If yesterday conditions allowed crews to ease gently into the 2008 Rolex Commodores' Cup, today's conditions proved that much more testing. With the wind having backed around to the southeast overnight, racing was held off Hill Head, in the Central Solent, in more breeze, occasionally gusting to more than 20 knots and a short chop making for a wet ride. Once again two windward-leeward courses were held with different teams moving into the lead after each one. After the first race it was the turn of Ireland Green to move ahead with a comfortable 4.5 point margin over GBR Red, Monday's leaders France Blue relegated to third place after all three boats in Gery Trentesaux's team posted fifth placed finishes. The results from this race were particularly good for the Irish with Ireland Green's medium boat, Eamonn Rohan's Blondie IV, winning her class while Eamon and Alan Crosbie's small boat, Teng Tools/Voodoo Chile won the small boat class for Ireland White. Consistency is exactly what the GBR Red team showed in today's second race with each boat scoring a second place. The best showing was that of the big boat John Shepherd's Fair Do's VII which after a fantastic start in the first race today, led around the course to win that race, following this up with a second in the second race - a fine showing after her backstay problems yesterday. The wind was a little different and the tide was changing. While France Blue's performance was lacklustre in race three, the team more than made up for it in the final race today with Gery Trentesaux's big boat Lady Courrier winning Class 1 and Marc Alperovitch's Prime Time taking victory in Class 3. These results enabled them to regain second place.
