We caught up with Canadian SailGP Team wing trimmer Chris Draper at the team base this morning ahead of the second day of racing at the SailGP Season 3 opening event in Bermuda.

Draper has joined the Canadian team – skippered ny experienced Kiwi Phil Robertson – on loan from Nathan Outteridge’s Japan SailGP Team which has had to sit out the Bermuda event because of a delay to completing the tenth F50 catamaran in time.

With on the water time strictly limited for all the teams Draper said he jumped at the chance to rack up valuable training and racing hours with the Canadians – although he did check with Outteridge first.

“I asked Nate if he thought it was a good idea to do the event and continue racing and we came to the conclusion that it was and that there would be some useful things I could learn from Phil and hopefully be able to help the team.”

Draper also managed to cram in some training time with the Japanese crew too but when this was forestalled by an unfortunate hand injury to Outteridge, the British Olympian also jumped on board with the Kiwi and French crews at various times.

“In total I reckon I have done about 30 hours on the water in the last five days – which is more than you do in a season normally,” Draper said.

“Sailing with these different skippers like Nathan, Phil, Quentin [Delapierre], Pete [Burling], you realise that they all do it slightly differently and there are little tidbits that you can take from all of them.”

Draper said the mood in the Canadian camp was understandably upbeat after yesterday’s racing where the new team confounded the form guide with a 2,1,5 score line that sees them lead the regatta going into the second day.