ISAF : Victory Challenge Begin Sail Testing

Within an hour of her launch on 4 June, Victory Challenge are out sailing with Örn in the Mediterranean again. It was a day of testing new sails - both genoa and gennaker - and taking loads of pictures, from the tender, the helicopter and from the top of the mast.

'It has been yet another very good day with 15-16 knots of wind at the end. Then it really got going”, said Magnus HOLMBERG, sailing manager and helmsman.

Jonas WACKENHUTH, who was filming from the top of the mast, commented: 'I'm up the mast every time we go out. After raising the mainsail, it has to be secured to the mast. If there’s a heavy sea then it really starts swaying up there, the top of the mast can swing several metres. Sometimes I can feel a bit seasick but not today.' Wackenhuth is used to it - he was with Victory Challenge in Auckland as well and is one of many now returning to Örn.

'Besides securing the mainsail, I’m mostly up the mast if there’s a problem. I was asked to film today and it was good fun, I got my feet into the picture at one stage so you get to see a little perspective.'

It was Sunday in Valencia but Victory Challenge is not alone on the water training: 'BWM Oracle were racing their two boats. It didn’t go quite without problems, which was good to see as they’ve been in training since the last Cup and we're out for the first time', said Magnus HOLMBERG.