01-Aug-2007
Siemens steal overall lead.
Race 4. Summary
Was that an omen or what? A big 10-15 degree shift freed the fleet on the approach to the windward mark, reshuffling the pack. All of the leaders left of centre piled in with sheets cracked. The likes of Cam, who looked slightly dead and buried in the early stages really benefited. So too, Artemis who were to the right of the early leaders, came to the mark quickly. For Mutua Madrilena an eighth to Siemens third means that the Argentinian owned, Spanish sponsored boat now leads by three points from Vascotto's crew.
The upside was there was more breeze, up to 14 knots at times, and this has reindexed so that a third race is in prospect.
Quotes of the Day
Juan Vila, Navigator for Artemis, on two firsts today:
“We have had some good starts and the racing is going really well. Today the wind really was stronger on the left-hand side of the course, and a good start and winning the left were both important in all three races. We also go well in this wind range and we have done a good job in a fleet that is extremely close.
It was important to start well. At this kind of level if you don’t get a good start, get the better side – which in the last couple of days has been on the left - or find the right lane, then you can drop a lot of positions very quickly. I think that is what made the difference today. There were a lot of threatening boats today: all those that we had around us at any one time! In this type of racing you don’t concentrate on just one boat. The important thing is to get the points and be as consistent as possible at the top of the classification table.”
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