| COWES, UNITED KINGDOM-(18-7-2003) While navigators of the sixteen boats in the Admiral's Cup may not agree on the best way to use the weather they will get in the Wolf Rock race, they all have the same story as to what that weather will be.
Southerly to south, south westerly, getting fresher.
Jules Salter, navigator on Chernikeeff 2, the big boat of Britain's Royal Ocean Racing Club team commented, `I think we'll enjoy the trip back, but we may not enjoy the trip out.`
For the big boats, the Wolf Rock Race takes the teams from a start off the Royal Yacht Squadron on the Cowes waterfront, west to the Wolf Rock light, which is between the Isles of Scilly and England's Land's End, then back to finish at North Head off Hurst Spit - approximately 360 nautical miles.
The smaller boats sail a shorter course, turning for home around the Eddystone lighthouse off Plymouth, a distance of about 230 nautical miles.
Salter says there will be more breeze the further west they get on the way out, and it will be predominantly a beat to windward, he is expecting 25 to 30 knots by the time they reach the rock, and he believes it will be a quick race.
Adrienne Cahalan is the navigator on the small boat in the Australian team, Aftershock, her assessment is much the same as Salters, `everyone agrees it will be mostly out of the south, which gives a fetch back, so there won't be many tactical decisions to make.`
These conditions would certainly suit Wild Oats, the Australian big boat, which revels in reaching and fetching conditions.
With the race due to start at 15:00 on Saturday, the morning was a hive of activity around the marina with everything being checked, from rigging and sails to navigation lights and instruments.
As far as boat for boat tactics, this will be most important in the small boat fleet, where the boats are all of similar speed, although the main competition is between the Spanish team from Real Club Nautico de Sangenjo and the Australians from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, they cannot afford to ignore the British teams from the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Royal Southern Yacht Club.
`The small boat in the RORC team is sailing very well,` said Cahalan, `and we'll have to watch them, they could get between us and the Spanish (Telefonica Movistar).`
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