PROFESSIONALS AT WORK Jun 17, 07:29
Valencia, 06:15 Friday
Day 1 was pure joy. BMW ORACLE was firing on all cylinders.
As we prepared yesterday morning for the first day of racing everyone on the team seemed to be going calmly about their business -- professionals at work, enjoying their jobs.
At 11:30 I was about to begin the first-ever "Morning Show" in Team Hospitality at our new Base. The 150 VIP guests were on the balcony with a commanding view of the Port America's Cup. For the last hour they had been watching every move of our shore and sailing teams as they prepared and launched 76, loaded on the sails and other gear, and made everything race ready. Finally "Captain" Craig Christensen moved Chase 1 into position to tow 76 off the dock and out of the harbour. You could see the "Electrons" -- Rodney Ernst and Matthew "Mugs" Ulvr-Green -- making last-minute adjustments to the comms and other electonic gear, including all the extra race-day gear required by the Race Committee. This includes cameras, radio-telemetry gear and antennae for television and the "Virtual Eye" (formerly "Virtual Spectator") system that, when it's working, provides superb real-time graphic displays of all the racing.
All at once there seemed to be a pause in the action. Very little motion or activity. Then I realized nothing was wrong, just that everyone had done their thing, on or ahead of schedule, and we were ready for liftoff. I looked around the harbour at the other team bases and could only imagine the frantic activity that must be consuming a few of the other teams as they prepared for their first-ever day of AC racing.
That's when the theme for the day struck me: professionals at work.
The rest of the Thursday was more of the same for BMW ORACLE Racing. 116 competent, practiced professionals getting the job done, and done well.
Our first race was against Victory Challenge (SWE). They have looked good during practice racing here the past couple weeks, and the Swedish-based team were good again yesterday in the lightish 7-12 knot conditions. But our guys won the start and maintained a comfortable lead for the entire two-lap (four legs), 10-mile race. Gavin and Larry each got time on the wheel, and to my eye it was simply a "fast boat, well sailed that didn't break."
Our second match was with newcomer, at least in name, China Team. Essentially they are the French "Le Defi" of the 2003 Cup under new national colours -- literally, as the formerly neon green FRA-69 is now bright red with a yellow bow and known as CHN-69. It was an aggressive pre-start, and China Team sailed better than they had in their first race against Alinghi (SUI-75). However, 76 & Co. were more than equal to the task. We led the entire race, and notched win 2.
Probably the only surprise of the day was the win by United Internet Team Germany over K-Challenge. K had a rough opening day, losing also to ETNZ (NZL-82).
Another bright, warm one predicted today, and hopefully the seabreeze will be a bit more assertive for our matches against +39 (ITA-59) and Shosholoza (RSA-83).
Day 1 was pure joy. BMW ORACLE was firing on all cylinders.
As we prepared yesterday morning for the first day of racing everyone on the team seemed to be going calmly about their business -- professionals at work, enjoying their jobs.
At 11:30 I was about to begin the first-ever "Morning Show" in Team Hospitality at our new Base. The 150 VIP guests were on the balcony with a commanding view of the Port America's Cup. For the last hour they had been watching every move of our shore and sailing teams as they prepared and launched 76, loaded on the sails and other gear, and made everything race ready. Finally "Captain" Craig Christensen moved Chase 1 into position to tow 76 off the dock and out of the harbour. You could see the "Electrons" -- Rodney Ernst and Matthew "Mugs" Ulvr-Green -- making last-minute adjustments to the comms and other electonic gear, including all the extra race-day gear required by the Race Committee. This includes cameras, radio-telemetry gear and antennae for television and the "Virtual Eye" (formerly "Virtual Spectator") system that, when it's working, provides superb real-time graphic displays of all the racing.
All at once there seemed to be a pause in the action. Very little motion or activity. Then I realized nothing was wrong, just that everyone had done their thing, on or ahead of schedule, and we were ready for liftoff. I looked around the harbour at the other team bases and could only imagine the frantic activity that must be consuming a few of the other teams as they prepared for their first-ever day of AC racing.
That's when the theme for the day struck me: professionals at work.
The rest of the Thursday was more of the same for BMW ORACLE Racing. 116 competent, practiced professionals getting the job done, and done well.
Our first race was against Victory Challenge (SWE). They have looked good during practice racing here the past couple weeks, and the Swedish-based team were good again yesterday in the lightish 7-12 knot conditions. But our guys won the start and maintained a comfortable lead for the entire two-lap (four legs), 10-mile race. Gavin and Larry each got time on the wheel, and to my eye it was simply a "fast boat, well sailed that didn't break."
Our second match was with newcomer, at least in name, China Team. Essentially they are the French "Le Defi" of the 2003 Cup under new national colours -- literally, as the formerly neon green FRA-69 is now bright red with a yellow bow and known as CHN-69. It was an aggressive pre-start, and China Team sailed better than they had in their first race against Alinghi (SUI-75). However, 76 & Co. were more than equal to the task. We led the entire race, and notched win 2.
Probably the only surprise of the day was the win by United Internet Team Germany over K-Challenge. K had a rough opening day, losing also to ETNZ (NZL-82).
Another bright, warm one predicted today, and hopefully the seabreeze will be a bit more assertive for our matches against +39 (ITA-59) and Shosholoza (RSA-83).
Racing | by TFE
