Stories about Mean Machine
Below are the latest stories which have been categorised as being about Mean Machine.
Artemis are Mistral masters today on the Gulf of Cagliari, Quantum on the verge of victory
Posted 23 hours, 41 minutes ago by Valencia Sailing
[Source: AUDI Medcup] In the blustery conditions which produced spectacular, top speed racing that peaked with one fantastic adrenaline pumping final run to the finish line in more than 25 knots of wind, it was the cool, composed and slick team on Artemis (SWE), lead by John Kostecki (USA) with owner Torbjorn Tornqvist (SWE) steering which won the race from the rapidly advancing Matador (ARG).
But with a fifth place today, compared to the seventh of their nearest rival for the regatta Trophy, Mean Machine (MON), Doug de Vos (USA) and Fred Howe’s (USA) Quantum Racing (USA) eased four points clear at the top of the regatta standings with just one final day of racing planned for Saturday.
Racing is scheduled to start early on the final day at around 1000hrs. In second Mean Machine are seven points clear of third placed Mutua Madrileña who in turn are just two points up on Bribón.
The conditions today were a sharp contrast to the previous days of sea-breeze racing. With the wind blowing offshore from the north, out of the deep, U-shaped bay which is the Gulf of Cagliari, there was no shortage of challenges for the tacticians as well as a hard, physical test for the crews. And when the crews were sent ashore, so too there was a race to repair damaged sails in short order, just in case the race officers call the fleet back to race again.
Terry Hutchinson's Quantum Racing, one step closer to winning the Cagliari Trophy. Cagliari, 4 July 2008. Photo copyright Ian Roman / AUDI Medcup
Paul Cayard (USA), in concert with navigator Bruno Zirili (ITA) and tactician John Cutler (NZL) earned the early lead for El Desafío (ESP). The green and grey boat of the Spanish America’s Cup team was smartly off the start line near the left, pin end but then called a perfect lay line for the left shifting breeze. That was enough to give them an 18 seconds lead around the first turn, ahead of Thursday’s coastal race winners Mutua Madrileña (CHI) who were bristling with new-found confidence after their recent successes.
But El Desafío’s run was halted when it was discovered their spinnaker had a tear, allowing Mutua Madrileña through to lead. No sooner had the Chilean flagged boat planed flat out into the lead than they suffered exploding kite trouble and had to drop the remains to the deck. The baton was passed back to El Desafío who carried on round the leeward mark in the lead.
On the second beat Artemis got it right, exploiting the left flank again, and were able to round the windward mark 21 seconds ahead of El Desafío as the prelude to an exciting final run to the finish, which proved an acid-test of sail and boat handling in the big breeze.
While El Desafío tripped as they gybed to cover the fast advancing Matador, spinnakers tore on Bribón and then on Mean Machine. Artemis remained relatively trouble free, crossing the finish line 18 seconds ahead of Matador, whilst Mutua Madrileña had long since put their troubles behind them, to finish third, with El Desafio in fourth.
Quantum’s fifth was another solid step towards their first regatta win this season, but it could have been better. Tactician Morgan Larson (USA) admitted later, that they, like others had been caught out by the unexpected strength of the Mistral:
“We made a little bit of a strategic error. We did not expect that much breeze. We lost our tender and so we just have a smaller rubber boat, and so we can’t take all our sails afloat and did not have the heavy jib with us. So our speed suffered from that, but we worked hard and Terry (Hutchinson, USA, helm) did a nice job keeping us on our feet. So, we survived, we did not over stand on anything, we did not break anything and I guess it was OK. We had a safe strategy as the lead boats, working the left, it’s good to be leading but it is hard when you feel compromised with the wrong equipment. We were expecting something around 15-20 knots”
Mutua Madrileña wins coastal race; Quantum Racing leads Cagliari Trophy
Posted 1 day, 23 hours ago by Valencia Sailing
[Source: AUDI Medcup] While Italy’s Vasco Vascotto and the crew of Mutua Madrileña (CHI) scored themselves a morale boosting pair of victories around today’s 32.7 miles, two-part coastal race into the Gulf of Angels, the bay immediately to the east of Cagliari, it was the steady perfomance of Quantum Racing (USA) which sees them at the top of both the overall leader-board for this Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy and the season long Audi MedCup Circuit.
