I SHARES CUP THIS WEEK IN COWES
“We are going to see some really tough racing this time, but we are determined to maintain our lead,” said TEAMORIGIN’s tactician and main trimmer Pete Greenhalgh. The British America’s Cup team are currently leading the iShares Cup by just two points from Alinghi, with local girl Shirley Robertson on JPMorgan Asset Management back in third a further two points behind. The third event of the European series, at Skandia Cowes Week, begins with a practice sail today, before iShares Cup racing takes place from August 2-4.
TEAMORIGIN skipper and helmsman Rob Greenhalgh added: “I'm really looking forward to racing the Extreme 40s during Skandia Cowes Week, there's always such a buzz around the week both on and off the water and hopefully the Extreme 40s will provide some added action for the spectators (and the sailors!). Being the 'home team' as the British America's Cup Challenger against both Alinghi and BMW Oracle puts a bit of extra pressure on us, but nothing we can't handle!"
The iShares Cup even gets a touch of cool this weekend, as they are joined by Rob da Bank, the Radio 1 DJ and host of ‘Bestival’, the Isle of Wight’s summer music festival, who will take part on Saturday.
But there are plenty of sailing stars in the fleet as well, as the third event of the circuit has yet another high-calibre entry list, with 11 Extreme 40s including three America’s Cup teams — and two new boats from BMW ORACLE Racing — plus a clutch of Olympic medallists, round the world record-breakers and world champions.
“For me it’s the best calibre of sailors that I’ve had the chance to sail against for a long, long time,” said Nick Moloney, skipper of BT. “I love to sail with the best, it always pushes you to do the best for yourself and your team. I’ve always said in any event you have to have great competition to really cherish the result!”
“It’s pretty daunting with the America’s Cup teams, when you look at the guys sailing, “ admitted Pete Cumming, skipper of Oman Sail, “But even the Cup teams are quite new to the boats — apart from TEAMORIGIN of course — and we’re looking forward to getting mixed up with them. We’ve got a really good team with Chris [Draper] being an Olympic medallist, so we’re ultra-confident in our helm and we’ve spent a lot of time working on our crew work. It can be a little bit daunting but we’re going to take it on and we’re still looking to be right up there.”
For today’s first exhibition race the iShares Cup fleet will start from the famous Royal Yacht Squadron, before heading towards the Champagne GH Mumm racing mark in the western Solent — the first boat to pass the mark collects at bottle of GH Mumm’s finest — then up towards the mainland shore for some windward-leeward practice races.
Then from Saturday until Monday the iShares Cup races will be held on short courses between Lepe Spit and Calshot Spit, with good sailing winds predicted of at least 15 knots. “Looking at what’s coming in we’ve got breeze from the south-west direction, depending on cloud cover,” said Race Director Alan Hillman. On hot days Cowes often enjoys an added bonus of a sea breeze effect — which builds the wind even further. “If we get any sun, it’s going too hoon! The sea breeze will fuel it, and I think it could be windy.”
“The boat-handling will sort the men from the boys then!” commented Pete Cumming, who was feeling confident at the prospect of some big breeze sailing on board Oman Sail, “We’ve got Freddie [David Carr] up front and you don’t get a much bigger engine than that, so we’re looking forward to it!”
Although the Solent is renowned for its strong currents, racing over such a small area will limit the tidal impact for the Extreme 40s. “Where we’re racing basically to get out of the tide they’d have to either hit the beach, or get out into the main shipping channels, so I don’t think tide’s going to be a huge factor,” explained Alan. But the sea venue may well bring some waves for the iShares Cup teams to contend with, “I think the main local knowledge will be having sailed in the Solent chop, and knowing how short and steep it is.”
BMW ORACLE Racing skipper James Spithill commented, “Certainly the area is renowned for its tide but the good thing with these boats is that hopefully we’ll get some breeze and then it shouldn’t be too much of a factor — and it’s the same for everyone, but we’ll see!”
Six races a day are scheduled, between 14.00-17.00, with practice sailing in the morning.
From I Shares Cup.com
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