Audi MedCup, a Team Origin la testa della classifica
Audi MedCupGP 42Level ClassTP52Vela 13 Maggio 2010 Zerogradinord 0
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Audi MedCup – Cascais – Con vento oltre ai 20 nodi, e situazione sempre molto instabile (oggi salti fino a 20 gradi), il secondo giorno di regate al Trofeo del Portogallo-Cascais regala, come previsto, due regate emozionanti e ricche di colpi di scena. A spuntarla a fine giornata sono gli inglesi di Team Origin 1851, che con un quarto e un clamoroso secondo posto, si portano in testa alla classifica generale (21 punti), scalzando i connazionali di Cristabella scivolati al sesto posto. Ottime le prove odierne dei ragazzi di Team Origin, quinti questa mattina, a cui in gara 2, dopo aver rimontato quasi un minuto e mezzo di vantaggio, non riesce la vittoria di regata soltanto per questione di pochi metri: quelli che hanno permesso ad Audi A1 by All4One, autore di un’ottima regata, di vincere la seconda prova.
Seconda posizione in classifica generale per Emirates Team New Zealand, che con una vittoria e un quarto posto rimedia alla prova non esaltante di ieri, portandosi con 23 punti a due sole lunghezze dai britannici. Un bel salto in avanti dei Kiwi, partiti stamattina da Cascais in settima posizione. Ma dopo due giorni di regate, la vera sorpresa è al terzo posto: a pari punti con Emirates Team New Zealand si piazza infatti Synergy, con a bordo il navigatore italiano Francesco Mongelli. Per i russi, oggi, un terzo e un quinto posto a conferma di quanto di buono fatto vedere ieri.
Sfortunato invece Quantum Racing: lo skipper Terry Hutchinson, colpito alla testa dal boma, è costretto a scendere dalla barca per andare in ospedale per accertamenti, lasciando il timone al tattico Adrian Stead. Nessuna grave conseguenza, comunque, per il velista statunitense, che dopo l’ottimo secondo posto dei suoi nella prima regata ha dichiarato: “È bello vedere che il team non è composto da una sola persona, e sono molto orgoglioso del risultato di oggi.” In gara 2, Adrian Stead non è riuscito però a ripetere la bella prestazione della prima regata, non riuscendo a portare il proprio team oltre il decimo posto. A fine giornata, quarta posizione in classifica generale, con 26 punti, per Quantum Racing.
Chiude invece la giornata con un decimo e un sesto posto l’italiana Luna Rossa. Buone cose, alternate a qualche errore, per l’equipaggio di Torben Grael e Robert Scheidt, al momento al nono posto della classifica generale con 33 punti. Ma si può essere ottimisti: il team è forte, e la barca, anche se vecchia, ha dimostrato di reagire bene in tutte le condizioni meteo.
Due vittorie su due per i campioni in carica di Puerto Calero, che si portano subito in testa al Trofeo del Portogallo-Cascais con 2 soli punti. Secondo posto con 5 punti per Madrid-Caser Seguros dello skipper italiano Paolo Cian, grazie a un terzo e a un secondo posto nelle due gare odierne. In terza posizione, con 7 punti, si piazza Iberdrola. Quinta posizione con 9 punti per il team italiano Airsessential.
Domani, meteo permettendo, previste tre regate sia per la TP52 Series sia per la GP42 Series. Come sempre, la diretta dell’Audi MedCup TV, visibile sul sito www.medcup.org e su Zerogradinord.it comincerà alle ore 12.50 locali (le 13.50 in Italia).
TP52 Series
1. Team Origin, 4-9-2-4-2. pt. 21
2. Emirates Team New Zealand, 6-11-1-1-4, pt. 23
3. Synergy, 8-1-6-3-5, pt. 23
4. Quantum Racing, 1-5-8-2-10, pt. 26
5. Audi A1 powered by All4One, 9-7-4-6-1, pt. 27
…
GP42 Series
1. Puerto Calero, 1-1, pt. 2
2. Madrid-Caser Seguros, 3-2, pt. 5
3. Iberdrola, 2-5, pt. 7
4. Peninsula Petroleum, 4-3, pt. 7
5. Airisessential, 5-4, pt. 9
AUDI MEDCUP, TEAM ORIGIN TAKES THE LEAD
[Audi MedCup Press Release] After five races of the Portugal Trophy Cascais, the first regatta of the 2010 Audi MedCup Circuit, the British crew of Team Origin 1851 lead overall by two points ahead of defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand. In the GP42 Series, defending champion Puerto Calero starts their season with two winning guns to become the first leader of the season.