Quantum Racing were fifth in the first section of the race and then managed to overhaul Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis (SWE) on an exciting last couple of miles to the finish, and steal the fourth place which was enough to give them a two points lead in the regatta ahead of Mean Machine (MON) and a wafer thin 0.2 point lead on the Audi MedCup Circuit.
But Jose Cusi’s Bribon (ESP) had a good day too, with two second places to atone for a slightly disappointing Wednesday.
With Flavio Favini (ITA) steering and skipper Vascotto on tactics, Mutua Madrileña converted their preference for the left side of the three mile first beat to a lead of 24 seconds over Jose Cusi’s (ESP) Bribon at the first mark.
Mutua Madrileña took the best spot at the pin-end, leftextremity of the start line along with Bribon.
Mutua Madrileña, winner of the coastal race. Cagliari, 3 July 2008. Photo copyright Thierry Martinez / AUDI Medcup
By comparison Platoon powered by Team Germany (GER) steered by three times Olympic gold medallist Jochen Schuemann (GER) started perfectly at the opposite, committee boat end and ploughed the best right side furrow to round ninth, already five minutes behind the runaway duo Mutua Madrileña and Bribon.
With the early breeze remaining light, 6-8 knots for most of the first ten or twelve miles, it was only on the five miles beat from the Poetto leeward buoy in the Gulf of Angels out to the scoring gate, that the sea breeze started to flex its muscles a little more, rising to 11-12 knots at times.
But it was largely on that first, opening beat when the shape of the race was really set, and even by the first mark there was already 8 minutes and 20 seconds - a lifetime in the usual scheme of TP52 racing - between Mutua Madrileña and the 13th placed boat.
Another team enjoying a return to confident mood are CXG Caixa Galicia (ESP), who in their borrowed, substitute boat (the 2007 championship winning Artemis) took third in both sections today, behind Bribon to neatly complement their second place in Race 5.
Today’s were the best results yet this season for Vascotto and his team, many of whom were with him when they won the first MedCup season in 2005, and - he says - confirms they are improving all the time with their new boat. Their season to date has not been straightforward after they broke their masthead crane just before the start of the first regatta, impairing their tuning and training. Then in Marseille, their regatta ended prematurely when their hull sustained damage at the first mark of the Coastal Race.
Quantum Racing, leader of the Cagliari Trophy. Cagliari, 3 July 2008. Photo copyright Thierry Martinez / AUDI Medcup
“We have been waiting on this coming and I have always been confident it would.” said Vascotto of their win today, “ The difference here so far is that we did not break the mast and have not broken the boat, so we are getting a chance to learn and sail. In Alicante the boat was new and we had no real chance to sail her. Let’s just say the difference now is that we are sailing with 10 or 12 more turns on the shrouds than we were there. Up until now we have not been able to sail. We learned a bit in the Sardinia Cup and have been changing a lot all the time.”
“I was always pretty happy with choosing the left where there was a little bias to the line. And we were into a lift and I saw more pressure. As soon as we had Bribon tack on our hip below us I knew we could do it and no one would beat us. We were quite quick downwind against them, but also after what has happened already I was starting to think our luck should change here.”
Quantum’s ever pragmatic Terry Hutchinson keeps his feet flat on the ground as far as topping both leader boards this evening: “Our day was OK, that is a fair assessment of it. Once the left started coming good, Morgan, Ian (Moore) and Mark (Mendelblatt), did a fine job of getting us there."
"We had a really nice downwind Code Zero on and they came round the last corner with a nylon sail on, so we probably took all of their lead out of them, and then they had an upwind Code Zero and they we had a downwind Code Zero and we basically just sailed through them to leeward. But it was good to pick off that point. They all make a difference. But we are very mindful that this is a long season, and at this stage it is like winning a flat stage of the Tour de France, when we all know that race is won in the mountains.”
setting the pace
Posted 2 days, 2 hours ago by Sail Karma
Photos by Ian Roman/Medcup
Paul Cayard - Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Two races were held today in 12-16 knots of wind, similar in direction to yesterday, South Southeast see breeze. There is still no gradient as a large high pressure system is sitting over this part of the Mediterranean.
