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75th Star Class Bacardi Cup in Miami - Day 2 Team GBR Report
Author: Royal Yachting Association
More than 90 teams comprised of many the world's top sailors lined up on day one to compete for the prestigious Trofeo Bacardi 2002. Among them, defending Bacardi Cup Champion, Peter Bromby of Bermuda, with his crew Martin Seise; 2000 Olympic Gold Medallists and World Champions, Mark
Reynolds and Magnus Liljedahl; and Americas Cup veterans Paul Cayard and Phil Trinter. Not forgetting our own British 'Stars', Olympic Finn Gold Medallist, Iain Percy sailing with Steve Mitchell, and 49er Silver Medallist, Ian Barker, sailing with newcomer, Ed Peel.
Early morning showers abated just in time for the noon start of the 75th Annual Bacardi Cup Star-Class Regatta. Sailing began in perfect conditions for the Star fleet, 8-10 knots and sunshine, although it took a while for the fleet to get off the start line. After four general recalls, the fleet got underway on the fifth attempt on a black flag start (meaning that any boat over would be instantly disqualified). Foss Miller and Greg Newhall of Vashon, Washington, came from behind to win the first race of the world-class six-day sailing competition on Miami's Biscayne Bay.
A good start to the regatta for RYA team GBR sailor, Ian Barker, who finished in 8th place in the highly competitive 90 boat fleet. After a bad first beat, Barker managed to pull up from 60th place at the first mark to finish in the top 10.
"We didn't do a lot wrong after the first beat and pulled up through the fleet. The biggest gains were on the last run where myself and Cayard in particular, pulled through in extra pressure and several contenders were caught on the wrong side of the run and lost plenty, notably, last years
Bacardi Cup winners, Peter Bromby, and Olympic Champion, Mark Reynolds". Commented Barker.
Teammate Iain Percy, had an unfortunate day after being one of the many caught on the wrong side of a shift that saw him drop out of the top ten into 31st position.
Day two brought very different conditions for the fleet. A challenging cold front coming across Biscayne Bay gave Bacardi Cup veterans skipper Mark Reynolds and his crew Magnus Liljedahl a chance to show off their sailing abilities on the second day of racing. Reynolds and Liljedhal, took Monday's race in winds of 20 knots and gusts of 22 knots.
Team GBR sailors, Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell made a dramatic improvement on their 31st place from the first day, to finish in second place behind the Olympic Gold Medallists. "The course is a lot longer than the Finn course that I am used to, so we are very happy to have finished in second place, especially after our result yesterday". Commented Percy.
Ian Barker showed that he is learning the skill of Star sailing, posting his second result inside the top ten, finishing in seventh place. "The offshore breeze today was really shifty. We made a small error up the first beat, but from then on we sailed well". Commented Barker.
The Bacardi Cup concludes on Friday March 8, with competitors sailing one race a day.
Top Ten Results after Day 2: (2 races)
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