Tom Roche's entry for the United States team competing in the Admiral's Cup received a welcome morale boost at the start of the 30hour Channel race yesterday morning off Cowes, Isle of Wight. The 21-boat fleet is currently at sea and is expected to finish off Poole on the Dorset coast this evening.
The Irish/American Jameson has Germany's Thomas I Punkt as its principal rival in the Mumm 36 class. After been beaten by the other boat twice in Thursday's two races, the German world champion started prematurely in the Channel race and had to fight a strong tide in light winds to make the restart.
The advantage may only be slight to the Irish boat but in contrast to the widely accepted view that Americans tend to be weak offshore, skipper Dee Smith has a particular gift towards this side of the sport and this race may prove decisive in turning the tables on I Punkt.
Meanwhile, while both boats are highly rated favourites for the class in the overall event, others such as Italy's Breeze have edged ahead already. Nevertheless, on aggregate team points, Germany took the overall lead after Thursday opening races followed closely by the United States.
Commanding performances by middle-sized 40-footer Pinta, scoring two firsts plus an early class lead at the Needles Light, the first major waypoint of the Channel Race, are a measure of the opposition that the US squad faces and, in particular the need for the Jameson crew to score higher than their German counterpart.
Meanwhile, in a move that has been called the Soloman Decision, the international jury decided that following Thursday's second race in which the entire Mumm 36 class crossed the finishing line incorrectly, the result of that race should stand. The only boat to recross the line correctly was the Italian but who was last to finish and therefore retained his result.
The decision did not affect the German and US teams except to bring Britain further up the points ladder in third place, putting further pressure on the second place holders.
Team standings (after two races): 1 Germany, 17.50 pts; 2 US 23.75; 3 Britain 25.00; 4 Australia 31.88; 5 New Zealand 34.38; 6 Italy 41.00; 7 Scandinavia 52.50.