Mean Machine and Quantum Racing continue to be setting the pace and really it is starting to look like they have a speed advantage on the rest of the group. Quantum started to the right and went right soon after the start in each race. The right was favored and they were first to every mark today. But Mean Machine started on the left side and despite the right being favored, they got around everyone but Quantum by the time the starboard layline came up.
We had to good day that started with two good starts. In the first race, with 12 knots at the start and very smooth seas, we managed to get a very good start about four boats down from the committee boat and we tacked onto port fairly soon. It was a foot race to the right and Quantum got there just ahead of us. We rounded the first mark third and stayed there despite some challenges from Artemis, Bribon and the Russians.
In the second race, which started with 16 knots of wind, we had a good start in the middle of the line. We were able to tack onto port quickly and the foot race began. Quantum was much quicker in this breeze and even Bribon had a bit of pace on us. We just could not quite cross Artemis and that forced us to tack short of the layline and we bagan to lose the boats that were to our right.
We rounded the first mark about 9th or 10th. This race was a five leg race, three windward legs, two downwind legs, with the finish to windward. We managed to work our way up to 6th which was a nice comeback.
So we are currently in 7th, but just 4 points out of 3rd. Things are very tight in the regatta except for Quantum and Mean Machine who have gotten a jump on the fleet.
Tomorrow is the coastal race which looks like two windward leeward courses in two bays along this coast. So we will start, go to windward, run downwind to a mark then reach for five miles over to a point of land and into another bay, where we will do another windward leeward and then reach back to the bottom of the first course and then into the harbor for a finish off the end of the breakwater. Not quite sure what this adds to our racing, but it is in the bylaws of the Class so we have to have one.
For complete results go to http://www.medcup.org/
Cayard Sailing Websitehttp://www.sailkarma.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss more »
Mean Machine y Quantum muy adelante, el resto es una lotería
Posted 2 days, 17 hours ago by Juanpa Cadario
Foto copyright ThMartinez
Foto copyright Ian Roman
Foto copyright Ian Roman
Salvo los dos primeros barcos que han sacado una buena diferencia al resto, todo esta muy apretado en puntos del 3ro al 8vo puesto. Bribón conserva ese 3er puesto pero hoy tuvo un día muy malo (a todos nos llega alguna vez) y se pegó mucho al grupo que viene presionando de abajo. Nosotros tuvimos un día muy irregular y no tuvimos buenos resultados, caímos al 6to puesto y empatados a puntos con el 5to que es el Mutua Madrileña y a dos puntos del 4to y tres del 3ro.
Mañana es la regata costera que puntúa doble asi que puede ser un día de definiciones importantes.
Resultados parciales con cinco regatas corridas hacer click acá
more »
Audi MedCup - Mean Machine and Quantum lead
Posted 2 days, 21 hours ago by Sail World UK
Mean Machine hold regatta lead by just one point, while two wins by Quantum Racing earned them the overall Circuit lead more »
Audi Med Cup: Well won victories for Terry Hutchinson on Quantum Racing
Posted 2 days, 21 hours ago by BYM Sailing News
After a second day of regular, consistent sea breezes on the Gulf of Cagliari Mean Machine hold the regatta lead by just one point, while two wins by Quantum Racing earned them the overall Circuit lead and leaves them ... more »
Quantum Racing leads Audi MedCup Circuit
Posted 2 days, 22 hours ago by Sail World Australia
Mean Machine hold regatta lead by just one point, while two wins by Quantum Racing earned them the overall Circuit lead more »
MedCup Cerdeña - Día 2
Posted 2 days, 22 hours ago by Team Baccarat
Fuente: MedCup.org Dos nuevas pruebas disputadas en Cagliari con doble victoria del Quantum, un Mean Machine constante que sigue líder en Cerdeña y un Bribón por primera vez fuera del Top 5 pierde el liderato del Circuito. Ian Roman Ian Roman De nuevo sopló la brisa térmica en Cagliari más regular que ayer, en torno a los 14 nudos [...] more »
Quantum Racing scores two bullets in the second day of the Cagliari Trophy
Posted 2 days, 23 hours ago by Valencia Sailing
[Source: AUDI Medcup] A pair of well won victories on the Gulf of Cagliari by Terry Hutchinson (USA) and the crew of the Quantum Racing not only earned the American boat the overall lead on the Audi MedCup Circuit 2008 today, but sees them just one point behind Mean Machine (MON) the leaders of this Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy regatta.
