San Diego, Calif
October 8, 2007

Dear Supporters

Darn it if our first race today at the U.S. Sailing Olympic Trials for the Tornado Class played out exactly the same as the last race last night. We fought back from a bad start to take the lead on the last run, before a 40 degree windshift allowed Robbie Daniel and Hunter Stunzi to sail around us and fly their spinnaker to the finish. However we won the second race while they finished second. Thus, after three days and six races in all kinds of wind, Advanced Equities I is still tied on points with Robbie and Hunter. This time though we have the small consolation of top place on the scoreboard because the tie-break rule gives precedence to the most recent first finisher.

Advanced Equities I - Where's the wind? Photo: Carl Hancock

Todayšs weather was the lightest of the series at just four to six knots. After the first finish, the Race Committee abandoned two starts before lifting their anchor and moving us over to the 49er course closer to Point Loma where the 49ers had already finished for the day.

We had a big match race confrontation with Robbie at the start of the first race and beat him and the entire fleet to lead off the line. Thatšs where we made our big mistake of the day. Wešd chosen the left side of the course only to discover that the right was paying off heavily. Because wešd forced Robbie to the right, he rounded first and we were last. We worked our way through the other boats to round right behind Robbie at the last weather mark and then rolled him on the run, forcing him to the unfavored side of the course. We did the conservative thing to cover him but the windshift sprung him free.

Things got more intense at the second start as we matched raced Robbie before the gun and forced him into a penalty situation with less than a minute to the start. He had to spin a circle, leaving us free to go the way we wanted to go. We kept a loose cover and kept extending our lead in a dying breeze except for a few nail-biting minutes when we sailed into a glassy calm spot before the finish line.

Aboard Advanced Equities II, Sarah Newberry and Craig Wierda enjoyed the light conditions in the first race and were following Robbie in second place for much of the distance before dropping to fifth place before the finish.

Our host club is the San Diego Yacht Club. Wešll be racing out on Coronado Roads every day through October 14, with the 10th set aside as layday or makeup day. Wešll have a daily update for you here, plus full Tornado Trials Results. The photos featured here are courtesy Carl Hancock. More excellent photos can be viewed on the SDYC Photo Gallery. Be sure to visit our website at www.t-squaredracing.com. Our sponsor, Advanced Equities, is at www.advancedequities.com

Sail fast,
Johnny Lovell - Team Advanced Equities I

For additional information:
Keith Taylor
Communications Director 
Team BRace
keith@teambrace.com
Tel:  +1 (410) 753-2489
Skype: thekiwikeit
www.teambrace.com