Quantum Racing extends lead in Breitling Regatta

[Source: AUDI MedCup] Quantum Racing sit on the threshold of back-to-back regatta wins after a second and a first today on the Bay of Palma to go into Saturday’s two final races of the 14th Breitling Regatta with a lead of 14 points.

Reeling off 2,2,1,1,2,1 finishes since Wednesday morning the American boat, the only new Botin Carkeek TP52 design this season, may now have a 30 points overall lead on the 2008 Audi MedCup Circuit standings, but skipper Terry Hutchinson (USA) again pledged that he and the Quantum Racing crew will be relentless in their pursuit of improvement and the overall Circuit title.

“ Every day we just try to get better and it would be garbage now to think that we cannot improve, so I will be relentless in the pursuit of improvements, and I will impress that upon the guys strongly, and I think that everyone takes that approach.” emphasised Hutchinson again in the later afternoon sunshine on the buzzing dockside today in Puerto Portals.

Over another day of near perfect but challenging sea-breeze conditions, building from nine knots during the first contest to 15 knots in the second race, Quantum Racing finished second behind Guillermo Parada (ARG) and the 2007 King’s Cup wining team on Matador in the first race, and then triumphed in the second race ahead of the current MedCup champions Artemis (SWE), to extend their overall regatta and circuit leads.

On a course area which consistently yielded a benefit on the right side of the track, Hutchinson and crew worked hard and smartly, building from a pair of good starts, to reap that dividend.
At the top of the second beat on the first race they left just enough daylight in the lifting breeze as they lined up for the final turn for Matador to seize the inside boat advantage around the buoy, and they had to settle for a close second only five seconds behind the Argentinian boat.

Ricardo Simoneschi (ITA) and the Audi powered by Q8 (ITA) crew took third place for the second time this week.

Start of the race during the 4th day of the Breitling Regatta. Puerto Portals, 25 July 2008. Photo copyright Ian Roman / Pierre Orphanidis

While the race course was slightly one-sided, there were no shortage of opportunities in the form of stronger pressure and wind shifts to gain places, especially downwind.

After an eighth in the first race, John Kostecki (USA) helped guide Artemis on a valuable ascent from eighth to second, taking five places on the first run.

In the overall Breitling Regatta standings, the strong performance on their adopted home waters from Matador meant the team whose Marseille regatta was so badly marred by damage to their boat, hit their twin targets for the day: wresting second place in the regatta from Platoon powered by Team Gernany (GER) -now six points behind in third - and elevating themselves to fifth overall on the Audi MedCup Circuit standings.

The 30 points gap that Quantum Racing now has may look significant, but consider that Mean Machine (MON), the winners this season in Alicante and the 2006 champions, have unexpectedly landed 43 points from three races since Thursday morning, and so Quantum's margin remains very tenable.

The TP52 fleet downwind during the 4th day of the Breitling Regatta. Puerto Portals, 25 July 2008. Photo copyright Ian Roman / Pierre Orphanidis

Terry Hutchinson (USA), Skipper-helmsman of Quantum Racing: "You can always get better! We led the first race but Matador were going well and we chose the deeper of our two jibs for that second beat and the breeze built a little which was a bit difficult then, Matador are fast down wind and slipped past us there, but always our mode is consistency and good sailing and we talked through the things we can do better- technically driving the boat downwind, communication: understand what the guy is saying, sail calls, bottom mark decision, little incremental improvements to work on."

"I’m happy we are sailing well but I’m not relaxing either. I’m very respectful as always of our competitors so I just know we have to keep the whole thing moving forward."

Chris Hosking (AUS), Boat captain, Artemis: “It is a lot tighter than it has been in previous years. There are any number of good boats out there, and you look at what happened to Mean Machine in Marseille and to them yesterday, that is an unfortunate day, but they are an excellent team and I know they will keep fighting through to the end of the year, but that is capable of happening to any boat in this fleet, it could be us tomorrow, it could be Quantum.”

Guilermo Parada (ARG), Skipper-helm of Matador (ARG): "The level on the race course is most definitely higher.. We have had the proof of that with our boat which is the same as last year, but we have had to raise our speed target since we are sailing faster and faster by the day. The boat is sailing at least three tenths of a knot faster upwind than last year which is about 4% faster; a huge difference in this kind of fleet. That makes the difference of whether you cross a boat or can get to the more favoured side. You can also see how the boats in the fleet that haven’t been able to do the whole circuit are paying the price for it, because being able to keep up the rhythm and spending hours on the water with these people is what makes it easier for us to keep bringing up our own level as well.”

Ray Davies (NZL), Mean Machine (MON): "We have to work on the starts and speed and not make silly mistakes, we are definitely in the top group for speed, get off the line in clean air, we are sometimes a bit conservative which takes us away from the favoured side. You have to weigh up if you go for the risky move or the safe option – sometimes when the course is so favoured the risky move is still the safe option! It’s a real tricky balance."