While Mean Machine posted a second and third from an interesting day’s racing which, despite the slightly one sided courses, proved a good test of starting, upwind and downwind strategies, Quantum’s two near identical starts and the ability to earn the lion’s share of the favored right early in both races, was the key to their twin successes today.
Quantum showed good speed throughout the day over both races which were sailed in 11-15 knots of what is proving a consistently reliable sea-breeze, reliable to the point that some crews might be really looking forward to new challenges of tomorrow’s coastal race, and to Friday when a change in the wind direction and conditions is forecast.
Terry Hutchinson's Quantum Racing scores two bullets in the second day of the Cagliari Trophy. Cagliari, 2 July 2008. Photo copyright Thierry Martinez / AUDI Medcup
For Hutchinson, tactician Morgan Larson (USA) and crew three wins from five starts is a welcome reward for the hard work they have been putting in since Marseille last month. The team on the green and black hulled Botin & Carkeek design have been addressing their perceived weaknesses. In particular today their starting was pin sharp in terms of time on distance and speed off the line, but their positioning, such that they did not risk being compromised at the busy committee boat end, was equally surefooted.
As is their policy this season, Quantum Racing were the first boat out on the Gulf here, training since last Thursday.
The remarkably consistent string of results for Jose Cusi’s Bribon (ESP) was upset for the first time today. Their seventh in the first race, followed by Bribon’s first double figures score of the season, 11th in the second contest, meant they concede the overall Circuit lead to Quantum. Bribon were squeezed out on the finish line by the Russians on Rusal Synergy and had to bear away, gybe and approach again but lost only one boat in the porcess.
“We had not particular dramas, no issues, just a bad day at the office really.” Dean Barker (NZL), Bribon’s helm explained. “ It happens from time to time. In the second race on the first run we went right and did not get a lot of pressure and we got stuck under a number of boats and just had watch others sail past, there was not much we could do really. It is tough going out there. The sailing is great here and pretty straightforward, but when the advantage is slightly one sided then the fast boats can get there quicker. Quantum is probably the fastest boat out there on the water.”
Desafío, helmed by Paul Cayard, are finally getting their act together and are now 7th in the event. Cagliari, 2 July 2008. Photo copyright Ian Roman / AUDI Medcup
While Quantum won their second gun of the day Roberto Bermudez (ESP) and the team on CxG Caixa Galicia (ESP) proved they are getting to grips with the substitute boat they have while theirs is being repaired when they took a confidence boosting second place - equaling their best finish of the season in Marseille.
And in the first race Paul Cayard (USA) drove El Desafio (ESP) to third behind Mean Machine.
Going into tomorrow’s Coastal Race, which effectively offers double points, the top two boats have already built a decent points cushion in the quest for the Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy. After five races Bribon lies in third place, 17 points behind Quantum.
“After Marseille we worked on my starts at the windward end of the line. Ian (Moore, GBR, navigator) and Morgan (Larson, USA, tactician) have done a good job of their analysis of stuff, and when push comes to shove then there are certain times when all of us have to do our jobs on the boat and its good to be able to do it. But it’s a really good fleet. It’s the end game we are focused on. We need days like this to win races but then follow up with another good race. A lot of things have to happen well for us.” Quantum’s Terry Hutchinson explained.
“ It is nice to see the rewards of a couple of things changed, nice for the guys to sail as well as they did.”
