A quiet morning with the flags hanging limply around the race dock belies the prospects for the third day of racing at the Cascais Trophy where there are forecasts of breeze up to 25 knots from much the same direction as the first racing days.
Regular steady results are the target again for the top groups in both the TP52 and the Soto 40 Series, but in both fleets yesterday proved that only small mistakes, especially off the start line are enough to shape each race.
Quantum Racing, world champions and runners-up last season, are looking to carry on in the same mode they finished yesterday, winning the final race of the day:
“ I think the wind will come in a little sooner and a little stronger than yesterday. We haven’t made our luck so far on the left hand side coming down the run, but you could almost argue that it has been a little bit tough on us, certainly we are happy with the boat upwind and downwind I think we can refine a few things that we have talked about a lot. But yesterday the race committee did a great job keeping us on shore and we get out there we put the main up in no wind and then the wind was in, so, perfect.”
“There are some crew changes and so that has not been easy with different styles, and so the strategy today is just to stay in the hunt, and try to be still in the hunt at the end of the regatta.” Said Kevin Hall (USA), Quantum Racing’s navigator this morning.
“I think it will depend on where we go today, but if we are outside then we might see as much as 25 knots, and a bit less if we are inside. We are not so bothered, as long as there is wind,” comments Marc Lagesse (SA), navigator of second placed Container (GER).
The forecast for the day shows the wind building to 15-17knots from the NW but already with the temperatures rising then it seems likely there will be more wind than forecast.
In the Soto 40 fleet, after two wins, Iberdrola Team will be looking to keep their momentum intact as they go for Races 3 and 4, while the TP52’s head out for Races 5 and 6 and it does seem likely that racing will get away on time.
Any of the crews looking for attacking tips had the opportunity to meet one of Portugal’s golden generation of footballers Luis Figo this morning. One of the few players to have played for both Barcelona and then Real Madrid, Figo, who was capped 127 times for Portugal and was 2001 FIFA World Player of the year, loves the sea but this morning was the first time that he had taken the helm of a Soto 40 when he steered XXII Portuguese Sailing Team around the bay.
“Like most Portuguese I love the sea and like to be on the sea, but this is the first time I have been to an event like the Audi MedCup Circuit. The Audi MedCup Circuit is a very important event for all of the country because it keeps the country on the international map for sport. On board the sensation is very different to what you experience on other boats like you sail on holidays.” Said Figo who is godfather to XXII Portuguese Sailing Team, “I come to give spirit and support to the team.”
Juan Luis Páez (ESP), navigator, Iberdrola Team (ESP):“We are very happy with what we did yesterday, but we saw that we have to improve things upwind. We hope that things go as well as yesterday, we started great and that´s not easy. Once we started well, we managed to stay ahead of the rest of the boats and stretched from them. It seems that we will have great conditions again today, so we hope not to make mistakes handling the boat, something that went great yesterday. If we win again, it will not be easy, if we miss the shift it will be very hard to reach the other boats”.
