Bring on the Mistral

Will we see big conditions for this weekend's Marseille leg of the Audi MedCup?

Marseille’s Rade Sud is one of the most challenging race areas on the Audi MedCup Circuit. Tightly bordered to the west by the Iles Frioul - the Ile Pomègues and the Ile Ralonneau - and the mainland to the east, the natural amphitheatre is surrounded by a whole collection of historic landmarks, not least the iconic Notre Dame de La Garde church, which defines the Marseille skyline.

Even the Chateau d’If, on a small somewhat randomly placed islet on the fringe of the race arena, a former penal colony where the Count of Monte Cristo was set, has an influence on the breeze and racers’ strategies. It’s a fantastic setting for the second Audi MedCup Circuit regatta of the 2009 season, the second time that the Circuit has been hosted by the sailing savvy cosmopolitan city.

But in sailing terms Marseille is synonymous with the famous blustery Mistral winds. Last year’s Marseille Trophy regatta was visited by the Mistral, strong breezes to produce some of the most exciting conditions of the season, one contributing reason that the circuit is back, hopefully for more.

“The one thing about the race area here is that there is no simple formula for this week. We could see a little bit of everything, maybe with some Mistral on Friday," confirms Dimitri Deruelle, who represented France in the 470 at the 1992 Games and is providing local input to the Emirates Team New Zealand TP52 challenge in Marseille. "Honestly it will not be simple at all. They are not classic conditions at all.”

With the Practise Race for the 11 TP52s taking place tomorrow, so 23 knots was blowing in the Rade Sud today.

Alberto Roemmers’ Matador team, who top the Audi MedCup Circuit leaderboard after winning the City of Alicante Trophy last month, know how fragile their one point lead is, as do those crews who are in hot pursuit.

John Cook's British crew Cristabella, who missed Alicante, return to the fray after just one day sailing with a full crew on their new boat, the former El Desafio.

Only two points separate the top three TP52s. Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis lies second by one point and Emirates Team New Zealand are third on the leaderboard.

Emirates Team New Zealand's tactician Ray Davies commented: “It would be nice to see a little more breeze. These boats are a lot of fun when you get up into 20 knots plus. Last year Marseille was incredible and we would like to see more of that .”

Racing begins for the TP52 Series again on Wednesday with three planned windward-leewards. The coastal race is scheduled for Friday with racing concluding on Sunday.

The GP42 class is equally delicately poised after Daniel Calero’s team stole victory in the dying minutes of the final race in Alicante with his Islas Canarias Puerto Calero leading by a single point too. All six boats which contested the City of Alicante Trophy resume their rivalries on Wednesday with the GP42 Series’ Practice Race, before GP42 Series points are up for grabs again on Thursday. The GP42s do not race a Coastal Race.

Islas Canarias Puerto Calero helmsman, Jose Ponce commented :"We are really looking forward to getting on the boat, since we still haven't sailed a lot with it; here we will find more wind than in Alicante, but our boat is supossed to perform better as the wind increases. We have to fine tune it for the conditions of this venue, something which proved difficult in Alicante. This will probably be the toughest race of the circuit".

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009 current standings

TP52 Series
1. Matador (ARG), 36 points
2. Artemis (SWE), 37 points
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 38 points
4. Quantum Racing (USA), 40 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 46 points
...

GP42 Series
1. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP), 20 points
2. Airis (ITA), 21 points
3. Roma (ITA), 22 points
4. Caser-Endesa (ESP), 33 points
5. Turismo Madrid (ESP), 35 points