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Mean Machine Sailing Team @ Thu Jul 03 17:26:00 +0100 2008

Mean Machine shows what she’s made of – a strong start in Cagliari for Peter de Ridder’s team boosts confidence. Mean Machine stands second, just 2 points away from Quantum, and Bribon in third

The AUDI MedCup 2008 scoreboard heats up as temperatures soar in Sardinia and the fleet takes on the coastal race. The bets are still open for the MedCup Circuit 2008 as Mean Machine moves up to fourth overall

A thrilling start to this Sardinian adventure… Peter de Ridder, Ray Davies and crew have set the Gulf of Cagliari alight with pink flames in a display of skill and confidence. The Mean Machines are back on form in the ‘city of rock’. Three days into the regatta, the team are lying in 2nd place just 2 points behind USA’s Quantum after leading for the first two days of the competition. A lack of breeze for Day 3’s coastal race set the team one step back, but with two days of windward -leeward racing to go, the scoreboard is by no means set in stone.

Cagliari is famous for its narrow streets filled with the aroma of rich Italian coffee, glamorous locals and, for sailors; a healthy dose of breeze to play with. Sardinia’s capital didn’t disappoint on Day 1 of the race, with 18-20 knots blowing in the Gulf of Cagliari. The three scheduled races took place and onlookers were provided with a thrilling display of TP52 majesty. The 13 boats taking part in this event were fighting tooth and nail for positions in the sizzling Mediterranean mid-afternoon heat.

The day belonged to Peter de Ridder’s ‘comeback kids’ as MON-52 won the first race with ease, took a fourth place in the second behind Quantum in first, Audi second and Bribon third place. The Mean Machine crew rounded off the day with their second bullet ahead of Rusal-Synergy and Argentinean team Matador. Smiles were the order of the day as the team finished up at the office.

Ray Davies, Mean Machine Tactician on Day 1: “It really has been a ‘good day at the office’. The boat is sailing extremely well and the races went perfectly for us. I think that’s good for the team and for Peter, and we’ve got our confidence back since Marseille. We’re back!”

We know you’ve heard it before… but consistency really is the name of the game in the ranks of the mighty TP52 fleet. A solid and steady performance up in the top spots means results, which hopefully equals a step on the podium. With a double MedCup Circuit win in 2006 (in the Corinthian and Overall categories) and other MedCup trophies, such as the recent Alicante Trophy under their belts, Peter de Ridder’s team know this well. Day 2 saw the boat with pink flames flying from her spi post two strong finishes to hold onto the lead in the Region of Sardinia Trophy. With Ray Davies on tactics and Kevin Hall navigating, the Mean Machines delivered some strong starts which translated into solid results. Memories of Marseille were distant as Mean Machine was back to her old self. This is the true Mean Machine form. This is what Mean Machine is made of.
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Peter de Ridder, Mean Machine Owner/ Skipper on Day 2: “In Alicante we started the circuit really well with our famous five straight wins. But in Marseille the collision with Matador really affected us. I lost all confidence in myself and just didn’t feel confident sailing. It was my first collision with another boat in 20 years that I have been sailing and I found it hard to concentrate, it has been tough. We have spoken about it a lot in the team and I think we have overcome it. Having self-confidence is absolutely essential to be ahead in the Audi MedCup and to give 100%. After yesterday’s and today’s races I really feel it is clear that I have got that self-confidence back”

The coastal race has turned the scoreboard into what looks at the moment like a two horse race for the top spot, although with four races to go, nothing’s decided. Quantum delivered a great performance yesterday and today managed to just overtake Mean Machine for the top spot in the rankings of the Region of Sardinia Trophy. With just two points between the leaders and José Cusí’s Bribon 10 points behind Mean Machine, tomorrow’s racing is set to be heart stopping. In today’s double scoring coastal race positions one two and three were mirrored in both legs with Mutua Madrileña, Bribon and Caixa Galicia taking the top spots. Peter de Ridder’s crew managed two 6th places, a steady position in the 13-strong fleet that sees them drop to just two points away from the lead.
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Tactical options were virtually zero as the breeze stuck at around 7-8 knots, only picking up to around 11 knots at one point later in the day. It certainly wasn’t the kind of breeze that Mean Machine likes to get to grips with. It was a tough job for the crew and bowman Stu Bettany, trimmers James Dagg, Jon Gundersen, Richard Meancham and Tony Rae trimming the mainsail did a fantastic job onboard MON-52.

