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Team New Zealand - Source: Photosport -
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Race Day 2
"Hurry up and wait" - how many times have I heard and said that?
Too many is the answer. No wind again today at Cartagena so no racing.
The fleet was held ashore until mid-afternoon, gossip the primary time-filler with the new Louis Vuitton series a particularly hot topic.
Deals are being done here, sailors approached and crews built. In the main social areas around the marina you can see clusters of earnest conversations and there's no doubt the announcement of the new series has given yachting a huge lift.
There is a real buzz at the prospect of a challenging sailing calendar which at last gives some certainty of employment to those who've been scratching a living since the America's Cup headed for the court house.
Emirates Team New Zealand is planning both Louis Vuitton and MedCup campaigns and others are expected to follow suit. It will be a challenging mix of match and fleet racing with all the elements that help develop a syndicate for the America's Cup - crew work, sailmaking and boat design.
There'd been some concern amongst MedCup afficionados that the LV series might be detrimental to their cause. Now, though, it appears to be the reverse. If anything the LV event is boosting interest in the MedCup because so many of the entrants will want to have a foot in both camps.
The Synergy TP52 MedCup syndicate from Russia has signed up for the LV Series as has the Artemis team from Sweden. Synergy is a leading foodstuffs provider in Russia while Artemis is owned and steered by Torbjorn Tonqvist who made his fortune on the money markets.
Rock stars abound on Artemis which was developed by the expertise of Russell Coutts through the MedCup with Paul Cayard latterly taking up the tactician's role as Coutts is tied up with the America's Cup match. For the LV the helmsman will be Terry Hutchinson, reigning MedCup champion and former tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand.
Now comes news that Britain's Team Origin is up and running again with Olympic triple Olympic gold medalist Ben Ainslie at then helm and his Star gold medal mate Ian Percy calling tactics. Origin, with Sir Keith Mills in charge, has a slot in Nice for the Louis Vuitton and a MedCup TP52 campaign also planned for next year which emphasizes the point that the MedCup is set to benefit from the LV.
The issue now is what kind of regatta Nice can put on. There's not a lot of time and not a lot of experience and the organizers are probably uncomfortably aware of how high a benchmark Team New Zealand set with the success of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in Auckland in January.
The four ex-Valencia yachts being lined up for the regatta are from the Spanish Desafio syndicate and the Italian Mascalzone Latino team. How even the boats will be is a moot point. Certainly the two Mascalzone boats were very different.
What the weather gods will serve up in the south of France in November is also an issue. It could be hugely varied.
But what is really important for the series and the sailing world is that the event is a success which showcases the top level of the sport.
And hopefully where there is a strong will there will be a way to make it happen.
