We won two races today. Coach Marc Bouet pointed out that in one day we have earned 66% of the total points we earned in Malmo. The first race we beat Masclazon in a close but solid race. The tactics were a bit challenging because our Port primary winch was broken in the very first tack. The team did a good job going to plan B and not letting it become a major issue.
Race two – Team New Zealand – The wind was getting a little unstable and lighter. One of our team commented.. a light and shifty race might be just what we need. We were ahead on the first leg but we closed in a bit on the top half to round about 2 boat lengths behind them. Then about 1/3 of the way down the leg we started to jibe about 1 second before they started and they halted the jibe. Ours was quite a radical turn and as we got up to speed and they pulled the guy back out. We realized that both boats were pointed almost to the leeward gate and they were on opposite jibes! K-Challenge – sailing FRA 60 which we are leasing from Team New Zealand (TNZ) and which was the boat that won the America’s Cup in 2000 finished 1minute 45 seconds ahead of her sister ship NZL 82.
The funny part is that in the press Grant Dalton from TNZ is always talking about how they are driving a ‘Jordan’ and Alinghi is driving a ‘McLaren” … so Brad Butterworth (from Alinghi and formerly from TNZ) was riding by the TNZ base and yelled out to one of the guys – “Hey tell Dalts that he just got beaten by a Capri” 🙂