When the too gentle and shifting breeze died away during the second race of the day, Rainbow were denied a probable double victory, but the newest team to J Class racing were nonetheless pleased to have put their first race win on the leaderboard at the J Class Barcelona Regatta today.
Taking second today behind Rainbow, who had built themselves a comfortable margin by the finish gun, Svea now hold a clear one-point lead overall after five races sailed. Rainbow’s first win at the regatta is thanks in part to their wily Kiwi tactician, six times America’s Cup winner Murray Jones and Barcelona based British navigator, Simon Fisher, guiding Rainbow best through the patchy, shifty light breeze. But so too the smallest and lightest J Class yacht in the fleet seemed to live up to her reputation as being fast in light airs.
Velsheda opens well
Velsheda made the best start to the first race of the day. Going left towards the shore saw her come into the windward mark on a lifted tack with a little more wind pressure to round 30-seconds ahead of Rainbow and Svea. The breeze shifted right on the run and Svea were able to roll over Rainbow and chased Velsheda, hard on their stern, round the leeward gate. But on the second upwind, Rainbow’s afterguard found the better pressure and were able to build a decent lead which they took to the finish gun. Svea took second whilst Velsheda were hampered by tearing their big red, white and blue spinnaker just short of the finish.
Murray Jones, tactician on Rainbow said, “It is good to get a race win as we sailed pretty well today, the boat was going well in the light airs, but to be fair there was not much between the three boats in the light airs. We all went round the top mark together in the first race.”
He added, “We hoped we would get a win here, but we have had a lot on and have done so little sailing together. In the light air things are a bit slower and we have had a little more time today to get things done right. Tomorrow will be another light day and so we are hopeful.”
The wind was even lighter for the second race of the day and Rainbow had again slipped away from her two rivals Svea and Velsheda. But on the second beat the ‘race abandoned’ signal was made and the chance of a double Rainbow success evaporated in the warm late afternoon Autumn sunshine, much to the frustration of owner Neville Crichton and the crew.
After finishing all square after the first two days of two races apiece, by counting two first places and three seconds Svea now lead Velsheda into the final day of the regatta by a single point.
Co-owner of regatta leader Svea, Niklas Zennström enthused, “I think what was great today was that we saw more lead changes than any other day this season, which is cool, it was very tricky. And these boats at 180 tons are very, very hard to steer when it is so light, you don’t get much feel. I am so glad for Rainbow they got a win today as it’s just their second ever event and so their learning curve is very steep. So, I am so pleased they had a first. And they would have won the second had it not been abandoned. Good on them. We knew coming into this regatta that it would be very tough with every team doing their best. Today we started with the same points as Velsheda and now we go into the last day leading by one point, it is great racing.”
Will Gibbon, Velsheda’s Captain is delighted to be in the title fight going into the last day, noting: “It was a tricky day today. I think we started well, and we just suffered downwind in the sloppy seas as a heavy boat, Svea got into us and were giving us dirty air and we overstood a little on the second lap. And then we shredded our spinnaker [on the second lap] just when we were getting into Svea near the finish, just four minutes from the line and so that was just at the wrong time. There was a tiny little tear which we were watching all the way down the last leg, and it went. So, four minutes later and we would have been OK. I think we are good going into the last day and great to be so close. We are all feeling very positive. Maybe a click more breeze would help us out.
“We were close to Svea all day, sometimes they were a bit faster, other times we were faster, so if we put the boat in the right place on the track and we have a good chance. It was great to see Rainbow win too. They are a bit of a rocket ship in the light air and today that was clear to see. They have had a lot going on this week, so it is good to see them take a win.”
Racing is due to start around midday Friday with the forecast seeming to offer a final day with light winds. Follow the final day in Barcelona via tracking HERE. The J Class Barcelona Regatta prize giving will take place at 18:30 on the America’s Cup main stage.
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