see it have gone a little better. But we are sailing reasonably well but there are a couple of boats ahead which are sailing really well, especially Mean Machine.”

Warpath, winner of the coastal race at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 25 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

“The whole series we have our work cut out, but it is still just one good race to us and a bad race to them, it is not time to panic, but we know we have to sail well. They have been sailing great and have some pace and there is not a lot of room for error behind them.”

“Lately they have been starting more and more conservatively. I think that maybe as a group the rest of the fleet will make something of that. They seem to have a high mode which no one else has, Siemens might have it a little, but I think the tiller might help a little with that but Peter is doing a fantastic job certainly.”

In the overall Breitling MedCup standings Mutua Madrilena now leads by 16 points with Caixa Galicia third 54 points behind with Siemens, who finished seventh today, fourth 79 points behind Mutua Madrilena.

“We are very happy.” Said Peter de Ridder, dockside, "It couldn’t have gone better. We are only losing one point in the general general standings to Warpath, and I think we have ten points on Caixa Galicia so tomorrow with one or two races a good start is key and then I think a top five at the weather mark and from there on it is no risks."

Part of the TP52 fleet downwind during the coastal race at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 25 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

“It was a tough day for us. It was a race you had to be able to go left and we just didn’t get off the line and did not sail a very good run, and then there just wasn’t any passing lanes after that.” Explained Charlie McKee, Cristabella’s tactician, “In this fleet reaching around in this fleet there is just not much opportunity to pass. We are certainly in the hunt for a podium position and just need to rally back and sail well. This is a great bunch of guys to sail with, a good team.”

Consistency has certainly been the key to Caixa Galicia’s success: “We have had some good days, but we have been starting really well, especially in the distance races. And if you are near the top at the first mark it is much easier. After two seasons we are getting to know the boat really well. We did a few changes to the sails, but especially good tactics good luck and good starts,” commented Antonio Piris, Caixa Galicia’s boat captain.

“I think that we are very far away from the two leaders. Third place is our goal, and even Siemens was catching up real quick and decided to come here, but they have not had a good championship so far, which is good for us to hold on to third place, which is our basic goal for the season,” Piris concluded.

Mutua Madrileñna, second at the coastal race and overall leader of the Athens Trophy. Athens, 25 August 2006. Photo copyright Carlo Borlenghi / Mutua Madrileña

Lexus wins Thursday's second race under very shifty and light conditions

[Source: Breitling MedCup] It proved worth the wait for the 16 boat Breitling MedCup TP52 fleet racing for the Athens Trophy which enjoyed the best and closest race yet when an early evening cross offshore breeze puffed up to 14 knots to produce a fitting conclusion to a long, and at times frustrating day on the Saronic Gulf.

Mutua Madrilena strengthened their overall lead with a display of sheer boatspeed, good starting and safe sailing that contributed to their victory in the first race of the day, which was contested in a light, and at times fickle sea breeze.

Peter de Ridder’s crew sailed true to their strategy, taking no risks but starting near the middle of the line. They were able to use their speed upwind to deal with any immediate threats.

Rounding the top mark second behind Eamon Conneely’s Siemens they were quick to spot the breeze stalling ahead of them on the run and gybed away with Caixa Galicia to steal the lead from Siemens.

Start of Thursday's second race at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 24 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

Mutua Madrilena extended to win from Siemens with Roberto Bermudez bringing Caixa Galicia across for third gun. An attempted second race was halted after the first round when the breeze folded, frustrating an Italian one-two of Orlanda and Anonimo. But the race officers held the fleet while the new, easterly offshore quickly became established, racing directly towards the mouth of the 2004 Olympic regatta marina.

With Athens bathed in the evening sunshine the stronger breeze proved a good test of crew work and tactics. With some significant puffs and lulls across the track there were plenty of opportunities for gains and losses. Lexus, with Russell Coutts driving and Gavin Brady calling tactics, won the pin-end of the start line, proving their determination to take the inshore track, sailing low and fast. They rounded the windward mark in fifth, with Bigamist leading and Anonimo hard on their track.

Part of the TP52 fleet sailing downwind during Thursday's second race at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 24 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

Lexus sailed a good downwind leg to round the leeward gate second and made a bold move offshore on the final run. Gaining a better downwind angle Lexus took their first winning gun since the Breitling Regatta.

“This is proving to be a very tricky place to sail. I am starting to appreciate what it was like to sail at the Olympics. It is a very, very tricky place to sail.” Explained Coutts, “I came and watched the Olympics and that was the only time. You get so many influences and different patterns, sometimes quite random. We got a few good breaks, downwind Gavin did a good job.”