Video highlights from the fourth day of the Breitling Regatta

Regatta standings after nine races
Place, Boat name, Nationality, (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5,R6, R7A, R7B, R8, R9 Total Points)
1. Quantum Racing USA (11,2,2,8,2,2,1,1,2,1, 32)
2. Matador ARG (3,1,3, 9, 7, 1,9,9,1,3, 46)
3. Platoon powered by Team Germany GER (7,4,6,7,6,6,2,2,7,5, 52)
4. Artemis SWE (4,11,5,5,10,3,3,3,8,2, 54)
5. Mean Machine MON (1,5,1, 2,1,7,15,14,14,6, 66)
6. Mutua Madrileña ESP (2,12,8, 4,5,5,7,5,10,10, 68)
7. Bribón ESP (5,10,4,1,11,12,12,6,9,4, 74)
8. Audi Q8 ITA (15,7,15,3,8,4,13,10,3,13, 91)
9. Rusal Synergy RUS (12,3,13,13,14,9,5,4,12,7, 92)
10. El Desafio ESP (14,13,14,6,3,14,6,11,4,9, 94)

Artemis wins 2007 Breitling Medcup

[Source: Breitling Medcup] Job done.

It was neither particularly pretty nor was it winning ugly, but Russell Coutts, skippering the crew of owner-helm Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis, today finally lifts the Breitling MedCup trophy on the final day of his third season competing on the world's leading fleet racing circuit.

In 2005 on the last day of the season Coutts had to settle for second to Vasco Vascotto and the crew of Pisco Sour.

Today a nervous tenth followed by a solid fifth was enough for Coutts and the hand- picked team on Artemis to clinch the 2007 Breitling MedCup Circuit. In a light easterly breeze with a 17 points cushion to protect Artemis made a shaky start to the first of two final windward leeward races.

Forced to the wrong side of the left favoured track Coutts, Tornqvist and team rounded the first windward mark 13th, with only one boat behind them. They recovered two places on the second beat, and one on the final run.

The second race start went marginally better, but with four boats recalled for jumping the start gun at the pin end of the line, Artemis effectively had the title secured by the first windward mark.

With Swedish businessman Tornqvist driving the 2007 Judel Vrolijk design, and at least six present or past America's Cup winners among the afterguard and crew, Artemis won the 2007 title by just eight points after 32 windward leeward races and six coastal races over the five series regattas this season. Winning the Hyères Trophy, Artemis became the fifth different boat to win a regatta overall this season after Bribon in Alicante, CxG Caixa Galicia in at Breitling Regatta, Siemens Matador in Copa del Rey, Palma and the outgoing 2006 champions Valle Romano Mean Machine in Portimao, Poretugal.


It is the second consecutive year of the three year old circuit that the winning boat has been steered by an owner-driver, Tornqvist also winning the Corinthian Trophy for the season and for the Hyères Trophy regatta.

"We did what we had to do today. We knew going out today that we needed a minimum of a ninth and a tenth for victory. So we would have liked to have finished off a little bit better today, but the main thing is that we achieved what we had to do today." Said three times America's Cup winner Coutts.

"It was tough conditions out there today and five different winners in five different regattas show that winning this has certainly not been easy."

"It is obviously one of the top events on the calendar these days and now we have a good group of owners who are passionate about trying to win and it is always nice to somehow end up on the top of the heap at the end of the season."

"I though these sailing conditions here have been great, very interesting and it was a tricky day and no side of the course was definitely. It was an interesting racing area."

"I think the high standard will surely attract new owners. Torbjorn Tornqvist our owner this is the first time he has done something like this, and so clearly it is achievable for new owners and that is good for the sport."

"It is great working with an owner like Torbjorn he gives the people a lot of freedom to put the programme together the way they want to, he is a very successful businessman who likes to go sailing for his passion."

"Torbjorn put the necessary funds in to build a really nice boat. We put together a good programme, we always had good boatspeed, we had nice equipment and well prepared crew so these things usually combine to get a good result."

"I hear that there is nine new boats for next year and the competition is going to be very tough again next year."

"Next year I have some other projects on and but I intend to compete in the TP52 class next year and I look forward to more of this type of sailing in the future."

The winning owner, Geneva based Tornqvist commented.

"As Russell has said before this has been about the whole package. From the moment the design, the boatbuilding process, the way we have prepared ourselves for the season, plus the fact that we have had the same crew, plus the fact that we have had the same crew – more or less – through the whole season. And I think that the team has grown stronger through the season. And we really have a good team spirit. There is always a positive word, even if we don't do so well."

"And it is good to show that as an amateur you can do well. Mind you we have a great team, the best sailors in the world."

Bribon, Jose Cusi's Judel Vrolijk design won the Santa Ana trophy as the season's top performer in the 24 boat fleet across the coastal race.

Artemis on the verge of overall victory

[Source: Breitling Medcup] Victory in both stages of today's 23 mile coastal race around the Port Cros island off Hyères leaves Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis on the verge of winning the overall 2007 Breitling MedCup Trophy.

With a lead of 17 points in the 15 boat fleet and up to two windward leeward races scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) Artemis need only a day of modest performances to secure the title for the Artemis crew and for skipper Russell Coutts in his third year on the circuit.

Artemis lead their nearest rivals Caixa Galicia around the windward mark after the 2.5 mile opening beat.

In five knots of easterly breeze with Juan Vila as navigator and Coutts calling the shots, Artemis came in on a perfect lay-line to the first turn, while Caixa Galicia had to tack to lay and to stay ahead of Patches and Stay Calm. From there the two leaders remained unchallenged on a long and, at times, slow parade around the beautiful Porquerolle island.

After a procession under Code sails and Gennakers up the outside of the island Artemis lead Caixa Galicia through the scoring gate at the west tip of the island, off Point Saint Anne. As a cloud sucked away the wind for the chasing pack, the leading duo escaped before the breeze started its first collapsing act.

