A great fight back keeps us on top of the series
Coach Rod Davis blogs on the last day’s racing
It was windy on the final day at San Diego. Well 17-18 knots and that is windy for San Diego. We had two speed trials before the one winner-take-all fleet race.
In the first speed run, we opted for the code zero, but it was just a little tight and windy, so only posted the fourth fastest time. On the second run, we changed to the jib and had the then fastest run of the day. It comes down to having nice pull for the 40 seconds that it takes to run the course. Translation: luck. We ended up third.
(I should note here that after three of these America’s Cup World Series regattas, Emirates Team New Zealand is still leading the combined standings one point ahead of Oracle 4)
For the big race, deciding whether to use the code zero or the gennaker. The gennaker is bigger and while not faster thought the water, it allows the boat to sail lower at the same speed. So faster to a mark that is down wind.
The downside about the gennaker is that it takes a long time to pull in on a set or gybing. The code zero sheets in quickly and the boat takes off.. Big gains to be made with the zero in the manoeuvres even if it gives away some VMG. The wind was right on the cross-over. We opted to match our competition and ran with the zero..
The start was great. We led at the first two marks and then things started to go bad.We lost five boats up the next beat and rounded the top mark in 6th maybe 7th. This morning the objective was to be in the top three. Funny though, that idea leaves your head as soon as you’re leading. Like a switch is thrown nothing but a win is good enough.
The boys battled back to finish second, a good effort. Done by passing boats at a rate of one or two a leg. I can’t help thinking all the what ifs of the third leg.
Pack up fever is in full swing now. Boats and wings being taken apart and everything going in five 40 foot containers. I had better help Daggy with the sails.
COACH