Siemens had a good day, with a second and fourth place, following the awful performance in the offshore race. Athens, 24 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

After their offshore travails, when they finished 15th and 14th, Siemens had the most consistent day in the fleet with Ian Walker driving to a hard earned second and fourth to lie sixth overall.

“It was a better day than the offshore.” Grinned Siemens’ relieved Ian Walker, “It was good. We did a good job to pick ourselves up from the offshore, and Chris Main and Sofia worked well. The second race was nice to steer in fast, flat water hard for the tactician. We had the wind from the north, did a race with the wind from the south, set up for a race with the wind from the west and then finally did a race with the wind from the east, so every point of the compass in one day, so it was hard for the race officer and hard for the tacticians, but for us helmsmen relatively easy.”

Caixa Galicia, here crossing with Bigamist, has had a very consistant performance so far in the Athens Trophy. Athens, 24 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

With a 3 and a 5 for the day Caixa Galicia, with John Kostecki calling tactics, lie third overall, while John Cook’s Cristabella are a serious threat to Mutua Madrileña just two points behind after posting a 7 and 3 for the day.

“It was tricky first race. You had the two sea breezes trying to go left around the other side of the island and the transition between the left hand breeze and the right breeze was fluky and patchy and we managed to wriggle our way through that transition zone quite nicely. As the breeze went left we projected left and extended. We have tried to be conservative but paid the price in the last race. If the boats either side of you start really well then you can’t hold a lane and get forced the wrong way. We were second from last at the windward mark and then managed to get back to ninth. It is quite a tricky venue.” Explained Mutua Madrilena’s Ray Davies.

Cristabella is now second in the Athens Trophy, a mere two points behind Mutua Madrileña. Athens, 24 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

Three new sailors join Victory Challenge

[Source: Victory Challenge] They made up the “youth team” in the Volvo Ocean Race. None of the sailors on ABN AMRO TWO were allowed to be older than 31. Now three of them have joined Victory Challenge: Simon Fisher, 28, Great Britain, Andrew Lewis, 24, USA, and Luke Molloy, 26, Australia.

“They are all young, but they have the international sailing experience we need, as well as specialities that are merits to have in our team. SiFi also has America’s Cup experience, he is one of seven in the team that sailed with GBR Challenge in Auckland last time,” says Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman.

These are three young men that were selected from the 1800 that applied for ABN AMRO TWO. They didn’t have to have a background in international racing – but they had to have extensive sailing experience.

That is something possessed by all three, who have now chosen to move on to Victory Challenge and the fight for the world’s most prestigious sailing trophy, the America’s Cup.

Simon Fisher is unique as regards the 32nd America’s Cup. Victory Challenge is the third team he has signed up with. He was part of the GBR Challenge that didn’t register for Valencia 2007 and he sailed with the then K-Challenge (now Areva Challenge) in the three first voluntary pre-regattas during 2004. After that he chose ABN AMRO and the Volvo Ocean Race instead. He has broad experience both within electronics and navigation and has been employed as navigator.

Andrew Lewis will be the youngest of the sailors with Victory Challenge (he is four months younger than the other 24-year-old, David Carr). He has been sailing for the past 12 years and was the first person in American sailing history to win all the youth titles in the laser class in one and the same year. His recruitment means that the team’s grinders are given an additional boost.

Luke Molloy has a background as both a professional sail maker and sail trimmer. Besides the Volvo Ocean Race he has participated in a large number of off-shore regattas and has a broad experience of international competitions, including several World Championships. He will be a trimmer with Victory Challenge.

All three are very conscious of how dangerous sailing can be. All three were on board ABN AMRO TWO on 18 May when their Dutch team mate, Hans Horrevoets, was swept overboard into the Atlantic and died. Despite the tragedy the team chose to complete the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race, finishing fourth overall.

These three have also had the feeling of achieving the apparently impossible, like when they beat the world record for the fastest 24-hour run with ABN AMRO TWO.

Victory Challenge will soon begin its two-boat training. With that the next phase begins for the team, ahead of next year’s final pre-regattas of the 32nd America’s Cup and the challengers’ series itself, the Louis Vuitton Cup. It is then that it will finally be decided which of the eleven challengers will meet the defender, Alinghi, in the America’s Cup Match.

Mutua Madrileña wins Thursday's first windard-leeward race

[Source: Breitling MedCup] After a conservative start to today’s first race, Mutua Madrilena had the pace and clear lane to lead the 16-strong TP52 fleet more or less the whole race. They sailed a conservative first beat but their superior boat speed played to their advantage. Siemens started third boat from the pin end of the line and managed to hold their position against Cristabella. However, Siemens’ mistake was to go too far down the run while Mutua Madrileña and Caixa Galicia both gybed relatively early and quite high coming ahead of Siemens at the mark.

