Audi Sailing Team powered by ALL4ONE at the Cascais Trophy. Image copyright Chris Schmid/Eyemage.ch
by Stephanie Nadin
After a tough season's start on the Cascais Trophy that only finished 3 weeks ago, Audi Sailing Team powered by ALL4ONE is back for the Audi MedCup Circuit's second stage in Marseille, France (14-19 June), with recharged batteries and a lot of motivation, after having taken the time to step back and to work on necessary changes and improvements on the boat and sails for a new beginning.
The Franco-German team will also have a new team member joining the crew in Marseille: Thierry Fouchier, Main sail Trimmer, whose impressive sailing career has been recently highlighted being part of the 33rd America's Cup winning team in 2010.
Peter van Niekerk, Spinnaker Trimmer: "We always like to be in Marseille as it is a great place for sailing. We had a fantastic breeze for training these last two days. We're recharged and looking forward to the event. We made quite a few modifications on the sails since the Cascais Trophy, and what we saw in the training is that it is going to the right direction. For sure we have to see how it goes against other boats, but the feeling is good."
Thierry Fouchier, Mainsail Trimmer: "I discovered a fantastic racing machine, on which you have to remain focused every single second. I learn a lot with Jochen Schümann and the other trimmers, and I also try to bring my experience. In any case it is really great to be part of that team. My first challenge is to understand the boat's potentials as quickly as I can, in order to use them and to improve them as the event goes.
"The weather conditions here in Marseille will be a bit more varied than for the first event in Cascais. We will have to be very reactive on the trimmers' side and for the performance, and I will focus on that day to day in particular, in order to be as good as possible. The two first training days went really well. I know most of the crewmembers as I sailed with or against all of them at some point. The atmosphere on board is very constructive, and dedicated to work and the boat's progression, as we are talking about a prototype that needs to be developed day to day."
The competition week will start tomorrow with the official practice race. Then racing will continue everyday from Wednesday until Sunday.
Results are published daily on www.audisailingteambyall4one.com, as well as exclusive pictures and video interviews from the crewmembers in the MULTIMEDIA section.
Racing is live everyday on audisailingteambyall4one.com thanks to Audi MedCup TV's player.
Audi MedCup
