|
|
|
European
Tour Stop 1 Report | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final Report Team Challenge US Finishes Seventh On the final day of racing in Palma, Shirley Robertson of Great Britain whittled away the lead of Dorte Jensen in the first race of the day with a second place finish to Jensen’s twelfth. Then, in the second race took Jensen out by driving her to the back of the fleet to secure the overall victory. Jensen of Denmark finished a close second in points followed by Ulrike Schuemann of Germany. Alison, Icyda and Leech (Team Challenge US) had a mediocre day dropping to seventh overall in the event. The Race Committee again postponed on shore due to light and variable winds on the course, then sent the fleet out as soon as a sign of breeze appeared. Team Challenge was the first off the dock, ready to go, and had it not been for a tow from the friendly French team, they would most likely have missed the start. It was difficult to get to the course in the allotted time, a typical situation here in Palma. The RC started right away in a southeasterly breeze, and the Team had a great race going – looking at a solid top three finish when the RC decided to abandon with 2 legs to go in a fading breeze. After a lengthy postponement, the Yngling fleet once again took to the course, this time in a southwesterly. Though Team Challenge US looked good on the first beat, they misplayed the top third of the course to round deep in the fleet. In the light wind, there were few passing lanes on the short course, and Alison, Icyda and Leech had to settle for another 21. In the final race, Icyda made the call to protect the right side of the course due to the filling breeze. A last minute left hand shift came through at the start, and though Team Challenge had a good start, they were towards the right end of the line, and struggled to find a lane to work right. It was a close race overall, and tight at the finish. Two collisions in two days with the same Spanish team forced a protest at the end of the day, which the US team won handily. As has been mentioned before, some teams out there have a different set of rules that they play by. All things considered, Team Challenge US is not disappointed by their performance here in Palma. Though we had hope to finish better overall, we have been learning about our new boat, making some modifications, figuring out the setup and confident that this boat is fast. We are psyched to go even faster. Our sail program is solid now on all points of sail, so speed is not a problem. Our boat handling is quite good. The errors were made in some of the strategic decisions on the race course, and not being as aggressive about winning starts as we might have been. We know that the biggest difference to our ongoing performance will come through additional coaching. It is difficult to be adequately prepared to race when we are rushing to get to the course to do our pre-race set up. It is sometimes a challenge to be objective in our analysis of our on water decision making post race, and know that an outside view of the action from a coach will help put things into perspective. A coach dedicate to our Team will also be able to help us focus on the task at hand and not let emotion and extraneous detail cloud the picture. That aspect of our program, the lack of a dedicated coach for our team is the biggest hurdle we have to overcome. Unfortunately, coaching is a high cost item in the budget. To hire a high level coach with the knowledge base we need requires paying a per diem and expenses (travel, accommodation and meals). Quite often, the cost for a coach for a top coach at a big European event will cost on average between five to six thousand dollars per event. At the moment, we don’t have that kind of cash to spare. This is an area in which you can help. We have five more major events here in Europe this year – so the amount of money we need to raise for coaching is close to $30,000. If you can make a tax deductible contribution to Team Challenge US, we would be extremely grateful. Any donations can be made out to the Sailing Foundation of NY, earmarked for Team Challenge US. Please send to Team Challenge US, 3970 Joe’s Point Road, Stuart, FL 34996. Or if you’d like to help us with airline transportation through frequent flier mileage, please contact Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda or Suzy Leech at www.challengeus.org.