Santa Ana had a good race with a good start and a clear lane, gybing early on the first beat as Caixa Galicia and Mutua Madrilena.

A good race, albeit sailed in light conditions where the right did not pay for Warpath and Lexus. As a result, Mutua Madrileña further distance themselves from Warpath and advance a little bit further in their quest for overall victory in the 2006 Breitling MedCup.

The only disappointment so far are wind conditions in the Saronic gulf that have proved to be very shifty and light.

Mutua Madrileña, winner of Thursday's first race at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 24 August 2006. Photo copyright Carlo Borlenghi / Mutua Madrileña

Part of the TP52 fleet during Thursday's first race at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 24 August 2006. Photo copyright Rich Page / Breitling MedCup

Strategist Mattias Rahm becomes second helmsman of Victory Challenge

[Source: Victory Challenge] He has been strategist in every race that Victory Challenge has sailed in the pre-regattas of the 32nd America’s Cup.

Now he is changing his position on the boat.

Mattias RahmHelmsman of Victory Challenge

Click for more info, 33, with four World Championship medals to his credit, will be second helmsman when Victory Challenge begins the two-boat training.

“Mattias has a great deal of match racing experience from the world match racing tour, both together with me and as skipper. We have now tested him as helmsman on our America’s Cup boats over the last few weeks and he has proved, especially in the training matches against the other teams, that he has the qualities that are necessary to take the helm of these larger yachts as well,” says Magnus HolmbergHelmsman and skipper of Victory Challenge

Click for more info, skipper and helmsman.

“It is a challenge that it’s hard to say no to; it is the ultimate job for a sailor, to take the helm of an America’s Cup boat. I will have good use of my match racing experience and my time as strategist, and I hope I won’t disappoint anyone,” says Mattias Rahm.

He is the younger brother of Victory Challenge’s tactician, Stefan RahmTactician of Victory Challenge

Click for more info, 38, and joined the team when training for the 32nd America’s Cup began in Valencia in May 2005.

As on-board strategist in every match and in every fleet race that has been sailed since then, he has been in contact with the weather team before the race, checked shifts in the wind while they sail and looked for the optimal sailing without considering competitors.

As helmsman he will be responsible for how the boat is sailed.

Mattias Rahm has a fine list of merits. His four World Championship medals consist of gold in E-dinghy, as well as silver and bronze in 470. He has also won a European Championships gold in 470 and took part in the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Since then he has concentrated on match racing.

Victory Challenge’s main partners for the 32nd America’s Cup are Tele2, MTG and Red Bull. Metro, Viasat and Bet24 are media partners. Sail Racing, LIROS Yacht Ropes, Sebago and OM Pimespo Ibercarretillas are official suppliers.

Happy birthday America's Cup

Despite some doubts about its original name, one thing is for sure. It all started 155 years ago, plus one day. Yesterday, the America's Cup turned 155 years old and we spotted a very interesting story on the BMW Oracle Racing blog where the author gives a concise overview of the first days of the world's oldest sports competition.

We suppose that nobody in 1851 could have imagined the evolution of a race with "just an ordinary trophy that had a familiar design and had cost 100 pounds". We now have a global event of unprecedented scale whose total budget exceeds one billion dollars, with all continents participating for the first time, held in a Mediterranean port and lasting four years.

The America's Cup has survived many wars and has obviously evolved, adapting itself to modern times. A proof of its constant evolution is the meeting that will take place on October 4 in Milan, as published on the Challenger Commission website. We assume that a preliminary committee will be talking about everything from soup to nuts -- protocol, organization, format, events, sports and marketing. It will be interesting to see what the America's Cup will look like on its 156th birthday, but first we'll have to see who beats Alinghi, if obviously there is anyone that can beat them.

Warpath wins second stage of offshore race at Athens Trophy

[Source: Breitling MedCup] The points from the 84 mile long coastal race may have been shared equally between Peter de Ridder’s Mutua Madrilena and Steve and Fred Howe’s Warpath, but the relief was almost universal among the 16 strong TP52 Breitling MedCup that the ‘offshore’ finished just before the breeze collapsed.

The course proved a feast for those boats strong on all varieties of reaching, and a famine for those seeking upwind and downwind passing opportunities, but with the finish line for the full course broken by Warpath at a little before 2100hrs the speed and efficiency of the TP52’s in the mainly light breezes was never really in doubt.

