Quantum Racing enjoyed their best Coastal Race of the Audi MedCup Circuit 2008 season so far, winning both sections of yesterday’s 34.2 mile passage back and forth across the Bay of Palma. This gave them a lead at the top of the Circuit board of 23 points. Mean Machine, however, had a day they would rather forget; meaning the Americans also earned a lead of 11 points in the regatta standings.

After a delay of one hour and 35 minutes to wait for the light sea breeze to settle to a solid direction, the first start and first beat set the shape of the race.

While Terry Hutchinson (USA) made a well timed, confident start mid line on Quantum Racing (USA), Mean Machine (MON) were still three and a half boat lengths shy of the pin end of the start line on the gun, fighting to get their upwind Code Zero out.

Quantum hurt in an initial loss when the left did not pay but were able to use the wind shifts and better pressure on the middle of the first beat to best effect to round the first mark with a small lead Valars (RUS) and third placed Jochen Schuemann (GER) and the crew of Platoon Powered by Team Germany (GER). After the German boat overhauled Valars on the first downwind leg, the day belonged to Quantum Racing and Platoon.

Tom Dodson (NZL), Mean Machine”s strategist explained: 
”At the start we wanted the left side of the course and we wanted the Code Zero to get there, but unfortunately you lose a little bit of manoeuvrability, so we got buried there, pretty badly, but going the right way – we thought – and probably the fleet thought too, but when the breeze started going right then that was pretty much against anything that we had thought about, and that put us pretty deep. We fought our way up the second beat and then it went left and we were just on the wrong side most of the day. The shame is that this is a double points and races you can’t discard. And we had got so far back up the Circuit leader board, as well, but that’s harsh it about these Coastal Races, but that is the rules and we all know it. And then once you do get behind, after the first windward-leeward, it just gets to be a bit of a one way track. There is not a lot of coming back.”

General standings, 7 races 8 results:

1. Quantum Racing USA, 29 points
2. Platoon powered by Team Germany GER, 40
3. Matador ARG, 42
4. Artemis SWE, 44

5. Mean Machine MON, 46

6. Mutua Madrilena ESP, 48

7. Bribon ESP, 61

8. Rusal Synergy, 73

9. Cristabella GBR, 73

10. Audi Q8 ITA, 75

For more information, visit 2008.medcup.org .