Pataugas by K-Challenge versus Emirates Team New Zealand. Image copyright Franck Socha.
by Stephanie Nadin
This is the end of the first Round Robin in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, but no extra point today for Pataugas by K-Challenge for the match they raced against the host of the competition in Auckland: Emirates Team New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the team is already very focused on its target for Round Robin 2 since yesterday, as they already knew that they would need to go through the silver fleet, where they will have to finish within the two firsts out of four competitors in this group in order to reach the quarter finals. Everything is still possible for the French team, even if the way is not as simple as in the ideal scenario, which consisted in racing in the gold fleet.
The silver fleet group will include Pataugas by K-Challenge, Shosholoza, Greek Challenge and China Team.
After Round Robin 2, clocks will be reset for a new start.
Emirates Team New Zealand leads against Pataugas by K-Challenge. Image copyright Franck Socha.
Sebastien Col, Skipper and Helmsman for Pataugas by K-Challenge: “the conclusion of this Round Robin is not positive, as we finish 4th in our group out of 5, with one point, which is not enough to race in the gold fleet. We only had one win against China Team, we lost an important match against Damiani Italia Challenge, and then against BMW Oracle Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand we were not at our best, and we didn't manage to get one more point today. So we will race in the silver fleet, but the way is still long, and we will do our best to reach the quarter finals. The group is a great united team, we want to fight till the end together, even if the way is longer than expected. Nothing is over yet.”
Stephane Kandler, K-Challenge's CEO: “we can't be satisfied with this first Round Robin, where we have now to go through the repechages and start it all over again. Pataugas by K-Challenge will now have to show its capability to react and to come back in the game for the quarter finals, even if it is a more difficult way. I think we can do it, but we saw in this first round that every team can be beaten, so we still have some work to raise our racing level and to create the necessary catch in order to be more efficient.”
Tomorrow will be a lay day for the teams, which will be perfect for them to recover and charge their batteries again, in order to start the Round Robin 2 in the best shape on February 5. Pataugas by K-Challenge will race against Greek Challenge for its first match in Round Robin 2.
Race details:
Mark 1 : 22 seconds for Emirates Team New Zealand
Mark 2 : 33 seconds for Emirates Team New Zealand
Mark 3 : 1'26 seconds for Emirates Team New Zealand
Finish : 1'38 seconds for Emirates Team New Zealand
Pataugas by K-Challenge
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