Mutua Madrilena proved their strength under upwind Code Zero and an astute reading of the transitional zone between different breezes. They sailed low around the leading pack on the third leg of the course to take a lead they only relinquished after they had collected the best points for the first section of the race, turning 13 seconds ahead of Warpath.

Caixa Galicia made the best start, quickest and best positioned to break out their upwind Code Zero. They were third behind Warpath at the points gate but a final throw of the dice in the difficult dying stages of the race – looking to a move that might have won them the race - saw them drop to fourth behind Cristabella. 

After they passed through the points gate off Fleves island, the southernmost turn of the course, Warpath held high on the reach back across the Gulf to Ayhina island and were able to overhaul Mutua as they approached the buoy.

Warpath at the Athens Trophy offshore race. Athens, 22 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

With an acknowledged speed edge reaching they were able to gradually extend to take first gun ahead of Mutua Madrilena.

“Yesterday we waited to seed what happened and got penalised for not reacting, and today we waited to see what happened and our patience paid off.” Explained Terry Hutchinson, Warpath’s tactician.

“We had a nine mile beat under upwind Code Zeros and Mean Machine were just flying, they sailed right around both of us. Both of our boats did well sailing away from Caixa. When the wind was at about 100 true wind angle we just let the old girl do her stuff and we had height and legs on them. We kept the boat pointed at the mark and let her do her thing. It was a nice race. But we were pretty disappointed with yesterday and felt we were done by, some of those situations happened and we felt they were things you didn’t want to panic on real quick. Today we did nice work when it got dicey.”

Warpath at the Athens Trophy offshore race. Athens, 22 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

Winning the first leg and second at the finish leaves Mean Machine with an overall lead of two points over Cristabella. John Cook’s crew’s fifth and third for their long day in the heat, zig-zagging back and forth across the Saronic Gulf, earned them nine points of a lead over Warpath.

“We had good speed, good communication crew work and as team we were excelling. It was exciting and we managed to get in before the sea-breeze died and it became a drift off.” Said Mutua Madrilena’s navigator Wouter Verbraak.

Mutua Madrileña at the Athens Trophy offshore race. Athens, 22 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

“We are pretty happy with our day. A third and a fourth we are happy with that. It could have been worse. We had a good start and after that it was down to boat speed and sail handling. The newer boats are a little bit stronger reaching but we sailed a good race.” Said John Kostecki, tactician of Caixa Galicia which lies fourth overall, sharing equal points with Warpath.

“It’s always good when you are in the front end of the fleet. It is never straightforward when it is puffy like that, but once the order was established it was pretty hard to come back. Even after the first mark. But it was good sailing, the boats are good and there was always a place to be gained or lost.” Reported Andrew Cape, Cristabella’s navigator.

Mutua Madrileña wins first stage of offshore race at Athens Trophy

[Source: Breitling MedCup] Holding off their arch-rivals Warpath, Peter de Ridder’s Mutua Madrileña earned the best available points from the first stage of the 84 mile Offshore race at the Breitling MedCup TP52 series’ Athenas Trophy on the Saronic Gulf.

It was a fitting midway bounty for De Ridder and his mainly Emirates Team New Zealand crewed Judel Vrolijk design. After rounding the first mark in seventh and the second buoy in sixth, Mutua struck the lead when the modest breeze died the first of many deaths. They stayed low on the close reach back across the Gulf, at one stage flying a gennaker, and found better breeze to lead from the third mark to the points gate.

By contrast the boats which strayed left, towards the mainland shore suffered a localised shut down, some for many minutes. While the track was still riddled with holes there were few opportunities for early casualties of this sticky spot to get back among the front runners.

With the light breeze building by mid afternoon, the first part of the Offshore taxed tacticians and navigators, trying to stay one step ahead of the next change, while the single track racing thereafter was more of a test of sheer boat speed and concentration with few passing opportunities.

Best starts off the line were those of Caixa Galicia and Warpath and this pair were never out of the top three places all the way round the first 40 miles, with Warpath passing the points gate off the island of Flevis just 13 seconds behind, with Caixa taking the points for third just under one minute behind.

Alinghi's boat on the move

One of the many readers of our website sent us this picture, taken earlier in the day right in front of Alingi's base in Port America's Cup. Apparently, one of the Swiss Defender's boats has been loaded on truck and is about to leave Valencia to start the team's national roadshow in Switzerland.

The first stop of the roadshow is the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the Swiss federal science university, on the 30th and 31st of August. After that, several shows will be hosted in various cities of the small landlocked country with the closing ceremony taking place in Geneva. Detailed information can be obtained here, on Alinghi's website.

