Marseille Trophy, 15 06 2011 © Nico Martinez/Audi MedCup
by Sabina Mollart-Rogerson
The second day of racing for the Marseille Trophy for the 52 Series and the first day for the 40 Series and another day of light winds is expected as the Audi MedCup Circuit is due to race on the northern race course, the Rade Nord, today.
So just when the 52 Series afterguards thought they had rekindled their knowledge of Marseille’s intricate track in the south, so it is time to head to the other race area, which in the past has proven even more complex and variable.
Around start time the breeze is expected to be much more left, in the south, than yesterday, starting around 180 degrees and moving slightly east of south. Winds are still not expected to be much more than 10 knots.
Quantum Racing and Bribon are locked on the same points aggregate, the American team showing that their power in the breeze shown in Cascais need not necessarily be at the expense of speed in the lighter winds, while Bribon sailed an accomplished day with few mistakes and some strong tactical calls and good starting. Today others will be looking to step up and eliminate those small errors which cost them, especially off the start line.
The Rade Nord is a more open area but in the past there does tend to me more obvious pressure differences.
For the S40’s Iberdrola have been the boat to beat but yesterday it was the South American visitors on Patagonia by Negra who triumphed in the light winds Practice Race, but Iberdrola were slow off the line and had to play catch up.
Ado Stead (GBR), tactician, Quantum Racing (USA):
“It´s going to be a very interesting day because we are going to sail in the Rada North and it´s a very different area. Most of us haven´t raced there very much. It´s an open day we should have a medium sea breeze 8-12 knots, so it should be a good test. Yesterday we saw how important it is to get a good start, just two or three minutes might get you in the front row. We are looking forward to see what happens today, we´re leaving the dock early to get a feel of things in the race area, we are very open minded about how´s going to be out there today”.
José María Torcida (ESP), skipper, Iberdrola Team (ESP):
“In such light conditions we didn´t have a chance to check many things. Yesterday we started late off the line, so at least that gave us an opportunity to check if we could recover coming from behind. We´ve sailed with Patagonia by Negra prior to yesterday´s practice but only for half an hour. The best way to really see the other boat´s potential is racing, where boats go at a 100% speed. The Negra crew has a lot of experience and that´s going to help us learn and improve our sailing since we´ve been with this boat for such a short amount of time. Our goal is to repeat what we did in Cascais, to win the trophy.”
Marcel Van Triest (FRA) navigator Bribón:
“Yesterday the left clearly paid but you had to get a good position early and take care not to run out of wind. In light winds the trim of the boat is very sensitive, fore and aft and from side to side, and you don’t need to be scared to roll in the gybes. Today it will be different with the effects of the Frioul islands to manage.”
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