Grand Prix news and LVC updates—Sailing news from the U.S. and beyond

by David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor on 5 Aug 2013 The big news in Grand Prix circles (outside of the America’s Cup, of course) comes from the 32nd annual Copa del Rey Mapfre regatta, which just wrapped up in Palma de Mallorca. Here, the American flagged 'Quantum Racing' took home top honors in the ultra-competitive IRC 52 class, beating out 'Ran' and 'Azzurra' for the top step on the podium stairs.

All told, 'Quantum Racing' earned six bullets out of 11 races, with no finish poorer than a fifth place, which they racked-up in race nine, leaving the team with an unassailable 15 points, compared to 'Ran’s' 22 points and 'Azzurra’s' 35. 'We have been pushed hard all week by 'Ran' and by the fleet,' said 'Quantum’s' tactician, Terry Hutchinson. 'This week we always seemed to have a little something extra speed-wise.'

'We had solid local knowledge with Jordi Calafat on board keeping us going in the right direction,' continued Hutchinson. 'That relationship is evolving but he is on his home waters and so you sail confidently when you have someone of his talents on board. That was great and we got on a bit of roll in the middle of the week when Ed [Baird] was getting some cracker starts and the boat was fast. The last race was great, we wanted the left side strongly, got there and then just let the girl do the work. The boat is set up really well through the gears.'

Meanwhile, in San Francisco at the Louis Vuitton Cup (LVC), legendary America’s Cup scribe Bob Fisher recently had the chance to talk with Adam May from Artemis Racing, the Challenger of Record for the 34th America’s Cup, about the performance qualities and attributes of 'Big Blue', their recently launched, second-generation AC72, compared to her competition.

'Luna Rossa is a slightly higher-volume hull shape with slightly more rocker profile through the mid-section,' said Adam May, who is tasked with performance analysis for Artemis Racing. 'We (Artemis) have probably a slightly lower volume with a lower profile shape-less freeboard-that’s the main difference between us.'

As for the team’s level of preparation, the grand question mark remains. 'We don’t really know where we are,' said May, 'and it’s a huge learning process every time we sail the boat.' As for where his team legitimately stands compared to the other challengers, May was candid. 'The Kiwis are ahead of us all,' he said. 'At present.'

Get the full Artemis Racing debriefing, inside this issue, and stay tuned for Tuesday’s first race of the Louis Vuitton Semi-Finals, which pits Luna Rossa Challenge against the Swedish-flagged Artemis. The winner of the LVC Semi-Finals will sail on to the LVC Finals, where they will meet Emirates Team New Zealand on the water on August 17.

Also inside, don’t miss the great piece that Richard Gladwell, Sail World’s New Zealand editor, wrote on a recent International Jury decision pertaining to Oracle Team USA’s responsibilities when it comes to releasing their performance data. According to the decision, Oracle does not have to release their information, while the challengers do, thus helping to make the playing field even more uneven (a longstanding Cup tradition). More, as it becomes known!

Also inside, get the latest news on the 470 Junior Worlds, the PWA Tenerife World Cup, and the 29er Worlds.

May the four winds blow you safely home,