With eight races now completed in the 2003 Princess Sofia Regatta, Dorte Jensen from Denmark still leads the Yngling class, followed by Shirley Robertson of Great Britain. Team Challenge US with Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech had a rough day in the very light winds off the coast of Palma. The Team, which had been sitting in second, posted double 21 finishes to drop into fifth place. All of the leaders, except for Robertson, had at least one bad or mediocre finish in the unstable southwesterly breeze. Racing was postponed on shore for several hours in the morning due to lack of wind. Once the Race Committee decides to drop the AP ashore, the competitors have one hour before the first warning signal. There is a restriction in the sailing instructions that prohibits the sailors from leaving the dock before a harbor release, and in light winds, it is nearly impossible to get to the race course in adequate time to do the necessary pre-race preparation unless you have a coach boat tow you out. Team Challenge US was faced by that very situation, having little time to get their bearings and develop a strategy for the first race of the day. What appeared to be the fill of a southwesterly sea breeze from the right turned into an unstable condition marked by a major left hand shift on the first windward leg. Unfortunately, Alison and her team found themselves on the right hand side of the shift and back in the pack. The velocity being so light made it virtually impossible to recover much in places. Lesson 1: Have a personal coach and coach boat. There is no excuse for not getting all the necessary preparation done before the start. Race #8 immediately followed the first of the day, and we’re talking immediately. For the first time, the RC started the Ynglings before the other two fleets finished. There was Challenge US to formulate a game plan. They had a very nice start and worked the left side of the beat. A tactical error in the top third of the windward leg was costly, forcing the Team to the short port layline and missing the final right shift into the mark. They were still in the hunt at the leeward gate, but a literal cluster of boats at the mark and some rules violations by European teams was the death blow to Team Challenge US in this race. Lesson 2: Remember that a lot of the Europeans sail by their own set of rules – not the ISAF version. Stay out of traffic if at all possible. And, be conservative tactically at the top of beats. After race #8 was finished, the RC rolled into with not time for adjustment. Alison and company had moved their spreaders aft in the previous race to flatten the main in the flat water. It was fast in the flat water with a little bit of pressure. Team Challenge had an awesome start but no real punch. The conditions had changed just enough and become a bit choppy, making the flatter mainsail too underpowered. Suzy went up the rig on the reach to adjust the spreaders back forward and Team Challenge resumed forward progress. Unfortunately, the wind died completely forcing an abandonment of race #9. Lesson 3: Radical adjustments in the rig are best left to tuning sessions with a training partner prior to a regatta. BUT, it was definitely an interesting experiment and we are happy we learned the lesson. As you can see, it may not have been the most successful day on the water for the Team, but they learned some valuable lessons in the process. That is part of what this campaign is all about – continual learning and growing as a Team. The “big dance” is not until next February at the US Trials in Miami, so this is all about practice and learning until then.
Fleet Faces Windy Conditions on the Med A stalled low pressure system to the west provided the sailors in Palma de Mallorca with breezy conditions on the second full day of racing. Team Challenge US (Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech) posted some great finished to launch the only US team at the event into second place. This Grade 2 ISAF event is the first major event of the spring season, and many of the European teams are using it a part of their Olympic qualifying system. Winds mounted to 20-24 knots on the course located just off the city of Palma, not quite windy enough to blow “dogs off chains” but enough to make the sailing rough on gear and tough on bodies. The Ynglings sailed trapezoid courses where the reaches proved to be difficult for some of the sailors. Dorte Jensen and her team from Denmark, leads the Yngling fleet after six races with all top ten finishes – 2,1,3,7,(9),1 for 14 points. Team Challenge US is only 7 points behind after posting a One-Two punch on day 2. They now sit with 21 points and finishes of 3,(13),4,1,11,2. Shirley Robertson from Great Britain, a proven heavy air sailor, moved up into third with two German teams Stegenwalner and Schuman rounding out the top five. In the first race of the day, Team Challenge US dominated the race as the winds built from 14 knots to almost 20 by the finish. Leading at the first mark, Alison, Icyda and Leech stretched out their lead on a gusty tight reach across