While Artemis and Caixa Galicia disappeared towards the final turn, Vasco Vascotto and the crew of Mutua Madrilena took two places when they gybed off to gain more breeze, and when the fickle wind disappeared completely on the final reach to the finish, they and Anonimo were best placed to be gain as the easterly returned for one final rally.

Ricardo Simoneschi's Anonimo rose from ninth to fourth between the scoring gate and the finish, while Mutua Madrilena gained from seventh to third.

In the quest for third overall on the circuit, consistency was key for Ian Walker and the crew of Patches and a fourth followed by a painful and hard earned fifth – emerging from a final park up having lost only Anonimo and Patches.

Their fourth and fifth, to Bribon's eighth and ninth and Vallé Romano Mean Machine 12th and 13th leaves them to protect a 24 points cushion on the final day to be sure of third overall for the season.

Caixa Galicia's second today regains their second in this Hyères Trophy regatta, but while Artemis as 17 points clear at the top of the event standings, only four points separate Caixa Galicia in second, Patches in third and Mutua Madrilena in fourth.

"It was a great race for us today." Comments Artemis owner and helm Torbjorn Tornqvist, " We did everything right except the start which was poor, we were blocked on the line but could tack away and we found free wind and seemed to gain, we seemed to have the speed today, manoeuvring was right and then it was smooth sailing and what can I say? It was one of those days. Of course we are happy where we are and this was the best outcome but CXG was very close a few boat lengths behind us for most of the race. They are a formidable crew, its not over for sure."

" We thought we had edge in the strong wind but even in the light wind with our upwind code zero it looked like we were gaining on them even in the light. I think they we have gone better and better as things have been progressing all around us in the series. I think we have a sail programme which has improved over the course, the team is professional when it matters. I think it is the concept which works for us, and the boat- we handle it reasonably well."

Robert Hopkins, CxG's navigator summarised:

" Artemis is having a great week and has out-sailed us. They have beaten us in every race, we are trying our best. It was a fun day for the navigators, I think on CXG we saw everything that was going to happen except for a crazy left shift on the second beat, we sort of anticipated but so did Artemis and they were there every time, and then we had just good luck on the run. We stretched out from the rest of the fleet as they got caught under a cloud in a calm spot behind us and we sailed just at the leading edge of pressure, tripling our lead there. It was a relaxing race for us, well ahead of us and basically a parade following the other guys. It looks like we are back in second in the regatta, it was fun today. Sunny day and 23.4 miles, as long as the Americas Cup races used to be twenty years ago! We went around the island last night to have a look at it and it a pretty place."

Two bullets for TP52 Artemis on second day of Hyères Trophy

[Source: Breitling Medcup] Artemis eased 11 points clear at the top of the Hyeres Trophy leaderboard and 12 points ahead on the 2007 Breitling MedCup standings after a fabulous three race day on the Bay of Hyères in brisk easterly winds and pleasant late summer sunshine.

With owner Torbjorn Tornqvist on the tiller of the 2007 Judel Vrolijk design and Russell Coutts making the tactical calls Artemis had her full afterburners lit on the spectacular downwind legs and was able to compose two back-to-back wins after an opening seventh today.

In the duel for the overall 2007 title Artemis' team of 'galacticos' scarcely put a foot wrong over the three windward leewards. In the first race they took the opportunity to bounce their nearest rivals, Vicente Tirado's Caixa Galicia down the fleet. Caixa Galicia's 8,2,7 for the day dropped them to fourth overall in the regatta.

In windspeeds which topped 22-23 knots and a short, steep Mediterranean chop there was sad, premature end to the regatta and the Breitling MedCup season for Alberto Roemmers' Copa del Rey winning Siemens Matador.

After a second and a third from the first two races it was early on the first beat of the day's final race when their rig inexplicably broke into three pieces.

Artemis have a noted speed edge upwind but Coutts was able to build their wins from modest starts on both of the latter contests.
From being buried below four or five boats at the start of the third race, because the pack was so tightly formed on the line Artemis was very quickly able to duck sterns and pop out on the weather flank of the pack, before winding their speed up.

Although Jose Cusi's Bribon won the first race quite comfortably, with Bouwe Bekking steering and Ross MacDonald calling tactics, they struggled badly in the second race and could only make 12th place.

Twice Artemis rose to triumph on the final run to the finish.
In the second race they overturned a 30seconds deficit to pass both Caixa Galicia and Siemens to win by 13seconds on the final, breeze sprint, and then in the third race only pipped Stuart Robinson's Judel-Vrolijk sistership Stay Calm on the finish line to win take their fourth winning gun of the regatta by just one second.

In the end Stay Calm's victory had a hollow ring to it.
After climbing to a provisional second on the leaderboard, a protest from their compatriots on Cristabella, saw them disqualified from Race , dropping to sixth overall. Artemis' winning flourish gives them a comfortable cushion.

"It's good to be first." Reported Coutts with a wry grin, "Our game plan was to try to sail clean and not take any risks. In the first race we got mixed up with a few situations that we really did not want to be in, but really for us it was just important to beat Caixa Galicia in each race. Neither of our second two starts were that great but we were able to escape. In the third we hardly had to dip at all because the fleet was so tightly bunched and so we probably only lost a boat length. Usually in this fleet you do tend to find one or two back or late on the line, so we were quite lucky there."

