Artemis Racing flies around San Francisco Bay on Big Blue
by America's Cup media 25 Jul 2013 08:50 BST
24 July 2013
First sail for Artemis Racing's second AC72 © Gilles Martin-Raget / ACEA
Artemis Racing has made a spectacular debut in "Big Blue" the Swedish challenger's second AC72 catamaran. Sailing it for the first time on Wednesday, the team had the giant catamaran up on its foils in winds as strong as 15 knots, a tremendous accomplishment.
"Today could not have gone any better. It was a perfect day and exactly what our team needed," said helmsman Nathan Outteridge. "We got the boat on the water and foiling and we're happy with how it was foiling... It's a massive tribute to all the guys who have been working so hard to get us back out there."
While Artemis Racing had an impressive first day out, caution is the word from the team. The sailors say there is a lot to learn and test before the team is ready to join Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand on the racecourse.
The Swedish team has marked the first day of the Louis Vuitton Cup semi finals, August 6, as its target date for racing. It says any participation in one of the final Round Robin races would be an unexpected bonus.
"We'd like to hope August 6 is achievable," Outteridge explained. "But we know how much work is ahead of us now and we don't have a lot of time. This was day one for us while the other teams are on day 70 or 80, so we know we're a long way behind, but today was a big day in terms of catching up. Each step will evolve and we'll try to keep moving as fast as we can."
Thursday, Artemis Racing is scheduled to race against Luna Rossa, with the Italian team expected to sail the race unopposed. Artemis Racing will inspect its boat overnight and make adjustments before deciding whether it resumes sailing tomorrow.
The schedule ahead (all starts scheduled for 12:15 pm PT)
- Thursday, July 25, Artemis Racing vs. Luna Rossa Challenge
- Saturday, July 27, Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Artemis Racing
- Sunday, July 28, Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Luna Rossa Challenge
- Tuesday, July 30, Artemis Racing vs. Emirates Team New Zealand