Matt Cornwell calls TEAMORIGIN 1851 up to the mark. Image copyright Ian Roman.
by Sabina Mollart-Rogerson
Preparations and planning come to an end today as the first races of the 2010 Audi MedCup Circuit's TP52 series are scheduled to get under way off Cascais at the Portugal Trophy.
Winds are forecast to be moderate, between 8-12 knots from the North West, when the 11 boat fleet get under starter's orders at 1300hrs local time. Yesterday's practice race proved the race area will be a challenge for tacticians with big changes in wind direction and pressure over the arena.
British TP52 Cristabella, owned by John Cook (GBR) and steered by Tim Powell (GBR) won yesterday's practice race, just ahead of the 2009 defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL).
The 2008 TP52 champion Artemis (SWE) is expected to have owner-helmsman Torbjorn Tornqvist (SWE) absent for the first few days of this regatta, and so Paul Cayard (USA), who usually serves as tactician will steer with Cameron Appleton (NZL) as tactician.
The GP42 Series have their practice race with five boats competing. They will be offered two practice starts and then their official practice race will get under way.
"The course is fairly close to the shore. Depending on the wind direction it can be shifty in direction, and with the breeze a little more in the north today it is likely to be even more shifty, especially as you approach the windward mark. But also, flatter water. So today will mainly be about using the shifts, the bigger ones rather than the smaller ones.
And, not necessarily banging the right hand corner because then you tend to run out of wind pressure." Explains Jim Saltonstall (GBR) coach to the Cristabella team.
All of the live action images and supporting comment and information from the race course is broadcast on www.medcup.org
