Live Ocean Racing on the improve at Eurocat ETF26 Grand Prix Event 2 - Day 1 & 2
by Sail-World.com/nz 1 May 2022 12:06 NZST
30 April 2022
LIve Ocean Racing - Day 1 - ETF26 - Carnac Eurocat - April 2022 © Live Ocean Racing
Live Ocean Racing was tested with a light opening day for the three day Eurocat 2022, being sailed from Quiberon, Brittany.
Eurocat 2022 is the second of five events in the ETF26 2022, and follows Event 1 sailed as part of the Spi Ouest Regatta at La Trinité-sur-Mer, Brittany, where the team finished fifth of eight teams in their first regatta.
Due to conflicting Olympic class commitments at Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères where Alex Maloney, Molly Meech and Jo Aleh are competing in the Womens Skiff 49erFX, while Erica Dawson is sailing in the Nacra 17 Mixed multihull event. Liv Mackay is skipper and helm for this weekend's racing - with 49er sailors Leonard Takahashi and Marcus Hansen stepping aboard the ETF26 foiling catamaran, which Live Ocean Racing are sailing with just three crew this weekend.
Light conditions prevailed at Eurocat 2022, with racing being abandoned for the day after three races were completed.
The Live Ocean Racing team changed things up a bit, and all eight teams competed in a 24 mile coastal race - Grand Raid. Live Ocean Racing finished up in 3rd after the 2 1/2hr race.
They are taking on five races tomorrow, on the final day of the three day regatta.
"We sailed in a dying breeze," Liv Mackay said. "Our starts were a bit slow, but we have been coming back through the fleet in all the races and improved throughout the day. We started a fourth race and were winning but unfortunately the wind died and the race was cancelled."
Live Ocean Racing's scorecard for Day 1 at Eurocat 2022:
- Race 1: 5th
- Race 2: 4th
- Race 3: 3rd
- Race 4: 3rd
Two of the Live Ocean racing team contested the Medal Races at Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères. Alex Maloney finished ninth overall in the Womens 49erFX event. Erica Dawson finished fifth overall in the Mixed Multihull event sailed in the Nacra 17 foiling catamaran. A third crew, Jo Aleh and Molly Meech, sailing in their first international regatta in the 49erFX placed 12th overall, missing the cut for the Medal Race.
About the ETF26 Grand Prix
You can follow the action on the ETF26 Grand Prix on @itsliveocean
The ETF26 Series is back for a fifth edition running from April to July:
- Spi Ouest-France / April 14th-18th 2022 / La Trinité sur mer (France)
- Eurocat / April 28th - May 1st 2022 / Carnac (France)
- Raid Quiberon / June 2nd-5th 2022 / Quiberon (France)
- Foiling Week / June 30th - July 3rd 2022 / Garda Lake (Italy)
- Grand Prix du Grand Pavois / Sept. 29th- Oct. 2n 2022 / La Rochelle (France)
About Live Ocean Racing
Live Ocean Racing is a New Zealand racing team committed to action for the ocean. Established by Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, Live Ocean Racing will bring together a talented and diverse team to compete at the highest level. With innovation and purpose baked into our DNA, we race on and for the ocean.
- Live Ocean Racing is led by Peter Burling and Blair Tuke however, they are not part of the sailing team for the ETF26 Grand Prix. They are fully committed to SailGP and Emirates Team New Zealand.
- Live Ocean Racing is a separate entity to Live Ocean Foundation with its own governance, board, management and funding. However, they share brand and purpose.
- No funding from Live Ocean Foundation goes towards Live Ocean Racing. The foundation will continue to audit annually and deliver a high level of transparency around donor funds.
- Live Ocean Foundation is the Race for the Future charity partner for the New Zealand SailGP Team.
About Live Ocean Foundation
Live Ocean is a marine conservation foundation committed to scaling up action for the ocean. Founded by sailors and ocean champions, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, the foundation scales up marine science, innovation and outreach to connect and ignite people around the role a healthy ocean plays in a healthy future. We partner with exceptional New Zealand marine scientists, innovators and communicators whose work has global implications for the protection of the ocean and the life in it. To have a healthy future, we must have a healthy ocean.
Current projects undertaken by the Live Ocean Foundation include: