The RC44 fleet practices in "dream" conditions

[Source: RC44] They may be the best sailors in the world; they still have a lot to discover in the world of sailing. With its exceptional scenery, snow capped mountains and lovely thermal breeze, Lake Traunsee certainly delivers on this respect, to the delight of all the sailors involved in the RC 44 Austria Cup.

Will the lake conditions reshuffle the cards? The question raised last weeks is still open but the first practice brings initial clews. Indeed, the winner is Team Beecom, from Japan; a team that often got very good results in light and flat conditions during the first RC 44 Championship Tour. Sailing with a genoa – unlike the other teams who opted for a jib, Beecom benefited from some light wind patches to make it to the top.

Practice race of the RC44 fleet at the Austria Cup. Traunsee, 27 May 2008. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget / BMW Oracle

Second of the practice race, Team Banco Espirito Santo (with John Kostecki at the helm) confirms that it is in good form after a good race in Cagliari last month, just ahead of Markus Wieser’s Team Sea Dubai.

Team Austria Cro-a-Sail - considered as the local team thanks to the involvement of Christian Binder and Sylvia Vogl (who will compete in the Olympic Games this summer in the 470 Class) – was also fighting for victory today and finishes a good fourth.

Organised by PROFS Marketing KG, the Austria Cup begins tomorrow with the match racing event. After a full round robin held in two days, the team owners will take the helm for three days of fleet racing. A long distance race - the DHL Trophy - will take the fleet around Lake Traunsee on Saturday.