RC44 Championship Tour, il solito Team Aqua
RC44Vela 12 Luglio 2009 Zerogradinord 0
Malcesine RC44 Cup – Malcesine – Peler teso la matttina, Ora fresca il pomeriggio. e sopra la testa un sole caldo e splendente. Condizioni meteo invidiabili, che hanno permesso al Comitato di Regata dell’RC44 Malcesine Cup di portare a termine ben quattro regate nel corso di una sola giornata: la lunga, valida per il Trofeo DHL, nelle primissime ore del giorno, le restanti a scambio termico avvenuto.
Regate molto combattute, nel corso delle quali non sono mancate collisioni, proteste e incroci al limite del regolamento. Quattro prove che hanno visto il leader della prima ora, Team Sea Dubai, perdere terreno e avanzare i soliti noti, a partire da Team Aqua, leader del circuito e ora anche dell’RC44 Malcesine Cup. Lo scafo di Chris Bake conduce infatti con 5 punti di margine su No Way Back di Pieter Heerema, e con 6 sulla coppia composta da Artemis, ieri vincitire di 2 manche, e BMW Oracle Racing.
Il verdetto finale giungerà oggi, con la disputa delle ultime prove di flotte.
Fleet Race, results after 2 races:
1. Team Aqua, Chris Bake, 2, 5, 6, 1, 5, 2 – 21 points
2. No Way Back, Pieter Heerema, 7, 3, 2, 4, 7, 3 – 26 points
3. Artemis, Torbjorn Tornqvist, 1, 9, 10, 5, 1, 1 – 27 points
3. BMW Oracle Racing, Larry Ellison, 6, 2, 4, 8, 3, 4 – 27 points
5. Ceeref, Igor Lah, 3, 4, 12, 7, 4, 5 – 35 points
followed by 5 teams
[flashvideo filename=video/rc44/RC44_Malcesine09_day3.flv /]
Video courtesy RC44.
MALCESINE RC44 CUP, CHRIS BAKE’S TEAM AQUA TAKES THE LEAD AFTER A FANTASTIC DAY ON LAKE GARDA
[RC44 Championship Tour Press Release] The DHL coastal race took place early this morning and was definitely the highlight of the event so far. Indeed, the regatta took place in the best conditions Lake Garda can offer, with 20 knots of wind and a stunning sunshine. Three more fleet regattas got completed in the afternoon in winds ranging from 10 to 20 knots: champagne sailing!
Most teams decided to start the DHL Trophy at the pin end of the line, which resulted in a big jam. Coming from behind, Maciej Nawrocki’ Organika tried to squeeze in whilst Islas Canarias Puerto Calero – struggling to make it to the line – was pushing up the boats to windward as much as possible, until the Jury decided that it was too much. Both the Spaniards and Team Aqua got an immediate penalty and started the race last, letting Team No Way Back and Team Austria sail away after a conservative start in the middle of the line.
The windward mark rounding meant the beginning of a formidable spinnaker ride towards Campione, on the other side of the lake and a long way to leeward. Always at ease in those conditions, Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts’ BMW Oracle Racing literally flew across the lake, overtaking Team Austria in a cloud of spray. The five leading boats rounded the leeward mark without trouble, but things got a bit more complicated behind. Artemis was getting ready to round in sixth when Organika judged that there was enough space between them and the mark; in fact there wasn’t and there was no overlap at the three boat lengths circle either! Organika crashed into Artemis’s stern, just before being crashed into by Team Sea Dubai. Organika got three points penalty for this incident (2 points for the contact and one for the damage) whilst Team Sea Dubai got four: the Jury considered that the team from the UAE could have avoided this collision and therefore added one extra penalty point.
Team No Way Back controlled the situation perfectly until the arrival line, which it crossed ahead of BMW Oracle Racing and Team Aqua, who had just made a fantastic come-back. Team Austria crossed the line in fourth after an excellent regatta; this is their best result since they have joined the RC 44 Class; it proves how much progress they have made in four months.
Lunch break – and the usual wind change that takes place at this time – allowed the Class’ technical team to change Team Sea Dubai’s bow and Organika’s bow and stern on time for the afternoon races. The repair was routine work for Pauger’s team thanks to the boat’s removable bow and stern; no other boats in any other Class could have carried on racing after such a collision.
Three fantastic races took place in the afternoon. Thanks to a 1, 5, 2 score, Chris Bake and his Team Aqua take the provisional lead of the event ahead of Pieter Heerema’s No Way Back (4, 7, 3). Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle Racing (8, 3, 4) and Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis (5, 1, 1) are on a tie for third.
The racing has definitely been very tough for everyone in the afternoon, with the boats separated by a few seconds on the arrival line. Most teams have had their moment of glory today. For example, Team Austria has on numerous occasions sailed in the first half of the fleet and seriously challenged the usual leaders. Frank Pong’s Jelik has also been in touch with the fleet and fought hard all day despite the team’s lack of experience in this Class. Organika lead most of the first race of the afternoon – just after their boat had been splashed back with a new bow & stern. Last but not least, Team Sea Dubai got two fantastic second places this afternoon. Further to the team’s victory yesterday, Team Sea Dubai confirms that it has become a serious contender for victory.
With six points between the race leader Team Aqua and the joint-fourth placed BMW Oracle Racing and Artemis, everything remains possible. The weather forecast for tomorrow is excellent!
Fleet Race, results after 2 races:
1. Team Aqua, Chris Bake, 2, 5, 6, 1, 5, 2 – 21 points
2. No Way Back, Pieter Heerema, 7, 3, 2, 4, 7, 3 – 26 points
3. Artemis, Torbjorn Tornqvist, 1, 9, 10, 5, 1, 1 – 27 points
3. BMW Oracle Racing, Larry Ellison, 6, 2, 4, 8, 3, 4 – 27 points
5. Ceeref, Igor Lah, 3, 4, 12, 7, 4, 5 – 35 points
followed by 5 teams
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