TP52 World Championship – Palma di Maiorca – Vento che viene, vento che va e i TP52 lì fermi ad aspettare. Vento che torna e flotta che prende il largo, iniziando la costiera in programma per questo penultimo giorno di regate valide per il Mondiale TP52. Ma Palma ha voglia di fare i capricci e dopo nemmeno un’ora di regata arriva la decisione che tutti più o meno aspettano. Il Comitato, infatti, invita gli equipaggi a tornare in porto, con un niente di fatto e la classifica immutata.
Così è, almeno per un paio d’ore. Una volta in banchina, Matador è davanti ai giudici per ridiscutere la protesta che lo ha visto squalificato dalla seconda prova. Gli argomenti degli uomini di Franceso Bruni sono evidetemente validi: la barca argentina viene riammessa e classificata quarta. Una decisione che da un nuovo volto alla classifica. Dietro a Bribon, confermato leader con 15 punti, 4 di vantaggio su chi segue, si assesta proprio la barca di Alberto Roemmers che solo ieri era fuori dai primi 5. Alla pari con Matador si conferma Quantum Racing, secondo sino a questa mattina, mentre Artemis è, almeno per ora, fuori dalle piazze che contano, a quota 22 in compagnia di Synergy. La decisione della Giuria ha tra le altre cose provocato la discesa di Audi TP52 Powered by Q8 dal quinto al sesto posto.
Domani, con una situazione aperta a ogni possibile risultato, si dovrebbero svolgere le ultime prove di un Mondiale che certo non può dire di aver trovato il favore delle condizioni meteo.
TP52 World Championship 2009
1. Bribón, G.Araujo, 7-2-2-3-1, pt. 15
2. Matador, A.Roemmers, 3-4-8-1-3, pt. 19
3. Quantum Racing, T.Hutchinson, 5-1-3-6-4, pt. 19
4. Artemis, T.Tornqvist, 8-3-1-2-8, pt. 22
5. Synergy, S.Pichugin, 2-4-7-7-2, pt. 22
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[flashvideo filename=video/tp52/TP52World09_day3.flv /]
Video courtesy TP52 World Championship.
A FITTING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN AWAITS THE MAN IN WHITE
[TP52 World Championship] A frustrating attempt at a coastal race in very unsettled wind conditions was abandoned after seven miles and one hour and ten minutes of often heart-stopping racing to leave Bribón’s four points lead at the top of the ten boat TP52 World Championship fleet going into the final day of racing.
While Bribón’s leading margin remains unchanged after today’s ‘non-race’, the day’s big move is that Matador are now in second place overall after their fourth place from Race 2 was re-instated today by the International Jury. The protest which concerned the first windward mark of Race 2 of the series, has now been dismissed.
This puts the Copa del Rey champions, Matador, on equal on points with Quantum Racing who dropped to third only on tie break.
For the record it was Quantum Racing, the current world champions, who stayed just one step ahead of both the small changes and the very big wind shifts to earn a lead of more than one minute during today’s abandoned effort.
The 10 knots NE’ly breeze which the fleet started in was summarily replaced half way down the first run by a breeze from the exact opposite direction. By the time Quantum Racing reached a windward mark off Enterrocat, on the east side of Palma Bay, the race committee decided that the race needed to be abandoned because the breeze on the next leg had dropped to 2-3 knots.
A new schedule has been drawn for the final day, bringing forward the scheduled start of the first race to 11.00 (local), to try and maximise the number of races completed before the 15.30 time limit after which no sequence can start.
Now, the local favourites Bribón have two contenders, Matador and Quantum Racing chasing them just four points behind, and Artemis – the 2007 world title winners only seven points, and Synergy only eight points behind going into a finale which could see three races.
And while the Bribón team, which is the championship’s only one sailing under Spanish colours, have been within their three year old boat’s preferred sub 10 knots conditions and flat water thus far, more breeze, from the northerly quadrant – blowing offshore – is predicted.
TP52 World Championship 2009
1. Bribón, G.Araujo, 7-2-2-3-1, pt. 15
2. Matador, A.Roemmers, 3-4-8-1-3, pt. 19
3. Quantum Racing, T.Hutchinson, 5-1-3-6-4, pt. 19
4. Artemis, T.Tornqvist, 8-3-1-2-8, pt. 22
5. Synergy, S.Pichugin, 2-4-7-7-2, pt. 22
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