Our hero

The Daily Sail tackles a cappucino with GBR Challenge's new starting helm Andy Beadsworth

In the early races of the first round robin GBR Challenge were looking shakey. They had dropped races to Stars & Stripes, OneWorld and Alinghi and even their match against the French, their only win out of four races, had not been clear cut.

One week into the competition and the management of the British team - Ian Walker, David Barnes and Paul Standbridge - identified that part of the problem were the pre-starts and made the call to swop Andys - moving Green out and Beadsworth in.

At the time this seemed like a desperate measure. Green had been starting helm of the British challenger for months even before his position had been formally announced. As starting helm he was a key player in GBR's afterguard and in replacing him after all that training, they risk of causing a major disruption at the back of the boat.

During the intensive weeks training in the build-up to the Louis Vuitton series Beadsworth, the former Soling Olympian, had been effectively sidelined from the race boat team, although his role remained significant as driver of the tune-up boat.

Yet, this the America's Cup and not the Olympics and big calls are integral to the game. GBR bit the bullet, made the change and since then the results have spoken for themselves: GBR Challenge have scored an impressive series of wins - against Mascalzone Latino, the tough Swedes on Victory Challenge and impressively against the mighty Oracle.

In round two they yesterday demolished Stars & Stripes who had beaten them in the first round. With no other apparent changes to team other than 'squad' ones such as rotating grinders and mastmen, the addition of 'Andy B' to the afterguard seems to be proving a winning move.

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