Beta Crucis (AUS 63, Martin CROSS, Bob STODDARD, John Cross) posted a perfect score on Day 2 of the 5.5 Metre French Open at the Regates Royales in Cannes, after Tuesday was blown off. Otto (NOR 68, Bent Christian WILHELMSEN, Herve CUNNINGHAM, Kyle GUNDERSEN) took two second places and had to fight back for second in the first race after a deep first rounding. Skylla V (SUI 217, Andre BERNHEIM, Mark BUCHECKER, Urs WERNER) sit in third after two third places.
It was a day of two halves with a light wind first race, before a moderate 10-13 knots filled in for Race 2. In both races Beta Crucis dominated from the start and led round each and every mark.
For the 5.5 Metre fleet, this year is different for a number of reasons. First, due to ongoing works in the Vieux Port, where all the classic yachts are located, the 5.5 Metre fleet, along with the Dragons are based at the Yacht Club de Cannes, across the bay. Secondly, the fleet is racing in Cannes Bay instead of the Golfe Juan to the east, and racing on the same course as the impressive 12 Metres and within sight of the large fleet of classic yachts.
Martin Cross explained his day, “It was an interesting day, and nice racing with the 12 Metres. We were going downwind with them at one point and they were a little bit faster than us, so that was fun.
“We had two very different conditions, with 5-6 knots in the first race and quite a lot of shifts as well. We started at the port end and came out relativity fast and got a nice shift and slowly extended from there, trying to keep everyone underneath us. We came through comfortable, unlike some of the races at the worlds where it was very tense all the way round, so we could actually relax a little bit today.
“And then in the second race the wind was probably up to 12-13 knots and it was just nice conditions, a bit of a chop developed so you had to keep driving the boat. We again came out of the port end and we had good speed and slowly worked our way up and then tried to stay between the fleet and the next mark and again had a comfortable ride into the finish.”
A higher-than-average percentage of sailors in Cannes are young sailors. Martin’s son John, at 32, is one of them and is really enjoying his first international regatta experience. John has joined the boat for his first ever international regatta, but comes with some prior experience having recently won the New South Wales championship in Alpha Crucis, a boat that is set up similar Beta Crucis, but slightly longer, and beating the soon to be world champion, John Bacon, in the process.
He said, “It was amazing. The weather today was great and sailing out with the 12 Metres was very special experience. Sailing the boat is a lot of fun and it’s really competitive racing, which is good. The crew dynamics are pretty good as I sail with Dad a lot anyway, and I’ve sailed with Bob a few times before.
“It’s very competitive but the boats themselves sail so nicely too, so it’s always a lot of fun.”