Racers ready for 52 SUPER SERIES start

The 52 SUPER SERIES dock at Key West’s Truman Annexe is a picture of activity, anticipation hangs heavy in the air this morning as the crews prepare for the first races of the season.

Nerves are not exactly an issue for the calibre of sailor assembled here across the six 52’s, Azzurra, Quantum Racing, RÁN, Interlodge, Rio and Gladiator, but the shared feeling is the common desire to get out and get racing. Two races are scheduled with a breeze which will start off only light and build to 12, maybe 14kts. And the sun is already warm. From Day 1, Race 1, consistency is vital. Of course going out and winning the first race represents the best possible start, but most teams – at all levels – have more modest aspirations. Don’t make any big mistakes and stay focused are probably the themes which most of the morning briefings will have dealt with. Ed Reynolds, Quantum Racing, explains:

I think it will be light for most of the day, we have been told that there is a 30-40% chance that it will get up to maybe 13-14kts by four o’clock. And this is a whole new thing here racing under IRC. Normally we can make sail choice decisions out there, but under IRC we sail with the sails we have on board. So we are trying to guess ahead at six hours what the wind will do and what we will need all day long. During the 52 SUPER SERIES we will have only one jib on board, but here we are talking about up to three sails. So the call is whether to take the J2. And you have to be sure that your weather guys are really on it, but then everyone here seems to be using the same weather guy!
Ed Reynolds, Quantum Racing