Atlantic Cup - GryphonSolo2 completes first leg

by Joe Harris on 16 May 2013 GryphonSolo2 finished leg one of the 2013 Atlantic Cup at around 11:00pm in New York City last night. It was very cool to come bombing in from offshore in a 25 knot breeze behind us and doing 15 right into Ambrose channel and the shipping lanes of one of the world's busiest ports!

We doused the kite and got out the jib as we approached the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and the wind went all squirrelly as the tides for different rivers came together. We then had to get the kite back up and were sailing rather leisurely to the finish line just opposite the Statue of Liberty when we heard our competitor Dragon call in to the race committee that they were right behind us!

So Tristan and I got to work and gybed about six times in the light and flakey dead downwind conditions and finished in fifth place, about five minutes in front of Dragon after 650 miles. All seven boats finished within three hours of one another so it is clear the racing is very close. We were disappointed in not finishing on the podium for sure but are resolved to sail harder, faster and smarter in the next offshore leg to Newport and in the inshore series. We look forward to the pro-am race here in NYC on Friday and then for the next start on Saturday.

Thank you all for your ongoing Atlantic GryphonSolo2 website