Thursday 15th January, 2015
Image: Ben McGrane and James Hughes (GBR) going through the last checks of the replacement mast and all boat equipment prior to the crucial start of Race 6. Credit: Rhenny Cunningham - Sailing Shots
Boat speed first priority for Race 6
Today’s forecast of a 10 to 15 knot south-westerly and a flat Corio Bay, will eminently suit the fast teams competing in Geelong on the penultimate day of the 2015 International 14 World Championships.
It’s a crucial day for all the top teams looking to secure their place in the class World Championship history book. If the breeze settles into a steady direction, the difference between those teams will come down to boat speed.
Now that five races have been completed, the only drop available has come into play. Glen Truswell and Sam Pascoe (GBR) are on four points from a scorecard of 1/2/1/1/1. They just need to sail clean, smart and fast today to cement their hold on the overall top place.
Luckily for Truswell and Pascoe they were in the boat park yesterday for a quick check over the boat. They found they had a major problem at the lower shroud attachment points. “They were ripping out of the boat and they were just put in. Just showed us we could have lost our rig really easily the day before.
“It just proves how fickle it can be trying to win this type of event,” Truswell said.
“The forecast today looks really good. Not too light or fickle, nor too much wind. The difference today will be pure boat speed,” Truswell added.
In second place and champing at the bit to move up to first is Ben McGrane and James Hughes (GBR). They are on nine points from a scorecard of 3/1/2/3/68. After breaking their mast in Race 5, their replacement mast is now in place and they are ready to race with the pressure fully on for them to make no mistakes in the remaining.
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