

Nico Martinez/GP42 Global Cup
With a practice race now under their belts, the eight teams assembled here in Puerto Calero have only a few minor details left before the real battle begins in earnest at tomorrow's start to the Puerto Calero GP42 Global Championship. A few sails loaded and unloaded, some rig details here and there, but in general everyone is relaxed, confident and happy to be in such a picturesque place and recipients of the legendary hospitality of the Calero family.
Conditions for today’s practice racing were perfect for old and new teams alike: a gentle 8-10 knot east-southeast breeze allowed for close maneuvers in the practice starts to test their skills at positioning and timing, and the 1.3-mile legs were long enough to shift gears, play a few shifts, and gauge each other’s speed potential for the upcoming week. Most teams have saved their last new sail slots for use here, but there are also other upgrades: Monti and his team, for example, will be looking closely at how their brand new keel with its longer thinner bulb will be helping enhance their upwind pace.
One team – Team Nordic (SWE) - had to sit out the fun while making a few final tweaks to their new keel installation job on the Cognit-designed Totalboats before launching this afternoon. The team, led by skipper Magnus Olsson (SWE), spent many months here training up prior to the last Volvo Ocean Race. - http://www.gp42globalcup.com/