Quantum Racing leads Audi MedCup Circuit
Posted 3 days ago by Sail World New Zealand
Mean Machine hold regatta lead by just one point, while two wins by Quantum Racing earned them the overall Circuit lead more »
Audi MedCup: Andrea Mura, former America's Cup sailor, interprets the weather forecast
Posted 3 days, 8 hours ago by BYM Sailing News
The first day of the Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy proved that Mean Machine (MON) has dispatched any demons that had been haunting them since Marseille with a confident display on the Gulf of Cagliari. Two first guns ... more »
The return of Mean Machine - Audi Sardinia Trophy
Posted 3 days, 14 hours ago by Sail World Australia
Mean Machine won two of the first three races of the Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy regatta. more »
The return of Mean Machine - Audi Sardinia Trophy
Posted 3 days, 16 hours ago by Sail World UK
Mean Machine won two of the first three races of the Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy regatta. more »
Audi Med Cup: Peter de Ridder's Mean Machine leads Sardinia Trophy regatta
Posted 3 days, 21 hours ago by BYM Sailing News
After their dark disappointment in Marseille where they finished 11th, Peter de Ridder and his Mean Machine returned to produce something a little closer to a virtuoso performance on Sardinia’s Gulf of Cagliari today when they won two ... more »
Cuartos y contentos después de un día dificil
Posted 3 days, 21 hours ago by Juanpa Cadario
Foto copyright Nico Martinez
Foto copyright Nico Martinez
Foto copyright Ian Roman
foto copyright Carmen Hidalgo
Foto copyright Carmen Hidalgo
En realidad todos los días son dificiles en esta flota, pero el comienzo de cada campeonato es especial y hoy en un momento parecía que toda la suerte estaba en contra nuestra. Primer regata se nos rompe la conexión de uno de los coffee grinders a sólo 5 minutos de largar, esto provocó una distracción general y largar la regata con dos personas adentro tratando de solucionar el problema. Segunda regata veníamos en media tabla cuando se nos rompe un estrobo que aguanta todo el aparejo del cuninghamm de genoa y esa filada tan brusca en el medio de la ceñida hizo que el genoa se desrelingara por completo, recuperamos la vela, la volvimos a izar y despues de ir últimos, hicimos una recuperada espectacular pasando a seis barcos, velocidad y táctica sobretodo fueron la clave de la remontada.
Y en la ultima regata del día largamos atrás del Desafio, que estaba pasado, él obviamente fue el más perjudicado porque tuvo que volver, pero a nosotros nos arruinó una largada que prometía buena, pese a eso el barco volaba y llegamos segundos al barlovento, luego en la segunda ceñida nos pasó el Mean Machine y terminamos 3ros, gran resultado.
Mañana esperamos tener un día sin sobresaltos, el equipo esta muy bien, tenemos velocidad y hemos encontrado en Franceso Bruni un táctico excelente en todo sentido.
Posiciones parciales con tres regatas corridas, hacer click acá more »
The return of Mean Machine
Posted 3 days, 21 hours ago by $$$ The Daily Sail $$$
Two bullets for Peter de Ridder's TP52 on day one of the Audi MedCup event in Cagliari more »
Mean Machine lead Cagliari Trophy after first day
Posted 3 days, 21 hours ago by Valencia Sailing
[Source: AUDI Medcup] The MedCup Circuit’s return to Italy for the first time since 2006 in Punta Ala, Tuscany when Mean Machine (MON) won overall, was rewarded with a great opening day of solid, building sea breezes which remained solid until early evening to allow the target of three races to be met with relative ease.
While the conventional wisdom leading into the first race today was that the race track off the Sardinian capital might promise one way traffic up the right side of the course, it was Mean Machine’s after-guard of Ray Davies (NZL) and Tom Dodson (NZL) who reckoned that the left bias to the line was enough to launch them to the front.
De Ridder (NED) on the helm nailed a great start at the left, pin end of the line and they crossed the fleet clear ahead two thirds of the way up the first beat. Racing in 10-13knots of SE’ly sea breeze the victors from the season’s first regatta in Alicante, went on to win by a comfortable one minute and three seconds.
