Estate Master looking for improvement in second half of US Grand Slam

by Estate Master Media Team on 29 Aug 2012 Estate Master Sailing Team powered by True Blue Racing are looking for much needed improvements in the final two regattas on the US Grand Slam Series after the team failed to make the semi-finals in their defense of the Detroit Cup last week.

Team Manager and Helmsman Jordan Reece described the results over the past two events as ‘missed opportunities’ for a team which has shown greater strengths over the north hemisphere summer.

After finishing fourth in the opening round of the US Grand Slam Series in Chicago, Estate Master travelled to Detroit for the 2012 Detroit Cup but the team failed to make the cut for the semi-finals after light winds plagued the regatta. Over four days the race committee only managed to complete a full round robin for twelve teams before making a very unpopular decision to cancel the quarter finals with still a full days racing available in the regatta. Estate Master made a solid start to their defense of their 2011 Detroit Cup title by winning all of their matches, but unforced errors in one race, and a very unlucky lose to Steph Roble in a match which saw Estate Master lead by more than 70 meters at one stage before the lead was evaporated by one freak puff saw Reece slip to third overall after two days.

By the midday on Day four the Round Robin was finally complete with Estate Master caught in yet another tie-breaker which again didn’t go their way with the team finishing on equal points with David Gilmour (AUS) and Nicolai Sehested (DEN) for fourth place, with the team eventually falling back to fifth.

With still several hours of racing and a full days racing on Sunday available it was thought the quarter finals would be sailed, but a decision from the organizing authority saw the quarter finals cancelled and Estate Master relinquished from the competition to finish in fifth.

'It was an unusual and disappointing decision from the OA to cancel the quarter finals with so much time remaining, but in the end you have to win boat races to make it and we just didn’t do that. It’s been two tough regattas for us which we really haven’t performed to our ability which is disappointing from our stand point. We just haven’t capitalized on certain opportunities which we need to and in the end that has cost us regatta titles' commented Reece.

Since then the team has moved to New York for the final two events. First up is this weeks Knickerbocker Cup, an event which was brought to a halt last year due to Hurricane Irene. Estate Master’s Team Manager anf match racing helmsman Jordan Reece is looking for an improvement in results from the team over the coming two events but after one of the team’s crew members, Jack Jennings, was rushed to hospital on Monday night, Reece has had to find a replacement in Chris Poole for the regatta but remains confident that the team will perform. 'A late change in the team line-up is not ideal but this stuff happens every now and then and a good team will move on and work with what they have, thankfully for us we have Chris joining us for the regatta and we are looking forward to the racing ahead of us' commented Reece.

Racing for the 30th Knickerbocker Cup will take place from Thursday 30th September through to Sunday 2nd September off Manhasset Bay Yacht Club in Port Washington, about half an hour north east of downtown New York City. Racing will be streamed live on Estate Master’s Facebook page through Livestream.

Catch all the latest news and results at the Team's website