MedCup

Coutts, who won the 2007 title as tactician with Artemis, proved his excellence in the very shifty and gusty conditions as USA-17 finished fourth in the first race of Friday, they lost their lead on the final downwind, and won the second race which was the windiest the MedCup Circuit has seen for a long time. while USA-17’s crew work was strong, their hand strengthened by astute tactics in the big wind shifts, their prudence on the ‘corners’, especially approaching the leeward mark at speeds in excess of 22 knots at times, paid an equally valuable dividend. Early, safe gennaker drops ensured that they were well settled for the 2.2 miles beat back upwind. In the second race USA-17 lead at the first turning mark of the longer course of three windward-legs and two downwind legs, but it was only on the blustery final beat that USA-17 managed to slip through Quantum to take their third winning gun of the week.