[Source: America's Cup] The Artemis Racing sailing team begins its 2012 training program this week in Valencia, Spain, with a two-boat training session on the team’s two AC45s. For skipper Terry Hutchinson, this is a chance to begin ‘chipping away’ at what he calls a ‘laundry list of things we have to work on to get better’.

“I think that having the two AC45s will make a big difference to our training,” Hutchinson says. “I think what we’re after is consistency. In the America’s Cup World Series Cascais as well as in Plymouth and San Diego we showed moments in all three regattas of really good sailing and then we showed some less good moments, so it’s a matter of improving our consistency.

“I really think by spending time on the AC45s, both in training and in developing our equipment… It’s just a case where we need to put in the hours and practise the same way we race, focusing on small improvements.”

Thinking ahead to launching the team’s first AC72 later this summer, Hutchinson says he’s looking at the giant catamaran with equal parts awe and respect, with a little bit of trepidation mixed in as well.

“This boat will be something that will bite you very, very hard the moment you don’t respect it,” he said. “The good side is that we all respect what we’re getting ready to take on. You have to apply a lot of common sense and logic and not be afraid to leave your ego on the dock. We’re really luck to have Rodney (Ardern – pitman) and Curtis (Blewett – bowman) bringing along the experiences they had with Alinghi in 2010.”

Hutchinson also says sailing the ORMA trimaran last year was useful for the sailing team to get accustomed to flying along at speeds near 30 knots. But he adds that neither the 60 foot trimaran, nor the AC45 is directly comparable to the AC72 the team currently has under construction in Sweden.

The trimaran has a completely different stability profile compared to the catamaran he says and the AC45 is “dramatically smaller and underpowered when you compare it to the AC72.”

Like many of his brethren in the Cup world, the experienced Hutchinson is clearly on a steeper learning curve and often sailing out of his comfort zone these days, something the winter training sessions in Valencia should help alleviate. And while he’s looking forward to getting back on the America’s Cup World Series circuit this summer, he’s also excited about spending more time in San Francisco in 2013, where the Bay holds some good memories of success.

“I love San Francisco,” he says. “I won a Farr 40 world championship there, I won a J24 world championship there and a J24 North American championship as well. It’s going to be great sailing on the Bay again.”