Hotting Up

A three race day is planned for Ford Vignale Sailing Week, the opening event of the 2015 52 SUPER SERIES, and that is almost certain to open up the results table – especially the log jam of boats very close on points in the middle of the fleet.

The sea breeze is dialled up and all the signs are that is should come in on schedule and last into the late afternoon. Three races really do take it out of the crews, not least the owner drivers. Each windward-leeward race may only last an hour but, as Andy Soriano owner-driver of second placed Alegre observed this morning,

that hour feels so much more.
Andy Sorano, owner-driver, Alegre

The British flagged team are chasing only three points behind Rán Racing but there are only seven points between third and seventh.

Nacho Postigo, navigator on Provezza, a past winner of the MedCup explains:

It should be good today because the water is still quite cold and so there is a high confidence that the sea breeze will be good. What we have in the books, historically, the right tends to pay here but so far it has been the boats coming in from the left which have been winning. Normally the right is very strong and so far that has not been the case.
I think it helps but sometimes it is the opposite because you are saying OK we know this perfectly, we have to go to the right and then you start to not look at the water as you should and so it has been not that good at the beginning in that respect, we have to sail more with our eyes open.
In the Cup boats you were always looking to just cross the other guy and you were fine, but here if you focus on strategy for the boat which is close to you you are passed by five boats on the left.
Nacho Postigo, navigator, Provezza