Of owner-driver Tornqvist, who is only in the first season in the TP52 class, and his second racing seriously, he is objective in his praise:

"He is just a very competitive guy and is really loving this. I am pretty hard on him all the time, that is the way he wants me to be, he likes me being critical. Certainly we are in a good position now, but this regatta is still only half way through. Our team has not really made any errors and we have boat speed, and that makes my job as tactician easy. We have good all round speed, good upwind and today I certainly felt we were good downwind."

Roberto Bermudez de Castro, Caixa Galicia's skipper summed up their three races:

"There are moments where we didn't sail too well and you pay a price for that. We are still twelve points from Artemis in the overall standings, in this championship. But there are is still plenty of time. Hopefully we can improve our sailing when conditions are windier because we are just not as good as them (Artemis) with more wind. We are waiting to see if conditions will be a bit lighter in the next few days and we can even it up a little.

Artemis is sailing really well and is having a really good championship and it is proving to be difficult. If you look back they are the only team that is ahead that hasn't won an event. Each of the leading teams has won their own regatta. We hope it won't be the case but it seems that Artemis is also going out to win their own regatta as well! But until Saturday we are going to keep fighting….there is still time….."

And tactician John Kostecki concurred:

"We are happy. We had a good race for our second place. That is the best result we have had in these windier conditions. Russell is just a little bit faster and in the first race he was able to force us a little bit down into the pack, but that almost hurt him. But at this stage ten (or 12) points is still nothing. We really are just happy to be so close at this stage and as we see here (Siemens' broken mast) S**t happens, and we are only half way through the regatta."

Valle Romano Mean Machine wins Portugal Trophy after a windless final day

[Source: Breitling Medcup] In like a lion, out like a lamb, racing for the Breitling MedCup TP52 circuit’s Portugal Trophy on the beautiful Algarve coast may have opened Tuesday with an invigorating blast of over 25 knots, but with insufficient wind Friday and Saturday, but it expired with barely a whimper today as the current Breitling MedCup 2006 champions, Peter de Ridder and his crew, emerged with their first overall regatta win this season.

Monaco based De Ridder and his crew – which includes six members of the Team New Zealand America’s Cup team – collect the Portugal Trophy, the Corinthian Trophy for the regatta’s top owner-helm, and the Santa Ana Trophy for winning the 25.18 miles coastal race.

Even the two days of too-quiet breezes and long hours sitting waiting for wind, and a few spots of rain -could not erase the memories of two great opening days of racing as the Circuit ventured out of the Mediterranean and on to Portugal’s Atlantic coast for the first time ever. The Bay of Lagos provided a challenging and interesting race course which was more than complemented by the excellent facilities ashore including a luxurious 1300 sq m crew’s chill out lounge.

After finishing second in Alicante at the 2007 season’s curtain raiser in June, Valle Romano Mean Machine’s Portuguese triumph is the first this season by a 2006 build boat. De Ridder’s crew, with Ray Davies calling tactics supported by Tom Dodson as strategist, won four of the six races including winning both stages of the coastal race.

Their final score of 17 points gave them a cushion of 15 points over Russell Coutts and his crew of Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis, while Ian Walker and the crew of Patches, Eamon Conneely’s Irish flagged Reichel Pugh designed boat earned their first podium place of the season, finishing third, ten points behind Artemis.

An exciting showdown is set for Hyeres, France where the five regatta Circuit concludes, starting on September 10th.

After leading since the Breitling Regatta last month Vicente Tirado’s CxG Caixa Galicia, skippered by Roberto Bermudez de Castro has been caught this week by Artemis.

Both now head to France locked at the summit of the leaderboard on an aggregate of 173 points after four regattas – Alicante, Portals, Copa del Rey and Portugal, already 13 points greater than De Ridder and team’s 2006 winning tally over the six 2006 regattas.


Winning owner-skipper Peter de Ridder summarised "We are certainly a bit sorry that we could not race today and yesterday because we need racing to get the extra discard but after it is all over now we are pretty happy with the result."

"We started pretty confidently with a seventh and it grew from there. Getting four bullets (first place guns) from five starts we were really just happy to enjoy it, and it certainly feels good to be back."

De Ridder is in the advanced stages of ordering a new boat for next season, asked if he might have second thoughts, given how well his 2006 Judel Vrolijk design, which was built in Wellington by Hakes Marine, has performed here, he responded:

"No, we are having a new boat. We certainly seem to get the best out of the old lady, but the fact is that her younger sisters – the 2007 generation boats – are a little bit quicker, but it is also interesting to note that already this season the leaders have more points after four regattas than we won the series with last year over six regattas."

Strategist Tom Dodson remarked:

"After Palma we decided that we really needed to have a look at what we had. We don’t have a coach and we did really think that we would carry some of our speed that we had last year forward to this year, and by Palma it was clear that we were lacking. So we had to go back to school a bit and go out and have a look at what our competition was doing, taking notice in the practice races and learn something from the competition. We made a few small changes and it has made a difference."

And on the idea of the circuit visiting more different venues, tactician Ray Davies added:

"It is good to come to new and challenging venues. We get a bit tired of Palma and the one sided tracks but it is refreshing to come to a new venue, it’s only a shame we didn’t get racing today and yesterday, but we have enjoyed Portugal and will be back."

