Strong winds mix it up as Spain re-takes Admirals Cup lead

by Susan McHeag on 18 Jul 2003 After a day when winds gusting over 30 knots sorted out the men from the boys, Spain has retaken the lead with a one point margin in the 2003
Admiral's Cup.

The King of Spain's Bribon Telefonica Movistar continued its almost perfect performance, with two more first places, while their main rival, Bob
Oatley's Wild Oats, representing Australia's Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, had it's first result outside the top three, scoring sixth and third
places in the two Inshore Races sailed today.

In the small boat, IMS 600 fleet, Pedro Campos on Telefonica Movistar was also consistent, chalking up a pair of second places, while Australia's
Aftershock, owned by Colin O'Neil, put a first and an third on the scoreboard.

Even some of the big names were seen in a state of disarray as the sail shredding, south westerly winds blasted up the Solent, and tested any small
deficiency in boat handling skills, particularly on the down wind legs.

Bribon Telefonica Movistar, of the Real Club Nautico Sangenjo, won the second race of the day despite a dramatic wipe out on the first downwind
leg, 'it was blowing 28 knots and increasing,' explained tactician Eddie Warden Owen.

'Andrew Cape (the navigator) was telling us we were past the lay line, and we just had to turn the corner. Although we wiped out, there was no damage
to the boat or the crew, it was a good race - tough but fast.'

Colin Beashel at the helm of Aftershock was particularly impressive with his control of the Rodman 42 IMS boat as the gusts went over 30 knots,
Adrienne Cahalan the navigator on board said, 'no one wanted to be in Colin Beashel's shoes today, and we didn't want to look behind us, in case it
psyched us out.'

Aftershock had taken the lead soon after the boats turned downwind, with Beashel working the boat down the waves in a calm and efficient way, 'there
were a few heavy moments,' he admitted, 'it was just a case of keeping the boat on her feet.'

England's double Olympic Medallist, Ben Ainslie sailing Chernikeeff 4 in the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Sailability Team, also had moments today he'd rather forget, including a major wipe out, and a blown headsail, however he still managed to chalk up first and fifth places.

The boat busting conditions have also produced a crop of potential protests, and although none of the four boats in the two leading teams are
involved in any of them, Spain's one point lead could change, for better or worse, before the final race starts on Saturday.

Eddie Warden Owen is certainly excited by the prospect of a do-or-die final race, the 400 mile Wolf Rock race from Cowes, down the English Channel and back again, 'it's great, it's good that it's all on the last race, it's between us and the Australians, either team can win.'

Australia last won the Admiral's Cup in 1979, while the Spanish have never put their name on this trophy, which when it was first contested in 1957,
was the first international offshore team trophy.

Results Race 7 IRC Class

1 Bribon Telefonica Movistar (Telefonica Movistar
Sailing Team, Real Club Nautico de San Genjo, Spain, Ker 55, Jose Cusi)

2 Bear of Britain (Team Bear, Royal Thames Yacht Club, UK, Farr 52, Kit
Hobday/Tim Louis)

3 Chernikeeff 2 (Sailability RORC, UK, Farr 52, Peter Harrison)

4 Volvo for Life Team Tonic (Team Royal Southern, UK, Farr 52, Nick Hewson)

5 Groupe Paprec (Team Paprec Recyclage, UNCL, Fra, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin)

6 Wild Oats (Royal Prince Alfred YC, Australia,
Reichel/Pugh 60, Robert Oatley)

7 Estrella Galicia Uno (Estrella Galicia
Sailing Team, Real Club Nautico de Vigo, Spain, Sydney 62, Antonio Viejo)

8 Chernikeeff (Sailability CCYC, UK, Farr 50, Peter Harrison)

Provisional Results Race 7 IMS Class

1 Chernikeeff 4 (Sailability RORC,
Rodman 42, Peter Harrison)

2 Telefonica Movistar (Telefonica Movistar
Sailing Team, Real Club Nautico de San Genjo, Spain, Rodman 42, Pedro
Campos)

3 Aftershock (Royal Prince Alfred YC, Australia, Rodman 42, Colin O'Neil)

4 Dickies Yacht Sales (Protest) (Team Royal Southern, UK, Sinergia 40, Nigel Biggs)

5 Dancing Bear (Team Bear, Royal Thames Yacht Club, UK, Sinergia 40, David Scanlan)

6 Paprec Recyclage (Team Paprec Recyclage,
UNCL, Fra, Sinergia 40, Jean Luc Petithuguenin)

7 Chernikeeff 3 (Sailability CCYC, UK, Sinergia 40, Peter Harrison)

8 Estrella Galicia Dos (Estrella Galicia Sailing Team, Real Club Nautica de Vigo, Spain, Sinergia
40, Antonio Viejo)

Results Race 8 IRC Class

1 Bribon Telefonica Movistar

2 Volvo for Life Team Tonic

3 Wild Oats

4 Bear of Britain

5 Chernikeeff 2,

6 Estrella Galicia Uno

7 Chernikeeff

8 Groupe Paprec

Results Race 8 IMS Class

1 Aftershock

2 Telefonica Movistar

3 Estrella Galicia Dos

4 Dickies Yacht Sales

5 Chernikeeff 4,

6 Dancing Bear

7 Paprec Recyclage

8 Chernikeeff 3

Provisional Overall Teams Results After 8 Races

1 Real Club Nautico de San Genjo 39pts

2 Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club 40pts

3 RORC 60pts

4 Royal Southern Yacht Club 78pts

5 Royal Thames Yacht Club 99pts

6 UNCL 105pts

7 Real Club Nautico de Vigo 114pts

8 Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club 115pts

Subject to protest

Full results at www.rorc.org