[Orm was exerted to some hard testing today]

(2002-08-22, Auckland) Yesterday's maiden sail with Orm (SWE 73) was relatively short. The hard testing was started today. It was blowing 18 knots and the America's Cup yacht was put under hard strain just two days after her christening.
"We've all reason to be very pleased", says Mats Johansson, skipper and project leader.

On the programme yesterday and today has been structure testing.
"We're testing and making any adjustments that are necessary. With an 18-knot wind, Orm was exerted to 75 percent of full load", said Mats Johansson when Orm had been towed back to the base at Viaduct Harbour tonight. They had been testing for over four hours by then.

The whole process - from Orm arriving at the base in Auckland until today's hard testing - has taken only eleven days. It took three times longer to get the first boat, Örn (SWE 63), ready after her arrival here. Each individual detail has gone so much faster. From getting the boat ready after the transport, to the launch and the first training. And there was no christening involved last time as Örn was named in Gothenburg before her departure. Orm was christened in Auckland the day before yesterday.

[Orm sailing in Auckland's harbour]

Mats Johansson: "One of the reasons it's gone so quickly is that we learned so much working with Örn. But there were also more weaknesses that had to be adjusted that time. There's always such things to sort out on an America's Cup yacht. Orm has much fewer weaknesses." The fast pace is necessary. Today, there are only 39 days left until the America's Cup starts with the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series. Every opportunity to training must be utilised, so the first crewmembers from the Swedish America's Cup challenge have already arrived at five this morning local time. Orm must be in the water as early as possible so that the instruments can be adjusted while it's still calm. Mats Johansson explained last night: "The others in the crew are at the gym as usual 0630 and by the time they arrive at the base, the boat will be ready to be towed out for her third day of training."If all goes as planned, the next important step will be ready to take next week; sailing against Örn. Only after the two boats have been sailing against each other will it be possible to discern any tendencies in Orm's capacity (it will take a while longer to trim in order to reach her optimum speed). Is Orm as fast as the tests indicated before she was built? Örn is renowned for her speed. Now Orm must prove herself even more virulent. Bert Willborg/Victory Challenge