Mean Machine, leader of the Cagliari Trophy. Cagliar, 1 July 2008. Photo copyright Ian Roman / AUDI Medcup
The breeze built to a brisk 16-18 knots for Race 2 Quantum Racing (USA), and when the fleet was just a hearbeat late to the gun, helm Terry Hutchinson (USA) made a solid start, and tussled with series leading Bribon (ESP) around the windward mark first time up on the windward-leeward loop, but with their nose ahead at the first turn Quantum Racing were able to lead at each mark, going on to their third winning gun of the season so far. But Quantum’s early lead at the regatta was to be temporary.
The third race belonged to Mean Machine while Quantum made up places to take sixth. A tricky first run, offered another blast of air coming down off the windward mountains and shore-side flatlands to provide not onlymore wind but a more favorable heading to the leeward mark down that left side of the course.
In the second race it was Riccardo Simoneschi (ITA) and the Audi Q8 team who hooked into one of these turbo boosts which vaulted them seven places on the first run.
The bonus was spread wider in this third race, but Sergiy Pichugin (RUS) and the team on the new Rusal Synergy (RUS) were quick to spot the advantage and pulled up down this first run from fourth to steal the lead from Platoon powered by Team Germany (GER).
The ever vigilant Davies and Dodson partnership were quick to hitch the same ride too, and accelerated from ninth to third.
Part of the TP52 fleet at the Cagliari Trophy. Cagliar, 1 July 2008. Photo copyright Ian Roman / AUDI Medcup
On the final run Mean Machine lived up to their name to spoil the Russians hopes of win on their first day out with their shiny newly purchased boat, the former USA-17 and it was the pink flames on the Mean Machine bow and kite which broke the finish line first for the second time today.
The Russians landed at second and the Argentine boat Matador took third, with Francesco Bruni (ITA) calling tactics, an altogether sweeter feeling than Race 2 when their jib Cunningham exploded and they struggled round to last place.
Is there an air of deja-vu in Cagliari this sunny evening, a reminder of Mean Machine’s dominant win in May’s first regatta of the Audi MedCup Circuit in Alicante, or even Punta Ala in 2006?
Certainly in the flat water and moderate sea breeze conditions they were always one of the quickest boats on the water, along with Quantum who lie second overall at this regatta, thanks to their 3,1,6 today which was enough to overhaul Artemis (SWE) for second also on the overall Audi MedCup Circuit leader-board. Bribon’s (ESP) 4,2,5 today keeps them at the top of the Circuit standings after 19 races, leading now by 10.8 points.
Audi MedCup City of Marseille Trophy: Peter de Ridder's Mean Machine unable to push forward
Posted 27 days, 19 hours ago by BYM Sailing News
Tough days for Peter de Ridder’s Mean Machine team, who didn’t manage to push forward in this MedCup event with the force with which they started the TP52 season. The disqualification in the coastal race in the City of ... more »
Matador en boxes
Posted 28 days, 13 hours ago by Juanpa Cadario
Foto copyright Th MartinezUna hermosa foto del Matador desde el aire
Noticias del Matador El barco está en La Ciotat, un puerto a unas 15 millas de Marsella, a donde fue traslado inmediatamente después del incidente del día jueves y sacado a tierra. Los equipos de reparación del barco habían llegado esta mañana con todo el material necesario para hacer el trabajo y además gente especializada iba a hacer el informe técnico. Los daños a nivel estructural son bastante serios, en las fotos se aprecia un poco, pero adentro esta lo peor, porque debajo esta el mamparo del traveller y también la rajadura del copickt impide poner tensión al backstay.Se trabaja contrareloj pero es casi imposible que el barco este listo para mañana asi que lo importante es hacer un buen arreglo para que en Cagliari el barco este 100%.Por su lado Mean Machine, el barco de nuestro incidente hoy tuvo un día increiblemente malo, se ve que el golpe de ayer golpeo duro en el ánimo de la tripulación y no es para menos, a nadie le gusta estar involucrado en este tipo de situaciones tan desagradables. more »
Audi MedCup: Dirk de Ridder (NED) Mainsheet trimmer on USA-17
Posted 28 days, 23 hours ago by BYM Sailing News
After four years sailing with Peter (de Ridder) and Mean Machine it was quite a hard decision to leave them this season. I have always worked really well with the team and I worked hard on the current boat ... more »
