TP52 Worlds, Quantum Racing a un passo dal paradiso
Desafio EspanolTP52Vela 24 Ottobre 2008 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic=617,250,170,,left] TP52 World Championship – Puerto Calero – Un giorno alla fine del TP52 World Championship Islas Canarias Puerto Calero e i giochi paiono aver preso una piega ormai definitiva. Anche oggi, fronteggiando una situazione meteo impegnativa ma tutto sommato gestibile, Quantum Racing (oggi 1-3) ha recitato la parte del protagonista, rafforzando la propria leadership e lasciando agli avversari ben poco da spartire. Avversari che, guidati da un volitivo Mutua Madrilena (6-5), hanno tenuto il campo con ordine, onorando l’evento con l’approccio di chi sa di non dover mai mollare.
Del resto gli uomini di Vasco Vascotto, straordinari interpreti della seconda giornata, al termine della quale si sono ritrovati a guidare la classifica provvisoria, hanno fatto meglio di quanto visto durante le regate costiere, incassando un sesto e un quinto, piazzamenti che gli hanno permesso di difendere la piazza d’onore dagli assalti di Artemis (11-1), oggi a mezzo servizio dopo la batosta di ieri.
A conti fatti, l’unico che può ancora sperare di salire sul podio è Platoon, quarto davanti a Matador e El Desafio a meno di sei punti dal terzo.
Sentito in banchina:
Vasco Vascotto, skipper di Mutua Madrilena: “Nella prima regata non siamo riusciti ad entrare nel primo salto di vento ma siamo comunque rientrati bene in regata. Nella seconda siamo partiti in pin e per buona parte della bolina eravamo in testa, poi nella seconda parte di regata, una virata mure a dritta mure a sinistra di Bribon ci ha condannato al passagio in boa. Il campo di regata ha sempre favorito la sinistra, concedendo una tregua solo nell’ultima parte, non ci lamentiamo della prestazione odierna, facendo la media punti di giornata siamo stati comunque i secondi”.
Per seguire le regate in diretta clicca qui.
Per consultare la classifica clicca qui.
[flashvideo filename=video/tp52/TP52World08_quartogiorno.flv /]
Il quarto giorno di regate. Video courtesy TP52 World Championship.
Quantum Racing consolidates leadership
[TP52 World Championship Press Release] Two more windward/leeward races were sailed today and two more opportunities for Terry Hutchinson and Quantum Racing to show their excellent tactics, crew work and boat speed. Showing great consistency, the American boat has consolidated its leadership, building a healthy 15-point advantage over second-placed Mutua Madrileña. In fact, Quantum has won two races out of 9 but has never finished worse than 6th. With two more races scheduled for the final day, Vasco Vascotto will have to race to perfection in order to have a chance in winning the championship.
The first race started after a 30-minute postponement, the time necessary for the breeze to get as stable as possible. Quantum had a clean start and opted for the left side of course, together with Audi TP52 Powered by Q8, Platoon, Bigamist and Matador. The first beat finished with Quantum in the lead, while Audi TP52 Powered by Q8 and Platoon rounded 2nd and 3rd respectively. At the leeward gate Platoon was now in front of Audi TP52 Powered by Q8 and the shifty conditions forced the race committee to do a 15-degree change course. The left had once again paid and the leading three would keep their spots till the 2nd top mark. The last leg was a great one for Bigamist, the oldest boat in Puerto Calero. Showing no nerves and full confidence, Hugo Rocha called tactics in a spotless way and after having climbed several spots, overtook Audi TP52 Powered by Q8 and finished 3rd, behind Quantum and Platoon.
In the 5-leg second race, Artemis, the reigning champion prevailed from start to finish. Russell Coutts was spot on in his calls and played the shifts correctly, unlike the previous race where they finished 11th. The real movement and action was taking place right behind them for second and third place. It could have been a straightforward issue between Bribón and Mutua Madrileña, both trading places on and off, but once again the American steam-train “Quantum Express” spoiled the party for Vasco Vascotto. After missing the first couple of shifts and rounding the first leeward gate 6th, good calls and boatspeed allowed Quantum to start the last leg in 4th place. That’s where Francesco Bruni probably made the worst call with the fleet opting for the right and Mutua Madrileña for the left. The hoped-for left shift didn’t materialize and Quantum grabbed 3rd place, behind Artemis and Bribón, while Cristabella stole 4th place from the Italians. With this victory Artemis is closer to securing 3rd overall, especially after Platoon finished 11th, following a penalty for a port-starboard incident with Desafío halfway up the first leg.
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