GP42 Global Cup – Puerto Calero – Dopo giorni di allenamento, gli 8 GP42 presenti a Puerto Calero per dare vita alla Global Cup 2009 hanno scaldato i motori oggi pomeriggio in occasione della practice race, primo atto ufficiale dell’evento. Una regata caratterizzata da condizioni meteo decisamente ottimali – vento da est-sudest di circa 10 nodi, mare calmo e sole splendente – e da un diffuso nervosismo, che ha portato diversi equipaggi a tagliare la linea di partenza in netto anticipo.
Per tutti l’occasione di testare le vele nuove, risparmiate proprio in vista di questo appuntamento, e per qualcuno l’occasione di toccare con mano i frutti di interventi più importanti, come nel caso di Airis di Roberto Monti, in regata con un bulbo nuovo di zecca. Altri, nella fattispecie gli svedesi di Team Nordic, la chiglia dovevano ancora finire di montarla e per questo, seguendo il consiglio di Magnus Olsson, hanno dato forfait, rinviando a domani l’appuntamento con il resto della flotta.
Chi invece ha risposto alla chiamata di Peter Reggio non è certo rimasto deluso: i portoghesi di Quebramar Xacobeo 2010, ad esempio, si sono cavati la soddisfazione del successo, mentre Islas Canarias Puerto Calero si è confermato velocissimo, chiudendo al secondo posto. Giornata positiva anche per Roma 2 di Paolo Cian, capace di rimontare svariate posizioni e finire terzo dopo aver scontato una penalità rimediata in partenza.
Se le condizioni si confermeranno simili a quelle odierne, la GP42 Global Cup avrà ufficialmente inizio domani alle ore 12.00. Il programma prevede lo svolgimento di 3 manche.
GP42 Global Cup
1. Quebramar Xacobeo 2010, F.Regojo
2. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero, J.Ponce, +2:11
3. Roma 2, P.Cian, +2:24
4. Turismo Madrid, J.Van der Ploeg, +2:24
5. Península Petroleum, J.Bassadone, +2:36
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[flashvideo filename=video/gp42/GP42Globa09_presentazione.flv /]
Video courtesy GP42 Global Cup.
READY AND RARING TO GO
[GP42 Global Cup Press Release] After a few days of preparation and measuring, today’s practice race was a great opportunity for teams to put themselves to the test in mock battle, especially in the five pre-starts Principal Race Officer, Peter “Luigi” Reggio and his race management team provided for the fleet. In these it was apparent some teams were pushing hard to test themselves and the race committee, most notably Caser-Endesa who was called OCS more often than not, though it was Roberto Monti’s Airis that got that on their scorecard when it counted in the one practice race of the day.
Conditions for today’s practice racing were perfect for old and new teams alike: a gentle 8-10 knot east-southeast breeze allowed for close maneuvers in the practice starts to test their skills at positioning and timing, and the 1.3-mile legs were long enough to shift gears, play a few shifts, and gauge each other’s speed potential for the upcoming week. Most teams have saved their last new sail slots for use here, but there are also other upgrades: Monti and his team, for example, will be looking closely at how their brand new keel with its longer thinner bulb will be helping enhance their upwind pace.
One team – Team Nordic – had to sit out the fun while making a few final tweaks to their new keel installation job on the Cognit-designed Totalboats before launching this afternoon. The team, led by skipper Magnus Olsson, spent many months here training up prior to the last Volvo Ocean Race.
In theory, the three new teams here would seem to be playing catch-up with the seasoned Audi MedCup teams, but in the lead from nearly the start to the finish was Gonçalo Esteves’ Quebramar – Xacobeo 2010, who for a time was being chased hard by another new team, John Basadone’s Peninsula Petroleum. But Audi MedCup runner-up Roma 2, led by skipper Paolo Cian, recovered from a penalty turn at the start to grind down the Gibraltareans on the final run to the finish, not quite in time to catch the local Islas Canarias Puerto Calero team who finished second.
“We did four good starts, the crews were all pretty nervous,” said Felipe Regojo, helmsman of Quebramar Xacobeo 2010, “and several of the boats were over the line, whereas all our starts were clear, which was decisive. We chose the left hand side of the race area, along the coast where we saw more pressure, sailed almost until the layline, and then tacked and crossed with a nice lead. In the run we also chose the coast, which payed off as well. But in the last run the breeze shifted right and so we gybed early to the sea side, and lost some ground to the runner-up.”
If conditions permit, three races will be held tomorrow starting at 12.00 local time.
GP42 Global Cup
1. Quebramar Xacobeo 2010, F.Regojo
2. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero, J.Ponce, +2:11
3. Roma 2, P.Cian, +2:24
4. Turismo Madrid, J.Van der Ploeg, +2:24
5. Península Petroleum, J.Bassadone, +2:36
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