the top of the trapezoid. Keeping the boat on its feet was critical as puffs conspired to spin the sailors out of control. The Team stretched out their lead around the course to take the win, followed by the French. Race #5 was more difficult for Team Challenge, but the finish of 11 does not accurately reflect their performance. A mediocre start near the pin end put them behind the fleet on the right hand side early in the race. They plugged away, playing shifts and sailing fast in the 24 knot winds (with gusts a bit higher). Rounding about 8th at the top, they worked their way to a close 6th at the leeward gate. Unfortunately, the Team played a minor shift back towards the middle right on the beat and lost to the pack on the far left, a move costing 5 finishing positions. However, Alison and her teammates are not lacking for speed, and are really pleased with the performance of their new Abbott outfitted with North San Diego sails. The communication on board is excellent. The last race of the day saw the breeze back off a bit to a moderate 18 knots, some of the light spots dropped out even more. It was important to keep on top of rig adjustments, and Team Challenge adjusted at least 3 times around the course (it is legal to do this in the Yngling class). The Team was flushed out by the Swedish team to windward (this same boat was listed as OCS after the finish), and worked hard to clear out and get into the race. By the top, Alison and Co. were back in the hunt, rounding closely in 6th behind the French (also OCS). They closed on the leaders on the run, and picked off two on the windward leg of the outer trapezoid to round 4th behind Jensen (DEN), Ekaterina Skoudina from Russia, and Paula Lewin (BER). Team Challenge took on the challenge on the final short reach to the finish, first rolling over the team from Bermuda early on the leg, then crushing the Russians just before the finish line. It was a sweet second! We realize that this was a lengthy missive today, but the racing was really exciting and fun. We hope you are enjoying following our progress at this start of our European adventure, and continue with us as we move down along our Olympic path. More after racing today.
The day dawned cloudy and cool and by race time, misty rain with moderate northeasterly breezes dominated the race course. The RC started precisely on time, determined to get the scheduled three races in. Ynglings were off first on a trapezoid course, sailing the windward leeward part of the course on the outer loop. Several teams seem to be sailing quite consistently in this strong women’s fleet – Dorte Jensen from Denmark leads the pack with 6 points, followed by the three German teams (hot off training here in Palma). Nadine Stegenwalner has 11, Ulrike Schuman 16, and Kristin Wagner 17. Team Challenge US is currently in fifth with 20 (3,13,4). Alison, Icyda and Leech had a great day regardless. The racing at the top is tight, and the Team’s focus has been on sailing a conservative series, working on touching base with the fleet, crossing when they can, responding to shifts quickly and efficiently. The 13th place in Race #2 doesn’t tell the story of how well the Team actually sailed the race. After a pretty lousy start, the three women buckled down and decided it was time to claw their way back into the fleet. They did a fair job of it up the beat, but amidst the confusion at the top rounding, they made an unforced error that was costly resulting in a foul. When the penalty turns were done, Team Challenge was securely in last place in the 27 boat fleet. Goal: catch as many boats as possible. Lee and Suzy did an awesome job of picking out the shifts and breeze lines. They did the math on the up and down wind angles, allowing the Team to chip away at the competition. Staying focused and directed – not dwelling on the mistake made – was key to our ability to come back from an adverse position, to a reasonable 13th. We are definitely proud of that comeback on such a short course. Folks, we are making forward progress in our Team development. There are nine more races scheduled between now and Friday afternoon. Lots can happen between now and then. The new Abbott is very fast – straight out of the box. We know she can only get faster as we learn how to sail her better. Our new North spinnaker is a beauty, we have great speed off the wind, and once the RC squares up the runs, LOOK OUT! The gray and black Musto MPX bibs and spray tops from Layline are dry, and comfortable not to mention good looking – nice to have on in the inclement weather we have had today and expected tomorrow again. Rigging Systems from Florida rigged the new little beast with cordage, and it is sweet running well through the Harken deck layout. And with Kaenon lenses in our shades, the breeze is definitely easier to see. What more could we want? Not much, except maybe a little cold hard cash to defray expenses and a little bit of sunshine – but hey, one thing at a time. It’s time to get some rest, watch a little “Fight Club” and catch some ZZZZ’s. Thanks for your continued support – we’ll keep you posted.
