Congressional Cup, Richard, Bruni e Williams partono forte
EnglishMatch RaceVela 23 Marzo 2011 Zerogradinord 0
Long Beach – Condizioni meteo ideali hanno reso particolarmente interessante il primo giorno di regate valide per la Congressional Cup, evento di match race tra i più prestigiosi della stagione agonistica. Sfruttando il vento compreso tra i 12 e i 15 nodi il Comitato di Regata ha infatti mandato in archivio un buon numero di match – sei voli completati per un totale di trenta regate – e a fine giornata si è ritrovato con una classifica provvisoria piuttosto definita. A guidarla, con uno score di sei vittorie e nessuna sconfitta, sono i favoriti della vigilia: Mathieu Richard, Ian Williams e il campione uscente, Francesco Bruni.
Un lavoro pulito, quello svolto dai leader, specie se valutato alla luce delle ventitre penalità inflitte nel corso della giornata dagli umpire, cui è toccato anche l’impiego della bandiera nera nei confronti di Dave Perry, squalificato nel corso del match contro il due volte campione iridato, Ian Williams, numero cinque della ranking list mondiale.
Il ritmo forsennato tenuto dai battistrada ha generato un gap non indifferente nei confronti degli inseguitori, già staccati di un minimo di tre lunghezze. Johnie Berntsson, vincitore dell’evento nel 2009 ai danni di Francesco Bruni, occupa infatti il quarto posto con uno score di tre vittorie e tre sconfitte.
Tutto sommato positivo il debutto di Simone Ferrarese che, dopo quattro sconfitte consecutive patite per mano di Berntsson, Neugodnikov, Bruni e Richard, si è ripreso e ha raccolto due punti superando il giovane talento Phil Robertson e Staffan Lindberg.
Le regate riprenderanno nella tarda mattinata californiana – il tardo pomeriggio europeo – e potranno essere seguite in diretta streaming tramite la home page di Zerogradinord.it.
Congressional Cup, day 1
1. Mathieu Richard, 6-0
2. Francesco Bruni, 6-0
3. Ian Williams, 6-0
4. Johnie Berntsson, 3-3
5. Dave Perry, 3-3
…
Per consultare i risultati clicca qui.
CONGRESSIONAL CUP, RICHARD, BRUNI AND WILLIAMS SHARE A FLAG-WAVING DAY 1 LEAD
[Source Congressional Cup] As Ian Williams of Great Britain steered his Catalina 37 past the transom of Long Beach Yacht Club’s new race committee boat during a pre-start sequence on Day 1 of the 47th Congressional Cup Tuesday he noticed the principal race officer tending the barbecue.
“How about a couple of burgers?” Williams asked Randy Smith.
He didn’t get any snacks but he did fill his racing plate with a half-dozen wins to share first place with two other former winners, Francesco Bruni and Mathieu Richard, all of scored 6-0 records in sidestepping harm from the flurry of 23 penalties inflicted by the on-water umpires.
Based on the average, the number suggests that twice as many ‘Y’ flag protests were not allowed, but those allowed included one black flag, the ultimate blow calling for immediate disqualification, usually for failing to execute a penalty turn promptly enough to satisfy the umps.
That one caught Dave Perry, the U.S. entry, near the end of his match against Williams at day’s end. Perry is generally regarded as the foremost racing rules authority in the country, as well as a veteran match racing veteran and winner of back-to-back Congressional Cups in 1983 and ’84, a resume noted by another former winner, Sweden’s Johnie Berntsson, one of his rivals here.
“I should take him to a rules seminar,” Berntsson said, smiling.
On his part, Berntsson (3-3) was tied for fourth place with, uh, Perry. They are scheduled to meet today when the fleet completes the first of two round-robins leading to the weekend’s sailoffs.
The racing conditions were ideal, starting before noon at 5 knots from the south but quickly shifting to 12 and ultimately a chilling 15 from the southwest source of Long Beach’s notorious sea breeze funneling down the San Pedro Channel between Santa Catalina Island and the mainland.
Richard said, “We had to fight hard for some of [the wins], but it was a very good day.”
Bruni: “My crew did a very good job, especially when my starts weren’t so good.”
Ironically, Williams spent his practice time Monday against Perry, noting, “He’s a good guy to practice against because he puts you in a lot of unusual situations.”
Racing continues Tuesday sometime after 11.30 a.m. The race course is off the end of Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier in east Long Beach, well inside the breakwater of the outer Long Beach Harbor. There is public parking at the base of the pier and free shuttles out to the end, where there is expert commentary, limited seating, a snack bar, restaurant and comfort stations.
The total purse is $40,000, with $10,000 for the winner.
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