Having joined the Mean Machine team this season Jules Salter, Navigator, who finished second on his Volvo Race debut with Paul Cayard and the Pirates of the Caribbean gave an insight into how the winning team learned the new venue:

"We start by having really good weather forecasts to build up a picture – using Clouds (Roger Badham) but these guys on the boat really help and we usually discuss what we think is happening and apply what we think. It has been really challenging here, with the extremes it has been tough, but then when you get it right it fills you with confidence because you can start to believe in the theories."

Said Roscoe Halcrow, Artemis’ trimmer:

"We had a good regatta. We really enjoyed sailing here. It is just a shame that the breeze that we had on the practice days and for the first races didn’t continue on, as it is was a lot of fun in the big breeze, sailing downwind, it was a real nice change after being in the Med. We did not do anything different to the boat for here. The boat is as the boat is, and we just put on some heaver sails as you would do."

"We are pretty comfortable across the range, but it is a fun change sailing in the breeze. Against Caixa I think they maybe have a little bit of an edge under 10 knots, we are pretty even in that mid range in that 12-13 knots, and we have a slight edge above that. We could get a bit of everything in Hyeres, maybe even too much wind to sail with some Mistral action."

Lack of wind cancels all races at Portugal Trophy

[Source: Breitling Medcup] After a long day trying to stay in the shade, out of the fierce sunshine, whilst the flags around the Marina of Portimao flew only gently, racing at the Portugal Trophy for the Breitling MedCup TP52 Circuit has been called off for the day.

Whilst that theoretically strengthens Valle Romano Mean Machine’s position at the head of the Portugal Trophy fleet of 19 TP52’s with a 15 points lead, skipper-helm Peter de Ridder is disappointed not to have gone racing today:

"It is a pity. More races would get us another discard. And we feel that as we are on a roll with our mojo working we would like to have been able to go out and take our chances, so it is a shame not to race today. We certainly want races and it is not about winning here but about the overall series."

"I hope we can get two tomorrow but I think it will be one if we are lucky."

"It doesn’t color our opinion of this venue, s**t happens. When you have two weather systems fighting each other as you have here this is the result. But we are really excited about next year’s program. Another breezy venue like Cadiz would be great next for a change."

Valle Romano Mean Machine keep unabated at Portugal Trophy

[Source: Breitling Medcup] The Mean Machine mojo is back. Peter de Ridder and the crew of Valle Romano Mean Machine this season may have tasted the depths of frustration when they were disqualified after the coastal race at the Breitling Regatta in Portals last month, but they made no mistakes today when they comprehensively won both legs of the coastal race at the Portugal Trophy off Portimao to extend their lead to 15 points over Russell Coutts and the crew of Artemis at this fourth event of the 2007 Breitling MedCup Circuit.

With three conflicting breezes battling for supremacy over the Bay of Lagos the 25.18 mile race was never straightforward, but De Ridder and crew once again took early ownership of the committee boat end of the start line and peeled away to the favoured right side of the first windward leg.

They followed hard on the stern of Artemis around the weather mark, in a gentle SW'ly sea-breeze which never rose much above eight knots for the first of the two-part race, and was often between five and six knots.

Half way down the first run Artemis, racing just 30 metres to leeward and ahead of Mean Machine ran out of breeze whilst the older, black hulled boat just kept rolling away.

On the second run Eamon Conneely's Patches was one of the first to recognise a hole developing in the middle of the course and gybed away immediately to the right, offshore, and gained the best of the breeze, rising to second which they held, tailing Valle Romano Mean Machine through the scoring gate – albeit 3 minutes and 59 seconds behind the runaway leaders - and then across the finish line.

Once the late afternoon strong NW'ly land breeze arrived to spur the fleet to the finish, with a fast fetch to the finish in up to 15 knots of breeze.

To the benefit of the hundreds of spectators who lined the sea walls and watched from an armada of anchored boats enjoying the Algarve's evening sunshine, the finish was laid right up off the Marina Portimao inside the entrance to the Rio Arade, creating the customary sting in the tail for those who failed to spot the drop in breeze over this final half mile.

By the time thy took the finish gun Valle Romano Mean Machine were still three minutes and 12 seconds clear of Patches.

Russia's Rusal Synergy narrowly failed to hold off the superior firepower of Coutts and the 2007 design Artemis on the 3.5 mile final fetch to the finish but were still pleased to post a third and fourth for the day, while Artemis scored fourth and third.

Ray Davies, Valle Romano Mean Machine's tactician recalled:

"It was an incredible race – the breeze was fighting between different transitions we seemed to get every one right. We are extremely happy with the way the day went. The first three quarters of the race was very dynamic – all over the place. The guys did an incredible job on board, all our sail changes were smooth and we went the right way."

" We have had some very good local knowledge from Pedro Neves. He really helped us out on our training days here with a little bit of advice this morning with what normally happens in these conditions and it turned out to be spot on. He has given us a good picture of what to expect and he was right – it was really satisfying to get it right. We are pretty happy to have five out of seven wins. It is great to see the team working so well together.

"We definitely have our mojo back. Whether it is putting the flames back on the boat or that we have stopped drinking limoncello I don't know which one has made the difference but we are happy with where we are."

