Mean Machine out in front at Portimao

August 24, 2007 09:20 0 comments

Mean Machine ahead of Patches by 4 minutes after 20 mile coastal race.

© ThMartinez/Medcup http://www.thmartinez.com


MEAN MACHINE MAKE PORTIMAO THEIR OWN


Thursday’s coastal race in the bay of La Lagoa was about 20 miles long, and every inch of it belonged to Mean Machine Valle Romano.

After a two hour postponement, Navigator Jules Salter, tactician Ray Davies, Tom Dodson, Peter de Ridder and the rest of the Mean Machine boys showed the fleet what a Breitling MedCup winning team looks like,as they set the racecourse alight with their characteristic pink flames.

However the breeze didn’t accompany the boats on day 3 of the race,and weak and shifty winds meant the job for trimmers, such as Jono Swain, Dirk de Ridder,Jon Gundersen and Liam Newman was especially tough.Today’s success had a lot to do with choosing the right sail for the job.

The team certainly made the right calls, as they finished this first ever day of coastal racing in Portugal for the MedCup 4 minutes in front of Patches and Rusal, and over seven minutes ahead of fourth place Artemis.

In this highly competitive and equal sailing arena, the team aren’t taking anything for granted in this competition. They know that once they’re out there, anything could happen, and it’s important to keep on top of your game and remain focussed.

Tactician Ray Davies is impressed with the boat’s performance in this event:“We are struggling a little bit in comparison to last year, we feel the new boats are going better but as a team we feel we are getting more and more out of our boat. We did some work to the keel between this and the last regatta and that has definitely made a big difference, so we are working extremely hard to get the best out of our boat”

1 MON 52 VALLE ROMANO – MEAN MACHINE 7, 1,1,5,1,1, 1= 17
2 SWE 11152 ARTEMIS 2,3, 5, 2, 13 , 4, 3 = 32
3 IRL 5200 PATCHES 6, 5, 9, 11,7, 2, 2 = 42
4 ESP 7452 CxG CORPORACIÓN CAIXAGALICIA 3 ,4, 10,1,11 , 8, 7=44
5 USA 52698 WINDQUEST 10,7,8 6,8,5,5 = 49
6 ESP 7552 BRIBON 5,2,14,8,2,13,10 = 54
7 GBR 93R STAY CALM 1,21, DNF, 4,14,6,6,6 =58
8 ESP 52 SIEMENS 9,13,2 ,4,5,14,14= 61
9 GBR5206L CRISTABELLA 8,6,11,17,3 ,12 ,12= 69
10 ESP 8110 ONO 11,11,15,15,4,7,8= 71