Peter de Ridder, Mean Machine Owner/ Skipper on Day 3: “Our aim is to finish in the five top spots in what’s left of the Circuit, to have a chance at winning. The MedCup Circuit is still not decided and this year there are a lot of similar boats and lots of them at the top, with a good chance at winning”.

The forecast for tomorrow says the breeze in the Gulf of Cagliari should pick up to 15-18 knots. The windward – leeward racing begins at 13:00.

AUDI REGION OF SARDINIA TROPHY
Position, Name, Designer, skipper, R1,R1,R3… Total
1 Quantum Racing, Botin & Carkeek 2008, (Terry Hutchinson) 3+1+6+1+1+12+5+4=21
2 Mean Machine, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Peter de Ridder) 1+4+1+2+3+6+6=23
3 Bribón, Judel/Vrolijk 2007 (Jose Cusi/S.M D. Juan Carlos). 4+ 2+5+7+11+2+2=33
4 Mutua Madrileña, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Vasco Vascotto) 2+11+7 +8+4 +1+1=34
5 Artemis, Reichel/pugh 2008 (Torbjorn Tornqvist) 9+5+4+5+7+4+5=39
6 Desafío, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Paul Cayard) 6+7+11+3+6+7+7=47

AUDI MEDCUP CIRCUIT
Position, Name, Designer, Skipper, R1,R2,R3,…Total
1 Quantum, Racing, Botin & Carkeek 2008, (Terry Hutchinson 46+ 46+21=113
2 Bribon, Judel/Vrolijk 2007 (Jose Cusi/S.M D. Juan Carlos). 42 + 38.2+33=113.2
3 Artemis, Reichel/pugh 2008 (Torbjorn Tornqvist) 60+32+39=131
4 Mean Machine, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Peter de Ridder) 41+78+23= 142
5 Platoon, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (J. Schumman) 58+41+55=154
6 Matador, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Guillermo Parada) 67+50+52=169


Newsletter nº7 June

Mean Machine Sailing Team @ Sat Jun 28 10:09:00 +0100 2008

Newsletter nº7
June 2008

Ciao a tutti! The heat is on and we’ve jetted off to enjoy it in Cagliari… this month we’re bringing you the Mean Machine news from the gobsmackingly gorgeous island of Sardinia. We’re busy preparing for a thriller of a MedCup event in Cagliari, set to kick off on Monday. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s cast our eye back over June… because it won’t be a month we’ll forget. Let’s tell you all about it…!

MEDIOCRE MARSEILLE FOR MEAN MACHINE

Alicante was a roaring success, five consecutive bullets, a top spot on the MedCup Circuit rankings, a top podium spot and the Alicante Trophy to take home… Mean Machine couldn’t have made a better start to the 2008 MedCup season.

As such, engines were firing at full blast when Peter de Ridder’s team headed down to the Southern French port of Marseille to face the fleet again. The mighty fleet knew that this was set to be an interesting and different experience to Alicante, with the famous Mistral wind featuring heavily in re-regatta speculation. There was definitely no lack of breeze, but 28 knots of it led to the cancellation of the final day of racing for the TP52s. The Coastal race show withdrawals from Caixa Galicia, Matador and Mutua Madrileña after and incident.

Marseille was a bad day at the office, but just a bad day!

The constant shift in the leaderboard positions was just one example of the nature of this incredibly tight competition, in an incredibly equal fleet. Victory went to the recent arrival USA-17 with Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts, followed by the 2007 MedCup Circuit winner Artemis, with Torbjorn Tornqvist and John Kostecki and Bribón with José Cusí and Dean Barker.

Mean Machine vowed to get back to form for Sardinia.

