Adecco Maxi OD - Round Gotland Race Preview
by Bob Fisher 3 Jul 1999 16:01 BST
DOUBLE POINTS IN GOTLAND RACE COULD CHANGE CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS
SALTSJOBADEN—The last minute preparations for the Round Gotland Race are feverish on board all eight of the Maxi One Designs engaged in the Adecco World Championship. The fourth event in the championship series is doubly important, carrying, as it does, a double points loading for the 335 mile race, a factor which could make big changes to the overall standings.
The class President, Pierre Fehlmann, drew attention to this at a press conference in Sandhamn yesterday saying, ‘The lead which Ludde Ingvall has established with Skandia could disappear.’ Ingvall has won all three events so far, the North Sea Regatta, Kieler Woche and the Kiel-Stockholm and has a healthy points advantage, but a poor finish in this race could see that evaporate.
Ingvall is fully aware of this position, but believes that his previous knowledge of sailing in this area will be a distinct advantage. ‘Both Gunnar Krantz and I should do well – we have raced here before,’ he said, adding, ‘There are definite patterns to what happens at night.’ He feels that it is then that the race will be decided, although the hours of darkness are short.
Krantz is back in the series with his Team Henri-Lloyd, with the boat and the mast rebuilt after the dismasting in the long race of Kieler Woche, and will be keen to re-establish his position, but first has to test his boat today. ‘The mast is in the boat, standing up straight and there is full tension in the rigging,’ he said yesterday, ‘but I want to see it with wind in the sails and the boat heeling over. Only then will I be really happy.’
Moderate winds today will assist the Swedish skipper in his quest to tune the boat for the conditions which the fleet should experience on their way south to round the island of Gotland. The forecast is for winds of 15-18 knots at the start from the south-west, backing on the second day to south-east and returning later to south-west.
These are conditions which give little advantage to any of the eight skippers and crews and should continue to produce the close finish which the class has displayed in the previous races of the Adecco World Championship. The eight identical boats make this a test of the skill of the crews rather than a battle of the chequebook.
The start for the Maxi One Design class in the Round Gotland Race will be at 1430 local time tomorrow from Sandhamn.