Today was a solid day for Artemis Racing at the D35 Grand Prix here in Beaulieu sur Mer. Our score card reflected how we progressed as a team throughout the day with finishes of 7,5,2. This was a day of firsts – the first day for racing the D35 for Michele and I, as well as for us racing together. Fortunately Julien, Rodney and Yvan are fairly polished in D35 world and helped get us around the track with good speed and boat handling. The D35 is quite unique in that it is designed for the smooth water and light air of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Today was the opposite of the design parameter, 15 knots and lumpy. Quite unnatural for the boat as it twist and racks through the water the load volume hulls provide for entertaining rides downwind that inevitably see the bows burying quite far, not too far yet though! But a good experience nonetheless, as the boat is similar to the AC72 with regards to stability and power so great for us to experience.
Alinghi and Fonica showed the way today with Artemis Racing rounding out the final spot on the podium. All in all, I think if we had said at the beginning of the day that we would be rounding out on the podium we would have taken it as there is a lot to learn. Probably the coolest thing about the new world of the America’s Cup is that everyday is an unbelievable learning day. Tomorrow Torbjorn arrives and will sail for the last three days of the event. Like us, he will be thrown straight into the fire and so we will follow the same mantra of just striving to get better with each race.
