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Fotogalerie Cartagena
25 Aug 2010
RACE DAY REPORT FROM AUDI MED CUP CARTAGENA, PRACTICE DAY
Practice race day at the Audi MedCup in Cartagena concludes and
certainly an interesting day on the race course.
With a scheduled start of 1pm there was no hurry to leave the
dock as the forecast onshore southerly breeze was still battling
with the mornings north westerly wind causing a prolonged period
of light, variable sea breeze transition. After almost 2 hours
postponement the race committee were able to kick off racing at
around 3pm.
Two practice starts were followed by the real thing and
TEAMORIGIN got a fantastic start. In the front row and with speed
they came through the pack, which had all decided the boat end of
the start line was where they wanted to be ,and were able to head
out to the right, by far the favoured side of the race course.
Matador, the only ones over early had to go back and restart
their race, setting them back just a few minutes.
The bay here in Cartagena is a fairly typical Mediterranean
sailing area though the currents are not to be underestimated,
probably the biggest learning from the TEAMORIGIN boat today.
'We'd looked at the currents of course but it's only when you get
out here and sail and see how it plays out on the boats on the
race course that you can really see what's happening across the
bay with the currents and eddies' commented Ed Smyth, TEAMORIGIN
navigator.
TEAMORIGIN had a great first beat, covering Emirates Team New
Zealand and with the hammer down sailing fast were able to roll
over them. Third around the top mark behind Artemis and Bigamist
the team were sailing well. Further into the first run and
Emirates gybed off earlier, managing to nudge just ahead of
TEAMORIGIN so that at the leeward gate they took the favoured
left hand mark and TEAMORIGIN opted for clear air on the right.
Artemis learnt their lesson from the first leg (disastrously
choosing left up the course) and, with the rest of the fleet
headed all the way right to stay out of the current, going all
the way to the corner and hitting layline. This move gave them
the jump on TEAMORIGIN putting us now in 5th place on the race
course.
In the run to the finish the wind was pretty light. Matador gybed
out to the right for clear air and TEAMORIGIN got ahead of
Synergy but in the final line to the end it was Matador who had
managed to get back into the race and take 5th place.
'We learnt that the current can be pretty funky out here in the
bay, and not always do what we'd expected it to' said Iain Percy,
TEAMORIGINs tactician. 'Great to have got out here and got a race
in so we've got more knowledge now for the rest of the week'
echoed Ed Smyth.
With three races scheduled for tomorrow and potentially more wind
we're looking forward to a great first days racing here at the
Audi MedCup, Cartagena.
TEAMORIGIN
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