CITY OF MARSEILLE TROPHY
Position, Name, Designer, Skipper, R1,R1,R3… Total
1 USA-17, Raiche/Pugh 2008 (Larry Ellison) 6+ 5+1+1+3RDG+3+2+4+1=26
2 Artemis, Reichel/Pugh 2008 (Torbjorn Tornqvist) 12+1+2+2+3+2+3+2+5= 32
3 Bribon , Judel/Vrolijk 2007 (Jose Cusi/S.M D. Juan Carlos). 4+ 4+ 4+5+5+4+5+4.2RDG+3=38.2
4 Platoon, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (J. Schumman) 7+ 9+ 5+3+6+1+1+5+= 41
5 Quantum Racing, Botin & Carkeek 2008, (Terry Hutchinson) 3+6+ 12+6+1+10+7+8+3=46
6 Matador, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Guillermo Parada) 2+2+7+7+12+4RDG+4RDG+6RDG+6RDG=50
11 Mean Machine, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Peter de Ridder) 1+14+ 3+9+4+15+15+10+7= 78
WHO’S ON THE HORIZON?
This month we also gave you guys a bit of insight into the colourful array of spinnaker designs on this year’s circuit. The humble spinnaker has become a key feature in the team’s identities. They make the different boats distinguishable on the often-crowded horizon and add a pleasing splash of colour to the races.

Among the TP52 fleet there are some really easy boats to recognise: Mean Machine, Caixa Galicia and Mutua Madrileña are just a few examples. Caixa Galicia is probably the most well known for her “all seeing eye”, with two versions, a masculine and feminine eye taking over the spinnaker. When Mutua Madrileña hoists her spinnaker two large “M”s stand out to mark the sponsor name.

The boat to really stand out this season belongs to Peter de Ridder. Alongside Caixa Galicia, Mean Machine’s is one of the most easily recognisable spinnakers, also with two designs.

As well as last year’s bright fuchsia spinnaker, hoisted when the winds had picked up some force, making the boat recognisable from miles away, this year the team have chosen to emblazon the leech of the kite with their famous pink flames.http://www.mean-machine.nl/news?id=7652
WARMING UP

Pre-racing regimes differ from sailor to sailor, but there’s one thing for sure… racing in a circuit like the MedCup isn’t about turning up cold and getting to work. In order to fire up the Mean Machine engines much preparation is required, be it down at the gym or jogging in the countryside, or sewing up the rips in the sails.

This month we had a chat with Navigator Kevin Hall to see what he likes to do between races to prepare: “For me a big step in preparation for the next regatta is to review my performance and equipment from the last regatta to make sure any tweaks I want to make are warranted and reasonable. Most of the rest of the prep happens at the site in the days leading up to the event, reviewing the geography and topography of the area, getting used to any unique navigation issues, and getting comfortable with the calibrations in the local breeze profile”

In terms of physical preparation Kevin Hall has a fun and varied regime: “My fitness between events currently involves me skateboarding with our son riding his scooter, sailing my foiling moth, and chasing our one and a half year old up and down the stairs – I get to the gym occasionally. The most important thing is that I stay down at my target weight, so not as much ice cream as the Finn days!”

The important thing is that both boat and team reach tip-top shape for the next MedCup event… and that means some TLC and practice for both!http://www.mean-machine.nl/news?id=7686

MEAN MACHINE FIRES UP FOR SARDINIA TROPHY

13 boats, 10 races and the halfway point in this year’s MedCup Circuit… Cagliari promises to be positively steaming, and it’s not just down to the unrelenting Mediterranean heat.

Following an eventful regatta in Marseille, Mean Machine will be looking to recover her Alicante form in Sardinian waters. The new boat has demonstrated her ability to take the fleet by the throat, and now it’s time to bring those true Mean Machine colours out again for some thrilling MedCup racing.

It’s been just three weeks since Marseille and right now Peter de Ridder and crew are getting to grips with conditions in Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari. The racing itself is set to commence on Tuesday July 1st, with 10 races scheduled for the TP52’s over five days.

Right now the standings are red-raw, with the table experiencing some significant shifts in Marseille. Cagliari will be a true MedCup test of strength. This halfway point in the MedCup Circuit will mean the start of the countdown to the final rankings in this year’s competition. The teams are all hungry for those top podium spots and there won’t be a team on the water with their eyes off the prize.