Aretmis' Russell Coutts remarked:

" It was a strange kind of race with a transition between several different breezes and so it was pretty tricky. We were happy to get out of it the way we did. We had more boat speed than them (Rusal Synergy) with our general staysail, a slightly different sail combination and that made a big difference. In this regatta so far we have had our ups and downs and are still second overall I think and, in the circuit, doing well. I like this type of coastal racing and in fact would like some longer legs still just to mix up a bit."

Ian Walker, skipper of Patches, who now lie third overall, ten points behind Artemis:

" It was a bit of a day when it didn't pay to be too near the front. We made a big gain when we saw Caixa and Artemis falling into a bit of a hole on the second run and where we made our biggest gain."

" Looking across the rest of the fleet it is down to how you race. Mean Machine won the Committee Boat yet again and went right and won the race, like the fourth or fifth time they have done that this regatta and hats off to them. The first beat is important although today there were chances because of the size of the shifts, people making huge gains and losses and we were just happy to stay out of trouble. This regatta hasn't gone for us so far but what we have done is kept fighting and not had any bad results so a good coastal like today should just jetty us back into contention. It is not so much being prepared for it as much as just really keeping your eyes open and having to make very quick decisions, as things happen very fast."

Valle Romano Mean Machine extend lead at Portugal Trophy

[Source: Breitling Medcup] A fifth from a tricky first race today followed by their third victory from five starts ensures that Peter de Ridder and his Valle Romano Mean Machine crew extend their overall lead at the Breitling MedCup TP52's Circuit's Portugal Trophy off Portimao to ten points.

After the big winds of yesterday the series' fourth race started after a long wait for a sea breeze to develop. When it did it produced a demanding race track which challenged afterguards to balance the benefit of more breeze on the left side of the course against the favoured wind shift on the right side.

Russell Coutts set up Artemis well from a strong start near the middle of the line and lead Caixa Galicia around the first windward turn, but as Caixa Galicia erred further offshore on the downwind leg they were able to get their bow in front near the bottom of the run, to seize the advantage of the left hand gate mark with that the right side of the course.

With John Kostecki calling tactics for helm Roberto Bermudez de Castro, Caixa Galicia extended to win by 37 seconds from Artemis, with Tau Ceramica Andalucia clinging on to third place, their first podium finish this season.

As the conflicting breezes then fought for supremacy another long delay ensued and it was 1720hrs before the second contest of the day was started in a breeze which carried many of the hallmarks of yesterday's brisk NW'ly.

With the winds at 14-16 knots and 90 percent of the fleet stacking hard to win the one prime committee boat slot on the start line, it was the pink flamed bow of Valle Romano Mean Machine which broke first.

Helm De Ridder tacked smartly around the boat to win the regular advantage on the right side of the track.

Their laylines on both windward legs were pinpoint but Valle Romano was able to extend most on the downwind legs, leading Jose Cusi's Bribon across the finish line by 1 minute and 14 seconds, while John Cook's Cristabella finished third.

Such consistency proved elusive for both Artemis and Caixa Galicia. Artemis tangled with Ricardo Simoneschi's Anonimo early on the first beat and had to take a penalty.

With so few passing lanes they finished 13th while Caixa Galicia had to make a big, last minute tack and dip, taking many sterns to find a space at the first windward mark, fared two places better than Coutts and crew.

De Ridder's defending champions now lie ten points clear going into tomorrow's double points coastal race.

"To be honest we were as pleased with our fifth today as our win." Admitted Ray Davies, Valle Romano Mean Machine's tactician,

"We were quite deep early on in that one so a fifth from that is important. Overall we are really happy. We made a great start to the second race, on what felt like quite a short, crowded start line. We decided to fight for the committee boat end and won it and then it was pretty much plain sailing from there. The most important thing on such a start is not to get above the lay-line to the boat and to beware of dirty air and losing speed, so Peter did a great job. We played it a little conservative and took a tack back to the fleet."

"A ten points lead is nice but it is good that we are pulling back points to catch up on the leaders. I think we are sailing better than Palma and Breitling. We have made some changes to the keel and have refined the way we sheet the jibs a bit, more like the new boats and I think that has all helped. This is such a great venue. It has so much going on all the time it is incredible. You have the sea breeze and then the sea breeze up on the west coast of Portugal fighting to break through, so it is very dynamic."

"In the first race we just barely got the advantage as we came to the leeward gate, but that just allowed us to choose and get the right side of the course and stretch a bit" Recalled John Kostecki.

" We didn't get the starboard layline at the top of the beat," confirmed Caixa's helm Bermudez, "one option was to risk a gap behind Mutua. We preferred not to risk it and so we tacked and went behind almost half the fleet. It wasn't a penalty turn we just didn't lay the line to be able to round the mark and when that happens and the fleet all comes in so close together you have the possible problem of being protested. We are happy with our result still overall but we still have to put our foot down as the rest of the fleet are catching on us."

Valle Romano Mean Machine leads Portugal Trophy after breezy opening day

[Source: Breitling Medcup] Peter de Ridder and his razor sharp 2006 Breitling MedCup champion crew on Valle Romano Mean Machine proved the masters of the big breeze today as they opened the Trophy of Portugal regatta off Portimao with a seventh and two wins to round off a thrilling opening day with a lead of one point ahead of Russell Coutts and the crew of Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis.

With the NW'ly wind gusting to 24 knots and averaging in the low twenties for most of the second two contests today, racing was as testing as it was exciting.

Although the waters remained relatively flat there was no room for crewing errors, especially on the gennaker hoists and downwind gybes any small mistakes were heavily punished.

