September 13, 2007
by Mean Machine Sailing Team
13 Sep |
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The Mean Machine Valle Romano team have the podium firmly fixed in their sights.
The 2006 Breitling MedCup champions are the only 2006 boat to feature in the top 8 of this year’s circuit.
Three days and seven races have passed in the Southern French town of Hyeres, the very first French venue to host a Breitling MedCup event. Much like the conditions here in the South of France, Mean Machine Valle Romano’s performance has been less than consistent in this final event of the Circuit. Hope remains strong that the team sponsored by the Valle Romano Golf Resort can push through to claim a place on the Breitling MedCup 2007 podium after Saturday’s final race.
Peter de Ridder’s crew are still feeling the effects of the 50 point penalty incurred in the Breitling Regatta in July. The team were disqualified and given the maximum score penalty, with no discard allowed, and they’ve been clawing their way back to closing the score margin ever since.
Day One proved a frustrating start for the mighty TP 52 fleet who were forced to endure a four hour wait to start battle out on the waves. A late start, even for the Mediterranean, saw racing begin at 16:00 local time, and the first of two windward – leeward races of the day. The boat with the black hull and pink flames made her intentions clear by storming through in the top three behind Circuit leaders Artemis and Spaniards Mutua Madrilena. However, the “machine’s” game dropped somewhat in the second race, and de Ridder’s boys only managed to finish in eighth place.
Day Two was a busy one for the Breitling MedCup organisers, crews and race committee with 3 races in one day. It was a test of momentum for the mighty fleet, and an opportunity for the boats to make an impact on the scorelines. The day served up some great sailing conditions, with breeze of 18 – 22 knots, and racing began on schedule just after 1pm. The Mean Machine Valle Romano team were forced back to the starting line after a false start, but true to their fighting fashion the crew took the windward mark in fourth place to finish fifth overall. In the following two races the team managed eleventh and ninth place, and were standing in seventh place overall in the Hyeres Trophy.
On Day Three Tactician Ray Davies and crew fought hard to climb up places in the General Breitling MedCup Classification and in the Hyeres Trophy Rankings. Mean Machine Valle Romano were firmly in the leader group fighting for positions along with Patches, Stay Calm and Artemis. In the end Patches took victory, followed by Stay Calm and de Ridder’s crew finished in a respectable, but not necessarily desirable fifth place. The Mean Machine “mojo” seemed to be back in force after a great start in the second race, but mistakes are always costly in this highly competitive circuit, and a bad manoeuvre saw Stay Calm overtake the pink flamed boat. The final result was a much more desirable 2nd place, pushing the team further up the rankings in both the General and Event classifications.
The Mean Machine Valle Romano crew are just sixteen points from that third step on the Breitling MedCup podium and are in fourth place overall on 233 points. Next up is the 40 mile coastal race, with double points up for grabs, and two more windward – leeward races.
It’s going to be a battle, but there’s still hope that this 2006 boat can go out with a bang.