CREW LIST
Peter de Ridder Helm/skipper
Tom Dodson Stategist
Ray Davies Tactician
Kevin Hall Navigator
Tony Rae Mainsail Trimmer
James Dagg Timmer
Jon Gundersen Trimmer
Richard Meancham off-trimmer
Jeff Reynolds Pitman
Garry Bainbridge Grinder
Ed Van Lierde floater
Sander Van der Borch floater
Simeon Tienpont Grinder
Stu Bettany Bowman
Chris Reido Mast

MEDCUP RESULTS SO FAR…
AUDI MEDCUP CIRCUIT
Position, Name, Designer, Skipper, R1,R2,R3,…Total
1 Bribon, Judel/Vrolijk 2007 (Jose Cusi/S.M D. Juan Carlos). 42 + 38.2=80.2
2 Artemis, Reichel/Pugh 2008 (Torbjorn Tornqvist) 60+32=92
3 Quantum Racing, Botin & Carkeek 2008, (Terry Hutchinson 46+ 46=92
4 Platoon, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (J. Schumman) 58+41=99
5 Matador, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Guillermo Parada) 67+50=117
6Mean Machine, Judel/Vrolijk 2008 (Peter de Ridder) 41+78=119
MORE TP52 ACTION AHEAD! There’s still lots to come:
Mean Machine Calendar 2008
Audi MedCup: Cagliari Tropy 30th June – 5th July
Audi MedCup: Breitling Regatta 21st – 26th July
Audi MedCup: Cartagena Trophy 25th – 30th August
Audi MedCup: Portimao Trophy 15th – 20th September
TP52 World Championships – Puerto Calero 20th – 25th October
We’ll be back next month with LOTS of Mean Machine news!
For all your latest Mean Machine news up to date go to: www.mean-machine.nl


Backstage with Mean Machine...

Mean Machine Sailing Team @ Fri Jun 20 10:31:00 +0100 2008

Racing in the TP52 class isn’t about turning up on the day and hoping for some good wind… time and preparation goes into creating the exciting display of sailing prowess that is the MedCup.

With very little time between some of the 6 MedCup events, it’s often a race against the clock to get everything and everyone ready. Both the racing team and the shore crew have little time to put their feet up.

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As soon as a regatta is over, the shore team gets down to business. The first step is to go back to base, which in the case of Mean Machine is shared between the two ports of Palma de Mallorca and Valencia. Once the boat is safely ‘home’ it’s a question of refining and tweaking and giving the ‘Machine’ a good bit of TLC.

And what about the sailors themselves? Well for some of Peter de Ridder’s guys, depending on their role onboard, life can continue with relative normality. A break between events can mean a pause, but that doesn’t mean that training stops. Even if the next regatta is weeks away, keeping in top physical form is key. Everyone, from the Bowman to the Tactician trains in between events, be it working out in the gym or out in the fresh air. Tony Ray can often be found in the gym first thing in the morning, whilst Joe Allen might be out jogging shortly after dawn and Navigator Kevin Hall might be riding his skateboard. As well as all of this the guys also continue to race in Match Races, World Championships or Offshore regattas in other classes.

There’s also the important job of the sails to attend to. Jon ‘Gundy’ Gundersen spends much of the time between races taking care of the Mean Machine sail area. It’s important to look at every aspect of the sails and make sure that any damage is repaired and that they are in perfect condition to take on the next gruelling MedCup event.

The Afterguard also has a lot of work to do between events. Each AUDI MedCup event is held in a different area of the Mediterranean, and that means different wind, different currents and a whole new set of conditions to grapple with. Navigator Kevin Hall is part of this section of the team onboard Mean Machine: “For me a big step in preparation for the next regatta is to review my performance and equipment from the last regatta to make sure any tweaks I want to make are warranted and reasonable. Most of the rest of the prep happens at the site in the days leading up to the event, reviewing the geography and topography of the area, getting used to any unique navigation issues, and getting comfortable with the calibrations in the local breeze profile”

In terms of physical preparation Kevin Hall has a fun and varied regime: “My fitness between events currently involves me skateboarding with our son riding his scooter, sailing my foiling moth, and chasing our one and a half year old up and down the stairs – I get to the gym occasionally. The most important thing is that I stay down at my target weight, so not as much ice cream as the Finn days!”


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