It was without question the most exciting day's racing for over year of Breitling Med Cup racing. Proving that they have speed to burn in the breeze, Stuart Robinson and the crew of Stay Calm replicated exactly what they did in practice on Monday, and lead the 18 finishers home by more than one minute.

But the chances of a repeat performance by Stay Calm in the second race were extinguished when their main halyard failed and they had to retire to effect a repair. Stay Calm's troubles were not complete, as they were called over the start line in the third race, but still managed to battle back to earn a fourth and lie eighth overall.

Valle Romano Mean Machine were smart off the start line, and twice broke to the right, inshore side of the course early.

In the second race – Valle Romano Mean Machine held Bribon, with James Spithill enjoying his first race on a TP52, on the helm, 33 seconds astern while Artemis added a third to their second.

And in the final race of today's trio De Ridder and crew twice got the better of Alberto Roemmers' Siemens on the downwind legs thanks to precise gybing angles and riding the biggest gusts, as called by afterguard Ray Davies and Tom Dodson to score their second win by 18 seconds while Thierry Peponnet drove Balearia across the line in Siemens' waker to third.

"I think the venue is excellent. A great breeze makes it really fun to sail these boats and really exploit the planing conditions that they really were made for. And it is nice to be on top of the results again." Remarked de Ridder,

"It was down to a bit of everything today. It was down to good starts, and our afterguard Ray Davies, Tom Dodson and Jules Salter did a great job of positioning us well on the race course, and our trimmers did an excellent job ensuring the boat really stayed well balanced and felt excellent."

"The new boats are definitely a little bit quicker but I think we proved that if you sail smart you can still win. We had a little dip I think in the two events in Mallorca. In Portals we ended up with two 25's for disqualifications and without them we would have been third overall. And I think that at Copa del Rey we were just out of whack a bit."

"But if you look at today's first race it was five new boats, Anonimo and us."

Ado Stead, Stay Calm's tactician was far from despondent at having missed out on a race when their 2007 Judel Vrolijk design is so evidently on song in the stronger winds:

"What happens happens." He acknowledged, "It was great racing and we are happy to come away with a one and four. The guys and girls on our boat put everything into it and did a great job."

"We had a problem with the inboard end of a batten and that affected the main halyard. After one of the recalled starts we had a go at fixing it, but we only got less than half way up the beat before it came down. Then we went to a quieter cove and had a go at re-running the halyard and got back in time for the third race, only to be called over. We recovered well and had a really storming last run, taking four boats, to get fourth, so we are really pleased, not disappointed."

After a second, third and a fifth today to lie second Artemis' owner Torbjorn Tornqvist concluded:

" Everything went well for us today. We knew we should do better in the brisker winds so we are all quite happy. Things went well no hiccups with the equipment. With boat handling as well of course it is a very professional team, working well together knowing what they have to do at all times – there is a good spirit on the boat which is also very important. Sailing conditions are fantastic, you couldn't ask for better – strong winds, flat waters and the races are very well organized."

James Spithill joins TP52 Bribón for Portugal Trophy

[Source: Breitling Medcup] After a spell home in Australia, enjoying the post-Cup therapeutic effects of some garage and extension building work at his house, Luna Rossa’s highly rated helmsman James Spithill is back in Europe and ready to compete for the first time on the TP52’s Breitling MedCup Circuit, the best fleet racing circuit in the world.

Spithill will be a more than capable deputy for Bouwe Bekking on the helm of Jose Cusi’s Judel Vrolijk designed Bribon.

“I had my first sail today and it was great. I have never sailed these boats before but they felt just great, like big dinghies. It was so nice to go out and do some real planing.” Smiled Spithill as he joined the line to weigh in at the Marina Portimao on Portugal’s Algarve, where the circuit’s fourth event the season, the Portugal Trophy starts Tuesday with 19 boats set to line up.

With the late afternoon breeze building to a comfortable 20 knots these were what are promised to be typical conditions as the MedCup circuit extends out of the Mediterranean waters for the first time in search of more breeze and excitement.

James Spithill aboard the TP52 Bribón. Portimao, 20 August 2007. Photo copyright Thierry Martinez

“It’s probably back to the Melges times when I last went racing in a planing boat. It should be a lot of fun, planing and asymmetrics. They are really nice boats. They react well, just like big dinghies and so nice after the big displacement Cup boats. I was really impressed with the guys on Bribon, I just stepped on and the boat handling is really good and everything. This a chance I jumped at and Ross (McDonald, tactician) and the guys seem really good. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

“It is great to be racing again. I am in Europe now for about a month, doing this and then some RC44 sailing and some match racing. I really enjoy the fleet racing, and just racing. That is just one of the things about the America’s Cup, is that you just don’t get that many opportunities. I think it is such a good thing for Cup teams to get out and do some racing. We did it with the Melges 24, got a core group together and went out and did a lot of open racing, there is a lot of value to it. I think you will start to see a lot of Cup teams going out and doing this sort of racing, the technical boat speed development, because you just don’t get that in Match racing.”

“I have been close to Portugal before, in Bayona, but never here before. I have heard a lot about it and heard the ISAF Worlds were really good.”

Copa del Rey - Day 1 - Race 2: Siemens grabs victory from Mutua Madrileña on final stretch

The day's second race was even more exciting than the first one as Siemens and Mutua Madrileña had an all out battle, alternating leadership throughout the race. A small error on the final run aboard Vasco Vascotto's boat handed the victory to Siemens that overtook them and crossed the finish line a mere 5 seconds ahead.

