The adrenaline was pumping today at the RC 44 Valencia Cup when the southeasterly sea breeze pumped up to 20 knots and sent the light-displacement boats screaming around the race track.
Upwind looked pretty lumpy, but downwind the bows were lifting out of the water as spray cascaded off the topsides. Boatspeeds were reported in the high teens, as the sailors showed great form slamming the boats around with seeming ease.
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| BMW Oracle Racing leads No Way Back. |
Our two entries in the RC 44 Valencia Cup showed good form, even if they stubbed some toes along the way. Team CEO Russell Coutts and crew are second at 4-1, while skipper James Spithill has 17 placed fourth, also at 4-1.
Coutts and crew Dirk de Ridder, Ryan Godfrey, Ross Halcrow, Ronan Henry, Revelin Minihane, Colin Orsini, and Chris Schirmer scored victories against No Way Back (the overall season championship leader), AEZ of Austria, Sea Dubai and Mascalzone Latino. The one loss came at the hands of regatta leader Artemis.
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| BMW ORACLE Racing has Sea Dubai covered tight. |
Spithill and the 17 crew consisting of James Baxter, Jonas Hviid-Nielsen, Kyle Langford, Joe Newton, Bryce Ruthenberg, Matt von Bibra and Brad Webb scored victories over Katusha, Puerto Calero Islas Canarias, Ceeref and No Way Back. Their lone loss was against Team Aqua.
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| Boat 17 leads No Way Back upwind in the final flight of racing. |
The regatta continues tomorrow with the second half of the match racing portion of the event.
