After a rainy day ashore, yesterday's second inspection for the Youth America's Cup in San Francisco was a packed programme. All teams had two opportunities to do the introductory laps on an AC45 cat and prepare for the selection regatta. The teams taking part this time come from Argentina, England, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland.
The young sailors do exactly what their German colleagues did last week: watch videos, talk through manoeuvre sequences and then put the theory into practice with drills on the water until the manoeuvres are automated and no one is left on the edge of their seats. It's a steep learning curve, but the impressions the sailors get from these boats in this area are so overwhelming that nobody complains.
"At the beginning, it took us a little while to get used to the roles and manoeuvres," explained Finn Drummond, the 21-year-old skipper of the Kiwis, whose father Mike is a well-known AC designer. "But then we got used to it and it felt natural. A strong day, just amazing."
The STG/NRV Youth Team, which said goodbye to San Francisco last week with a strong performance, is now on pins and needles. The decision as to which four teams from the twelve applicants will be allowed to compete in September will be made next weekend, immediately after the current selection process has been completed.
