Toyota Detroit Cup - Good start for Team Tunnicliffe

by Anna Tunnicliffe on 20 Aug 2010 Toyota International Match Race for the Detroit Cup, an open Grade two event here in Detroit saw its first day today. We had a great day finishing our five races with a 5-0 record.

There are 12 teams competing in the regatta. Our team, consisting of me, Debbie Capozzi, Liz Bower, and Amanda Callahan, along with five other teams, sat out the first five flights of the day as six teams headed out to the water to start the regatta at 10am. Our group of six teams got to relax and watch the racing take place just off the waterfront of Bayview YC. With the windward mark just 200m from the wall, we got to see all the action.

The conditions were great, but very puffy at times, which allowed the boat behind to be able to make up distance on the lead boat downwind if they played the breeze well. We were also fighting the current downwind which made for long legs, and so giving the trailing boat an even bigger advantage.

Around 1:30pm, the first six boats finished up their racing, and we headed out to do our five races. We had some great races, our two closest being against Taylor Canfield and Bill Hardesty. In both races, it came down to a close call at the finish line, but my team did a great job and we managed to hold on for the win.

Racing resumes tomorrow morning at 10am. We will be sitting out the first three flights, and then hit the water for six races. There is video coverage online at www.sailinganarchy.com and through (justin.tv) with commentary, along with live tracking too I think.

We would like to thank Carmeuse and Trinity Yachts for their continued support of our campaign for the 2012 Olympics in London. We would also like to thank US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics (USSTAG) and its sponsors for their support.

For more information, please go to: www.teamtunnicliffe.com