Good day for GBR

As Harrison's troops pick off the tricky Swedes

GBR Challenge today defeated the Swedish Victory Challenge, leading from start to finish to win by 48 seconds.

The British team, with Andy Beadsworth at the helm and skipper Ian Walker calling tactics for the pre, won the start. GBR Challenge put the Swedes under pressure throughout the pre-start period and forced SWE 63 over the line two seconds before the gun went.

Wight Lightning, with Walker taking the helm, crossed at the favoured pin end as the gun went to gain a four boat length advantage as the Swedish team restarted. From then, tactician Ado Stead aided by Chris Main up the mast, picked the windshifts to enable the British team to hold onto their lead and record their second win of the regatta.

In the pre-start GBR entered from the right, the teams dialled up and the Swedes immediately tacked back towards the left hand side. Beadsworth followed, shutting the Swedes out and above the line. Another dial up ensued, with Wight Lightning in control and forcing the Swedes further away from the line. GBR Challenge sailed back to enter the line from the right hand side and as Victory followed, the Swedish team elected to gybe inside Harrison’s men. Beadsworth followed with better speed and to leeward, continually luffing Victory higher and towards the line. Victory were unable to lose enough speed towards the pin, as the Wight Lightning crew piled on the pressure. With two seconds before the starting gun the Swedes bow crossed the line, giving the British team the advantage.

With, the eight to ten knot breeze was shifting up to 65 degrees throughout the day Chris Main was positioned up the rig to feed the other members of the afterguard with information. Wight Lightning sailed to the right hand side of the course, twice tacking on top of the Swedish team to protect their position. As both boats sailed on port, the wind swung to the left and it appeared that both would lay the mark. However two thirds of the way up the beat the wind swung back and the British afterguard had to pick their way through the potential minefield of shifts under the Torbay cliffs.

GBR 70 rounded one minute and two seconds ahead at the first mark.

Both teams hoisted asymetrics and sailed on the leading starboard tack down the run, with Wight Lightning adding a further three seconds to her lead at the bottom of the course. On the second run, the wind direction was fluctuating wildly as the teams sailed to the right hand side. Whe they came back on starboard, Wight Lightning appeared to sail into a hole and SWE 63 cut her lead, but the British team were better positioned for the wind shift that gave GBR 70 better pressure and speed in the final tack to the mark. GBR Challenge rounded 38 seconds ahead and immediately gybed to extend her lead by finding some more pressure on the right hand side of the course.

Victory Challenge cut the lead at the second leeward mark to 31 seconds, but as the British rounded Harrison’s men tacked to the right hand side of the course and caught a huge wind shift that allowed the team to extend their lead to one minute and eight seconds at the final mark. GBR Challenge then placed themselves between the Swedes and the finish line to win by 48 seconds.

Tomorrow Harrison’s men face up to Larry Ellison’s Oracle, one of the favourites for the Louis Vuitton Cup. Then GBR Challenge will face Mascalzone Latino on one of the reserve days, replacing their race that was abandoned when the wind died.

On board Wight Lightning (GBR-70) today
Bow Matt Cornwell
Mid Bow Mark Sheffield
Mast George Skuodas
Pit James Stagg
Pit Runner Ben Morrison-Jack
Trim upwind Mal Parker
Trim downwind Simon Fry
Grinder Starboard Guy Reid
Grinder Port Ian Weighell
Mid Grinder Jim Turner
Main Trimmer Chris Mason
Navigator Jules Salter
Aft Grinder Chris Main
Strategist Andy Beadsworth
Skipper Ian Walker
Tactician Adrian Stead
17th Man Peter Harrison