Marseille so often delivers a broad range of wind conditions over the span of the regatta, and the coastal race is one of the most beautiful on the Audi MedCup Circuit
Course of the coastal race for the Marseille leg of the Audi MedCup 2010. Image copyright Audi MedCup.
by Sabina Mollart-Rogerson
Winds are forecast to be up to 20 knots today and that should make the TP52s' passage down to Cassis and back quite exciting and a different test to the first two days of racing.
In the GP42 Series the stronger breeze, due to increase during the afternoon, may just be on that transition between the preferred conditions of Iberdrola (ESP) which has dominated so far and Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP) which is better in the breeze. They are scheduled to do three races while the TP52s race their second coastal race of the season.
At 39 miles the course is the same as last year but the breeze is a little more from the west, as opposed the demi Mistral, more northerly, which has blown the last couple of years.
Quantum Racing lead the regatta and won this coastal race last year.
Stronger winds are expected for the weekend, perhaps up to 30 knots.
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Ray Davies (NZL), tactician, Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
“ We know this course reasonably well however today the wind is a little different to what we have had in the past. In the past it has been a little bit more NW’ly a semi-mistral direction, but today it is a little bit more westerly which means a bit more reaching, two-sailing and fetching and some of the legs in the past we would be VMG running and beating, so it is potentially quite different.
“ What is common is that the windward-leeward, getting out of the bay is going to be critical because some of it will be a little bit processional however coming back up around the headland will be interesting. There will be a reach then a run to the variable mark, then a bit of beat back home. Nornmally when the breeze if a little bit more right then you get big right handers off the shore, but I am not so sure that they will be there this time.
“ We are getting better. Every race we have improved. If you look at the results you can see it has been tricky. We have been working at getting a clean first beat and then taking it from there. This is a course area where you have to gamble a little bit. If you go up the middle and try to cover boats then you get hosed.
“ It is good that is open. You really have to back yourself and not worry about the edges.
"That is why the results are the way they are. People get a little bit conservative and are happy with their fourth round the bottom mark and try to cover, but then they just get passed on each side.
“ It was very like that on the first day.
“You have to realise that you have to sail the course, and not the boats. That is different from day to day. The systems are changing all the time and we will see some breeze. The boat likes that.
“There is plenty of golf left in this game.”
Weather forecast:
Source Grib US
(time, speed, direction)
12:00 09-15kts at280-290
13:00 11-17kts at 270-280
14:00 12-20kts at 260-270
15:00 13-21kts at 260-270
16:00 15-23kts at 260-270
17:00 15-22kts at 260-270
18:00 16-22kts at 260-270
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