There were two general recalls before the race started at the third attempt. Since there was no clear favored side on the starting line, the fleet split up in two packed groups at each end, making it impossible for the race committee to clearly see the boats over the line. Peter Reggio, the principal race officer, took no chances and recalled the fleet twice.

Siemens and Mutua Madrileña lead since the start and were neck and neck throughout the race. The victory was decided on the final stretch of the final leg, where Paul Cayard calling tactics on Siemens, correctly chose the left side of the course, picking up better pressure. A fierce battle also took place for third position between Platoon and Bribón, with the Spanish winning it by 5 seconds.

After the fist two races of the event it is clear that racing is very close and the importance of the first leg can never be exaggerated, especially the approach at the first top mark. A couple of tens of meters can make the difference between 5th and 15th.

Start of the second race of the first day of the Copa del Rey. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

RUSAL-Synergy on the first beat. The Russian team had a very difficult first day. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Valle Romano - Mean Machine in the first beat. Peter de Ridder's boat had a disastrous second race, finishing eleventh. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Siemens was leading the race at the top mark, followed by Mutua Madrileña and Platoon. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The rest of the fleet at the top mark. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Once again, crew work aboard CAM was far from flawless. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The presence of Russell Coutts aboard Artemis didn't guarantee great results. The Swedish boat rounded the top mark 15th. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The TP52 fleet in the first run. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The battle between Siemens and Mutua Madrileña for leadership was fierce. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Paul Cayard was calling tactics on Siemens. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Platoon, helmed by Jochen Schuemman, was third in the top mark. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

One of the numerous close situations at the top mark and proof of the importance that 10 meters can have in a boat's ranking. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Halfway down the final leg, the race was still extremely close. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Siemens grabs victory from Mutua Madrileña in the final stretch. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Copa del Rey - Day 1 - Race 1: Important win for Mutua Madrileña

Vasco Vascotto and his Mutua Madrileña team opened the 2007 Copa del Rey races of the TP52 class with a very important victory. Racing started after an one-hour delay with the left being the favored side and many holes in wind patterns that made the difference. Platoon, helmed by Alinghi's Jochen Schuemann, lead the race from the start although Mutua Madrileña and Siemens were closely behind them. The race's turning point took place at the leeward gate where Platoon made the wrong tactical decision and gave up leadership in the second beat. Mutua Madrileña lead the race from there on while Caixa Galicia recovered nicely and crossed the finish line third.

Start of the first TP52 race of the 2007 Copa del Rey. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Start of the first TP52 race of the 2007 Copa del Rey. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Patches tacking during the first upwind leg. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing


Siemens had a clean start on the left and remained third throughout the first race. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

American newcomer Glory had difficult start but finally recovered to tenth. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Helmed by Alinghi's Jochen Schuemann, the German boat Platoon was leading the fleet at the first mark. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The Spanish CAM, a 2007-generation boat, languishes in the middle of the score table. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The bottom of the fleet starts the first downwind leg. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Platoon was still leading the race at the approach of the leeward gate, followed by Mutua Madrileña and Siemens. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Caixa Galicia kept gaining positions and rounded the leeward gate at 4th place. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Valle Romano - Mean Machine didn't live up to the high expectations. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Close situation such as this between Valars and Anonimo Q8 are the rule at the leeward gate. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

At the 2nd top mark, Mutua Madrileña had gained leadership of the race. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Siemens held on to their 3rd position at the 2nd top mark. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Mutua Madrileña sails towards their first victory. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Excellent recovery by Caixa Galicia that finishes second. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Platoon was unable to recover the leadership and finished fourth. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Even after an hour of racing, the finish was close in the middle of the fleet. Palma, 31 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Copa del Rey - Day 0: Training races for theTP52's

We left Valencia and its unfortunate legal intricacies to head to Palma de Mallorca for what is considered to be the Mediterranean's biggest and most prestigious regatta, the Copa del Rey. The TP52 class is for the third year in a row the "star" of the regatta and we will be covering the Breitling Medcup's third event of the 2007 season for the whole week till Saturday. This nearly one-design class will certainly provide another week of exciting and close racing.

Today's training schedule consisted of two starts and a full race. The practice starts were characterized by the unequivocal preference the teams showed for the left side of the course, resulting in a jammed pin end. In both of them a handful of boats were early over the the line. According to sailors who have raced the Copa del Rey in the past, on Palma's bay the left side tends to be favored this time of the year.

The race started at approximately 2pm with the wind blowing from the south at around 11 knots. Since the beginning Patches lead the rest of the fleet, closely followed by Bribón and Platoon. The Irish boat didn't encounter problems holding on to its lead but abandoned the race halfway up the second beat. Apparently, it is an English and Irish superstition to quit a practice race while leading the fleet. After the withdrawal of Patches from the race, Bribón went on to win with Platoon always close behind.

Jochen Schuemann at the helm of Platoon. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Heike Schwab

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. The close level of racing is remarkable in this class. A boat can lose 3-4 places a few meters before crossing the finish line. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Practice races of the TP52's at the Copa del Rey. The close level of racing is remarkable in this class. A boat can lose 3-4 places a few meters before crossing the finish line. Palma, 30 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing