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Martin Tasker on Cristabella - Source: Chris Cameron Photography -
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ONE Sport's Martin Tasker previews the Med Cup
from the Italian island of Sardinia.
Medcup practice day
Door to door from Auckland to Cagliari on the Italian island of Sardinia was 36 hours and the most startling piece of news that emerged in that time came somewhere over the Middle East when I read that Julian Dean had been shot during the Tour De France.
As these things are prone to do when fuelled by jet-lag it brought back to mind an early experience in my yachting journalism career when I was competing in and covering what used to be called the Clipper Cup in Hawaii.
The stand out boat in the series was a classic wooden sloop called "Windward Passage". Just before the final and deciding race there was an incident at a bar in downtown Honolulu involving the skipper and an altercation over a game of pool. Shortly afterwards the crew sported t-shirts bearing the legend: "At sailing we're hot; at pool we get shot."
Hopefully there will be no such violent drama here this week at this third of five regattas that make up the MedCup series, currently being led by Emirates Team New Zealand.
It was practice day on Tuesday sailed in glorious conditions once the sea breeze had filled in. I was invited on board the British entry "Cristabella" and spent the race at the back of the boat inelegantly shifting my bulk from side to side and trying to hike out as instructed.
Sensitive to weight
The TP-52s are very sensitive to weight and if properly orchestrated it can have a significant effect on performance. I fear I let them down somewhat.
I ended up crushed under the lifelines, jammed against the pushpit and squashed up against the mainsail grinder, Jim Turner - the so-called "hiking policeman" - who, when he wasn't exhorting us to hike harder, regaled me with tales of his time in New Zealand with the GBR America's Cup challenge.
He is now married to a Kiwi girl he met during the regatta.
As far as the mainly Pommy crew was concerned my most useful contribution was passing on the text I received during the race saying England had beaten Australia in the second test.
This news was greeted with glee by the owner of "Cristabella", English businessman John Cook who is helming the boat under the guidance of Ian Williams, the reigning World Match Race Tour champion.
Interesting to see first hand how the professional raises the amateur's game.
Joining the "Cristabella" crew on Friday is Kiwi professional John Cutler, one of more than 30 Kiwi sailors competing here.
ETNZ looked sharp in practise and they expect to do well. But they know all too well that one bad race can spell disaster when it comes to the standings.
We will all have a better indication of form after day one.
Look out for Martin Tasker's daily reports from the Med Cup here at tvnz.co.nz