Fog and Light Winds Plague Racers A warm front met the cold waters of the Mediterranean Sea on Monday creating intense foggy conditions on the race course. After waiting on the water nearly five hours, the RC abandoned racing for the day, sending Dragons, Stars and Ynglings back ashore. It looked promising initially as if the light misty fog would burn off, but alas, Mother Nature was being ornery. The committee tried several times to get the Star fleet off, but the fog moved back in making visibility near impossible. There was a fairly steady breeze of about 4-8 knots, so the sailors were anxious to get racing – that will have to wait until Tuesday. Team Challenge US used the remainder of the day their advantage. Alison, Leech and Icyda went to the gym for a workout, took care of some mundane tasks like going to the grocery store, and worked on logistics for transporting the Yngling to France for the next event. This is one of the major issues of the week as the shipping of the Explorer to Europe prior to our departure was fraught with problems and delays. The vehicle is expected in Genoa, Italy around April 25 in the middle of Race Week in Hyeres, but means that we have to find a car to tow the boat from Spain to France on Easter weekend. Not to worry though, your favorite Olympic Team is quite resourceful when they need to be! Right now it is 7:25 AM here in Palma, and the Team is on its way to the gym to do our shoulder therapy – Lee leads us through a series of exercises to strengthen our weak areas and stabilize our cores. Though it is sometimes difficult to schedule into our busy days, the therapy makes a huge difference in our ability to get the job done on the water. So we are out the door, off to another day of racing. There appears to be a bit of breeze outside today, so keep your fingers crossed and we’ll be back to you with a report later today on the racing here in Palma.
Alison, Icyda and Leech ready to go! On the eve of the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Team Challenge US is ready to race. “Palma” is the first big international event of 2003 season in Europe. Though some teams sailed in Barcelona last weekend, the roster for this event is packed with talent. The 27 boat field sports teams from at least 14 countries, many ranked in the top 20 in the world. After the three winter events in Florida, Team Challenge has secured #2 in the ISAF world rankings; the goal is to improve upon that. The Ynglings are sailing out of Real Club Nautico de Palma along with the Stars and Dragons. The venue is just outside of the main shipping harbor of downtown Palma. It is a magnificent place with mega yachts moored stern to, racing yachts stabled, ferries and freighters in perpetual motion. From the race course, we have spectacular views of the huge cathedral towering over the town with the dark sandy coloring of the landscape in sharp contrast with the blue-green waters of the Mediterranean. Quite often the late afternoon/evening sun illuminates the scenery with a richness that is incredibly hard to describe, a warm rich glow that is inspirational. The winds have been beautiful so far with everything from 5 to 20 knots, under clear sunny skies; the warm sun wards off the chill of the sea spray. Tomorrow we begin a 15 race series over 5 days – lots of racing in a short period of time, a chance to see where we stand at the start of this European season. Here’s a brief update on what has been happening since the winter ranking events in Florida: Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech secured #1 ranking on the 2003 US Sailing Team, and #2 on the February ISAF rankings. Right after the Pre-Trials in Miami, they packed up the new Abbott (USA 339) into a container for Spain. Then, after taking a short sailing hiatus in February, the Team competed on the Lightning Southern Circuit in mid-March to work on their on the water communication skills and strategy/tactics. It was highly successful. A US Yngling Team training camp in Miami brought all the top US team together for a final training session before the Team headed to Europe. 10 short days ago, Lee and Suzy left the States for Barcelona where they picked up the new boat and set about setting her up for racing. They put the Yngling on a ferry for Palma several days later where Betsy flew in to join them. Now, on the eve of their first European event, the Team is well rested and ready to race. Please stay tuned for more as the racing progresses! Thanks for your continued support – we appreciate it! Check out the Team Challenge US [Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech],website at http://www.challengeUS.org |
