Victory Challenge ends winter training in Dubai

by Bert Willborg on 6 Feb 2007 Now that Victory Challenge’s winter training in Dubai has come to an end, it is time to take stock.

There were 25 days of high quality two-boat racing from the 4th of January to the 4th of February, and they exceeded all expectations. 'I have never sailed in a place with such persistent good wind conditions throughout a whole month,' says Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman.

The last day of sailing in Dubai was yesterday and the temporary base is being dismounted today. Yesterday’s sailing was a new variation of good two-boat racing as there was a sandstorm over land. 'I had sand everywhere, even in the eyes, but the sailing conditions were still good,' Magnus Holmberg says.

The sailing team has been race training onboard Örn (SWE 63) and Orm (SWE 73) in all wind conditions that can be expected during the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series that starts in Valencia on the 16th of April. They have had between eight and 25 knots.

'We have had a much needed workout, with a lot of pre-starting, racing and manoeuvring. Since the two-boat sailing during autumn focussed on speed tests and development, it was this time a steep learning curve for the crew. Advanced manoeuvrings put the team under pressure; there is a big difference between the crew today and when they started on their first day of racing at the beginning of January. We are now significantly better prepared for the Louis Vuitton Cup, especially for the tight matches.'

It is not just about days on the water, where the statistics are clear. There are other numbers to look at too. Magnus Holmberg says: 'The number of days on the water is important too. It would have been possible to get in days of sailing training in Valencia in January too, but only short spells. Here we have not only had a lot of sailing days, but also long stretches on the water.'

During the 25 days on the water, Victory Challenge has had 181 hours of high quality training. This compares with the two and a half months it took in Valencia last autumn to achieve the same number of hours on the water.

But at the meeting on the first of December where the team was told about the winter training, Magnus Holmberg warned them of having too high expectation of Dubai: 'The meteorologists have provided us with weather statistics. But statistics are no guaranties, they are only averages.'

There were a lot of discussions preceding the decision to site the winter training in the United Arab Emirates, which, just like Valencia during spring and summer, normally has a stable sea breeze, wind conditions which also prevail outside California, USA and Perth, Australia. 'If we knew then what we know today, the decision would have been easy,' Magnus Holmberg says, adding: 'But we have also been lucky!'

Victory Challenge returns straight away to Valencia for soon upcoming structure tests of the newly built SWE 96.

Victory Challenge’s challenges the 32nd America’s Cup in partnership with Tele2, Red Bull and MTG. Metro, Viasat och Bet24 are media partners. Sail Racing, LIROS Yacht Ropes, Rutgerson Marin, Pergo and OM Pimespo Ibercarretillas are official suppliers. Suppliers to the team are Sebago, Oakley, Fitness First in Valencia and Nordic Sea Hotel in Stockholm.

www.victorychallenge.com