Photo Ian Roman
TP 52-Med Cup Update, Portimao Paul Cayard
Three races were held today in a very nice breeze of 14-18 knots from 315. This breeze comes offshore here on the South coast of Portugal so the sea was very flat.
In these conditions, all the boats in the fleet go almost the same speed therefore, they get to the windward mark at almost the same time. This makes for plenty of tight situations and a few of us were spinning circles today.
One for us in two different races. A 720 for Quantum in the second race, and probably a few more that I did not pay attention to.
Our first race was our worst. I really wanted to get through day one without a bad race but we did not. We had three very good starts and were poked out in the front group in all three races. We played the left too much on the first windward leg of race one and got well back in the group. When our spinnaker set at the top mark, it hit the Platoon's backstay and we had to do a circle there. It was expensive too. Jib up, spinnaker down, luff up and tack, bear away and gybe, then hoist the kite and drop the jib. We were last!
We managed to pass five boats, including Platoon and finish 10th. Bribon won this race with Audi Q8 in second and Tao in third.
In races two and three we kept out in front after good starts.ﾠA second in race two and a third in race three. We tacked too close to Audi Q8 at the top of the second windward leg and did our second 360. It was not as painful as the first and we lost just two boats there. Then we went very fast down the run, planing in fact, and passed the Russians to finish third.
In race two the Russians on Synergy led wire to wire and were very fast. We were in second place the whole race but had a scare near the end as we got in a light spot on the final run and the group of four boats just behind us closed to within three lengths at the finish.
Quantum won the third race by getting a nice solo puff in the first run to go from third to first, passing Audi Q8 and us.
The race course was pretty open and there were some nice shifts and variations in the velocity which could be good and bad.
So after day one the scores are:
1. Quantum Racing 4, 8, 1 - 132. Audi Q8 2, 9, 2 - 133. Synergy 9, 1, 4 - 144. Desafio 10, 2, 3 - 155. Caxia Galicia 7, 3, 9 - 19
Tomorrow's forecast, like today's, is for less wind than we had. We will see. This is a tricky place to forecast as we are basically off the leeward tip of the Iberian Peninsula.
For complete scores go to: http://www.audimedcup.org/
Cayard Sailing Website
Three races were held today in a very nice breeze of 14-18 knots from 315. This breeze comes offshore here on the South coast of Portugal so the sea was very flat.
In these conditions, all the boats in the fleet go almost the same speed therefore, they get to the windward mark at almost the same time. This makes for plenty of tight situations and a few of us were spinning circles today.
One for us in two different races. A 720 for Quantum in the second race, and probably a few more that I did not pay attention to.
Our first race was our worst. I really wanted to get through day one without a bad race but we did not. We had three very good starts and were poked out in the front group in all three races. We played the left too much on the first windward leg of race one and got well back in the group. When our spinnaker set at the top mark, it hit the Platoon's backstay and we had to do a circle there. It was expensive too. Jib up, spinnaker down, luff up and tack, bear away and gybe, then hoist the kite and drop the jib. We were last!
We managed to pass five boats, including Platoon and finish 10th. Bribon won this race with Audi Q8 in second and Tao in third.
In races two and three we kept out in front after good starts.ﾠA second in race two and a third in race three. We tacked too close to Audi Q8 at the top of the second windward leg and did our second 360. It was not as painful as the first and we lost just two boats there. Then we went very fast down the run, planing in fact, and passed the Russians to finish third.
In race two the Russians on Synergy led wire to wire and were very fast. We were in second place the whole race but had a scare near the end as we got in a light spot on the final run and the group of four boats just behind us closed to within three lengths at the finish.
Quantum won the third race by getting a nice solo puff in the first run to go from third to first, passing Audi Q8 and us.
The race course was pretty open and there were some nice shifts and variations in the velocity which could be good and bad.
So after day one the scores are:
1. Quantum Racing 4, 8, 1 - 132. Audi Q8 2, 9, 2 - 133. Synergy 9, 1, 4 - 144. Desafio 10, 2, 3 - 155. Caxia Galicia 7, 3, 9 - 19
Tomorrow's forecast, like today's, is for less wind than we had. We will see. This is a tricky place to forecast as we are basically off the leeward tip of the Iberian Peninsula.
For complete scores go to: http://www.audimedcup.org/
Cayard Sailing Website