In a thrilling finish to the second race of the day, when the TP52 Series’ pair of four times Olympic medallists, Jochen Schuemann steering Audi A1 powered by All4One and Ben Ainslie steering Team Origin 1851 duelled down the closing minutes of a fast, full throttle final run, it was the German boat which just pipped the British crew by only one second.
Added to their fourth place in the first race, Circuit newcomers Team Origin 1851’s consistency was the result of smart tactical sailing in the puffy, and shifty NW’ly winds. In the first race the breeze averaged around 10-14 knots, but the second TP52 contest enjoyed the strongest winds of the regatta so far with gusts to 22-23 knots producing fast and exciting downwind sailing.
As befits a crew with seven Olympic medals and two America’s Cup wins between their afterguard, Team Origin 1851’s starting was sharp today and they were then able to profit from the windshifts to gain places on both of today’s contests.
Emirates Team New Zealand took their second successive race victory when they managed to pass Quantum Racing near the top of the penultimate leg of Race 4. With a fourth in the second race of the day, hard won after they were on the wrong side of a big wind shift inshore during the first upwind leg, the Kiwi team marched up the overall leaderboard from eighth after Wednesday’s first three race, to lie second.
TP52 Series Race 4
With a maximum of 15 knots of breeze during the race Quantum Racing lead around the windward mark, gaining from their position on the left side of the course, starting close to the pin, left hand end of the start line.
After chasing Quantum Racing around the first windward mark and on the downwind leg, Emirates Team New Zealand were able to split a little further inshore, gaining from slightly more pressure and a favourable wind shift to be able to cross ahead of the 2008 Circuit winners. Dean Barker and the New Zealand crew were able to extend slightly to win by 40 seconds, with the Russian flagged Synergy, steered this season by Karol Jablonski with Rod Dawson calling tactics which finished third.
After skipper-helm Terry Hutchinson had to be taken off Quantum Racing due to a pre-start accident, tactician Adrian Stead stepped in to deputise. Hutchinson was taken to hospital but was reported to be well enough to watch the racing unfold live on the live TV feed. The Spanish boat Bribón did not start after they suffered broken battens.
TP52 Series Race 5
Jochen Schuemann and the Franco-German team on Audi A1 Powered by All4One scored their first victory on the circuit after profiting early from the wind shift to the right, inshore on the first upwind leg. While they lead around the first windward mark of ahead of Artemis, Team Origin 1851 were able to make a big gain on the second beat on that side of the course which brought them on to Artemis stern as they rounded the final buoy.
While Artemis hung on longest, more offshore on the final run, it was a battle to the finish line between Audi A1 powered by All4One and Team Origin 1851, but the Franco-German crew just got the verdict by one single second, an incredibly close finish between two of the sport’s most accomplished modern day Olympic sailors.
The young team are back
The lack of participation in yesterday’s practice race did not seem to hurt the young Canarias team on Puerto Calero, as they sailed cleanly into the lead in the season’s first two races for the GP42 Series.
The 2009 GP42 Series champions displayed their characteristic strategy, staying out of trouble but sailing fast to help them take and then maintain their leads in both races.
“Except for the last start, I think we sailed flawlessly today,” said skipper Jose Maria Ponce. “I’m very happy with the team, I didn’t expect to do so well so early in the event. Our tactician Gustavo Martinez was right on top of the difficult conditions we had today.”
On his first day of Audi MedCup sailing, John Bassadone, owner/skipper os Peninsula Petroleum: “I have no words, it was so great. A mixture of excitement and anxiety, today was fantastic. The boats, the class, the competition, the race courses – all great. I can’t wait until tomorrow!”.
TP52 Series
1. Team Origin, 4-9-2-4-2. pt. 21
2. Emirates Team New Zealand, 6-11-1-1-4, pt. 23
3. Synergy, 8-1-6-3-5, pt. 23
4. Quantum Racing, 1-5-8-2-10, pt. 26
5. Audi A1 powered by All4One, 9-7-4-6-1, pt. 27
…
GP42 Series
1. Puerto Calero, 1-1, pt. 2
2. Madrid-Caser Seguros, 3-2, pt. 5
3. Iberdrola, 2-5, pt. 7
4. Peninsula Petroleum, 4-3, pt. 7
5. Airisessential, 5-4, pt. 9
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