Alinghi's boat just about to leave the team base on her way to Switzerland for the team's national roadshow. Valencia, 22 August 2006

The other news from Valencia today is that both Alinghi and BMW Oracle are back from holidays and have started training off the Malvarossa beach, taking advantage of excellent wind conditions, as have been doing Desafío Español, Victory Challenge and United Internet Team Germany. Most teams are racing very close to the beach and thousands of beachgoers had the opportunity to watch this afternoon a beautiful and impressive practice match race between Desafío Español and Victory Challenge.

Cristabella leads on first day of Breitling MedCup's Athens Trophy

[Source: Breitling MedCup] Patience and concentrating on the last minute changes were the key virtues that contributed most to John Cook’s British flagged Cristabella holding the overall lead after the first two races of the Breitling MedCup TP52’s Athens Trophy on a hot, sticky Saronic Gulf.

While ashore the mercury rose into the early 40’s, the Cristabella crew kept their cool amidst the changes on the Saronic Gulf to post a second and a first to lead by three points from a consistent scoring Mutua Madrilena. Peter de Ridder and crew’s pair of third places leave them second for the day.

It was always going to be difficult. Six start sequences with only two races completed tell one side of the story. A first race was abandoned at the windward mark when the breeze shifted to leave those on the left laying the turning buoy within the first few minutes, and three general recalls were the result of the universal desire to nail the favoured end of the line.

But Cristabella started sweetly in both races and led until they were passed by Ian Walker and the crew of Siemens, who went on to win the first contest. With double Olympic medalist Charlie McKee calling tactics for helmsman Tim Powell and Andrew Cape navigating, Cristabella lead to the left of the first beat where the best wind pressure was to get the better of Mutua Madrilena. While both Mutua and third placed Warpath (Steve and Fred Howe) took the initiative to gybe set or gybe at the mark, Cristabella stuck to their guns and were rewarded with a handy lead at what proved to be the final leeward turn. With the course shortened at the top of the second beat Cristabella won from Caixa Galicia skippered by Roberto Bermudez.

Start of the first race of the Athens Trophy. Athens, 21 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

The winds swung in direction through both races and often there were big differences in pressure from one side of the course to the other.

With an average windspeed of no more than five or six knots, there were holes, especially in the second race. Warpath were just one victim, snared for minutes on what proved the final beat of the second race.

After winning the first race Siemens struggled to make the same impression in the second race. A modest start meant they ended up on the wrong side of the first beat. They recovered to finish 11th but were protesting the race committee for what they alleged was an improperly laid finish line to the shortened course.

The first ever TP52 team from Russia made their racing debut at the Athens Trophy. Athens, 21 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup

“It was a nice day for us, a long, tricky day. It was good racing and shows that anyone can beat anyone on the day, and here every dog will have its day and today was ours. It was the kind of day where being patient pays off. We are all new to sailing with each other at the back of the boat, but Capey (Andrew Cape) is quite relaxed and that makes it easier.” Admitted McKee, whose first TP52 regatta this is.

“Both times it was down to being patient. The second race was quite a late call as to which side to go. It wasn’t like you could look it was obvious which way to go, but it just played out that the middle wasn’t that good. It was hard to cross from one side to the other. Upwind we were going nicely, downwind I think Siemens had the edge and did a real nice job on us on the first run (of the first race).”

Warpath's performance in the first day of the Athens Trophy was mediocre and the US team is so far eighth. Athens, 21 August 2006. Photo copyright Richard Page / Breitling MedCup

“We had the sea breeze from 230 degrees today and that was directly downwind from the island so the wind was fluctuating about 40 degrees. We felt very happy with the way we sailed today. We missed one main wind shift and then after that nailed every opportunity that came our way. It was a real heads out of the boat type day. Our crew work was excellent” Explained Mutua Madrilena’s tactician Ray Davies, “The one mistake we made was going too far right on starboard and were back in the pack. We just figured it was never over. There were always opportunities. We got quite frustrated on the first beat of the first race when we had to go round the back of a ship which came through the course, but we got back into it. But we had good starts today. Each of them, all six were good.”

“We figured that we would be close to target weight. We figured it would be a bit touch and go and so we didn’t drink anything in the second race and ended up way under. The weight just pours off you in this heat.”

With their win and 11th today Siemens lie third overall going into tomorrow’s 80 mile offshore race, with Bribon lying fourth.

Mutua Madrileña is now a step further ahead of Warpath in the general ranking. Athens, 21 August 2006. Photo copyright Richard Page / Breitling MedCup

This is not a manipulated picture as ferries and container ships crossed the race course. Athens, 21 August 2006. Photo copyright Jorge Andreu / Breitling MedCup