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Synergy (RUS), without doubt, are one of the most improved teams of 2009 and this season. They won the second race of the season in Cascais and certainly have shown the potential to gain a podium finish. But, as helmsman Karol Jablonksi (POL) explains, it has not been easy to step into a team which is still learning:
“For sure it has not been easy. The TP52 fleet this year is very, very competitive. There are no weak teams and this is my first season in the TP52 Circuit which does not make my life and the TP52 team’s lives much easier. So far we are actually quite happy with our results. For sure we had opportunities to do better but obviously every team can say that. You miss some opportunities but that is part of the game, especially in this very competitive fleet.”
Like most, they have been looking closely at what they need to do to excel here in Barcelona at the Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona:
“ We have a lot of the first two events were quite windy but typically Barcelona seems like it will be quite light so we have to now to change some things and work on our boat speed in the light conditions, the boat is not the fastest. But as well we have to work on the starts. I was not so happy with my performance here so far in practice, because it is very different in the starts in the light breeze, I still have a long way to go to give the teams good starts, to give Rod Dawson who is doing a great job as tactician to give him the opportunity for us to go where he wants to go. It is much easier in the match racing.”
He describes the core of the Synergy team which joined the Circuit late in 2006:
“ In this team we have eight Russian sailors, two from New Zealand and one Italian navigator, and myself the driver. The eight Russian crew have always been with the TP52 programme right from the very start. They have come on a lot, but with Rod and myself new into the team we have to glue together as a team a bit as well. There are different crews for the Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas, we have a ten nations team on the Louis Vutton Trophy. So we are quite international there.”
“ But here we are still working hard on our communication, on our manoeuvres, on all aspects, we can actually improve in every area and so there is still a lot of work for us to do. But we all know that this is not going to happen overnight.”
What does he consider the long term targets of the Synergy team are?
“If you are asking me about the America’s Cup it is too early for us to be talking about that. I think that Synergy by joining the TP52 class and the Louis Vuitton Trophy made a big step already because this is a completely new level, so the America’s Cup is a whole different level in terms of money and commitment, and for us that is in a very, very short time and it is a big step not only from the financial side but from the organisational side and this is very, very big call to make.”
“ If in October or November when we know more about the America’s Cup, then we will make a decision.”
“ The option is also the RC44 which is a good class, the objective for us is to sail with as many Russians on board as we can, and teach them. That is the main goal. The objective of the owners is not just to win the MedCup, there are five owners, they are more happy with a five or sixth place with more Russians on board, than winning with two or three on the boat. That is a clear message.”
Jablonski gives an insight into the passions of the group of owners, who all sail on the TP52 at different times:
“ They are passionate sailors all of them and they all take turns to come on the boat, they do grinding and things like that and love to come to the events, and sail with us. They love it and that is why they do this, and we appreciate them as owners.
One will sail and one will maybe sail as observer and after the races they are completely tired but happy, they love it. And they get know how difficult it is, and how hard it is on the Cup boats for example.”
And the profile of the Synergy team, and of grand prix sailing continues to grow at home in Russia?
“ Here in Barcelona we have eight journalists from Russia, in the Louis Vuitton series they run one hour programmes after every day of racing in the main Sport programme in Russia, so there is plenty of sailing on TV and so they promote sailing and the Synergy sailing team and for sure this is very, very good for the future. It is good for sailing and for us because there is no chance of raising money for sailing unless you have proper promotion and a profile.”
What does he consider they need to do to make that jump on to the podium at an Audi MedCup Circuit regatta?
“ For us we have to improve with a few good starts, Rod has to call good shots and the crew has to do a good job, no foul ups, and it is all about the consistency. But consistency in the top places in this fleet! We compete against teams which are much more advanced than us. Most of you Russian crew now really appreciate that they are able to sail against some of the best sailors in the world, on the Cup boats most of them are very pleased to sail alongside some of the good foreign sailors and to learn from them, like Josh Belsky who won the America’s Cup twice, they are learning a lot and appreciate that.”
Last year there was some feedback that building solid self confidence among a team which has risen so fast, was still an issue, especially under pressure?
“ It is still the same now. We have some great days, but we still have days when the simple mistakes happen, when you can’t understand why these still happen. You should be on a certain level and these things should not happen and that’s frustrating, trying to get them on the same level.”
So how does that improve, what is the process to eliminate these small, but simple mistakes?
“To do that there is a lot of talking, a lot of meetings we have a good coach. We have videos and put a lot of time in analysing the tapes, we show them.”
“ Sailing with the eight Russian sailors, on the one hand you just have to accept that you sail with the guys who don’t have this kind of professional background. So they don’t make those mistakes on purpose and they do an awful lot of things well, but they have to learn to deal with the pressure as well. Because if you are leading on Day 1, then you have to be careful not to overdo it, and that is the reason for some of the mistakes.
It is all about educating, analysing and giving them the chance to learn and we have to be patient. They are not going to learn sailing in one or two years time. They have made a big jump. As we know the last five per cent, or the last eight per cent is the hardest to learn.”
“ We still have a language problem. We have to be all on the same page. In this fleet coming in to the gate the situation is changing very, very fast. So you can talk about it byt five seconds later it has changed and so we educate and they have to learn to look and learn what might happen, what moves and to have their eyes open and this is all happening now which is good.” |
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