Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, guida Transfusion ma Nerone è terzo
Farr 40MonotipiaVela 22 Aprile 2010 Zerogradinord 0
Rolex Farr 40 World Championship – Casa de Campo – La prima giornata del Rolex Farr 40 World Championship va in scena in leggero ritardo, il clima di vacanza che si respirava fino a ieri è letteralmente scomparso sulle banchine del Marina di Casa de Campo. Ray Davies, Hamish Pepper, Vasco Vascotto, Tony Rae, Ian Walker, Terry Hutchinson, sembra di leggere la crew list di un team di America’s Cup.
Raggiunto il campo di regata, parte ufficialmente in mondiale. Nerone ha nelle scotte la potenzialità per far bene, parte alla grande, il ritmo è quello giusto. Davanti l’australiano Transfusion di Guido Belgiorno domina senza possibilità di rimonta, seconda piazza proprio per Nerone, con un Vasco Vascotto in sintonia con Alberto Signorini, chimato a sostituire il convalescente Antonio Sodo Migliori, e terza piazza per Plenty di Alex Roepers.
Seconda prova: Nerone parte con la marcia giusta, ma un dubbio assale l’equipaggio di ITA-1972, rientra “dal via” senza aspettare la x, che non arriva, un partenza ripetuta senza motivo, la salita è iniziata. Il primo bordo è faticoso, c’è voglia di rimontare. Transfusion pesca ancora il jolly e va a vincere davanti a Estate Master che aveva vinto il pre-worlds nel week end. Terza piazza per Barking Mad, si rivede quindi il campione del mondo in carica. In rimonta, Nerone, finisce quinto.
Terza ed ultima prova di giornata: se vai dalla parte giusta guardati intorno. Proprio così, l’ora tarda rallenta le voglie di Eolo e si fa in fretta a finire in un buco di vento. Barking Mad mette la marcia giusta e domina fino al traguardo, Goombay Smash si affaccia al secondo posto di manche e Tranfusion chiude la giornata in bellezza. Nerone di Massimo Mezzaroma chiude quinto, dopo avere controllato la terza posizione per tre quarti di regata.
La classifica mette in evidenza uno stato di forma incredibile per Transfusion, seconda piazza per il campione in carica, terzo Nerone è lì, pronto a rifarsi, pronto a dare il massimo. In quarta posizione Fiamma di Alessandro Barnaba è già staccato di dodici punti dalla vetta.
“Abbiamo lasciato qualche punto per strada – commenta non pienamente soddisfatto Vasco Vascotto, tattico di Nerone – nella seconda prova, pensavamo di essere in anticipo e siamo rientrati, non era così e abbiamo perso terreno, anche se siamo riusciti a risalire. Nella terza prova il vento è calato, tre prove, terza piazza, soddisfatti in parte”.
Classifica provvisoria
1. Transfusion, 1-1-3, pt. 5
2. Barking Mad, 4-3-1, pt. 8
3. Nerone, 2-5-5, pt. 12
4. Fiamma, 5-6-6, pt. 17
5. Goombay Smash, 8-8-2, pt. 18
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Per consultare la classifica clicca qui.
ROLEX FARR 40 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, HOT! HOT! HOT!
[Rolex Farr 40 World Championship Press Release] For the teams competing at the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds in the Dominican Republic, it was a long, hot morning waiting dockside at the Casa de Campo Marina for the breeze to fill in. PRO Peter Reggio postponed the 11am start and kept the fleet dockside where they could find shade and stay hydrated. After an hour and a half delay, the fleet was sent out to the race area just a mile out from the marina entrance and racing was underway by 1pm. But the tropical Caribbean – temperatures in the 900F and high humidity – tested crewmembers’ concentration and focus.
The SSW breeze was light at 6-8 knots for the first race. The race committee sent the fleet on a 1.7 nautical mile W-L-W-L course. Transfusion led the pack down the line on starboard and was at the pin end at the gun.
Owner/helmsman, Guido Belgiorno-Nettis said, “We decided we wanted to go conservative at the start – we got ourselves a nice little lane, and we had a good start. And then the boat was fast and we just kept out of trouble, but Tom Slingsby must have felt it was just worth staying were we were — we didn’t do many tacks, and we got to the top mark first. Then we just kept that gap all the way. Very light, very challenging conditions…very exhausting, I’ve got to say it was really hard work.
“I think the first race was very nice, it was very satisfying, particularly with the Pre-Worlds result for us (Transfusion finished 10th). It was nice to come back and get a first in the first race and keep the good result going.”
For the second race, the race committee reset the starting line to the west and sent competitors on the same course as the breeze increased slightly up to 12 knots. The fleet was even more tightly packed and hard by the pin end of the start line, Massimo Mezzaroma’s Nerone was very close to being over early. Clearly they thought they were, though there was no flag or call from the RC boat, and after a boat length, Nerone turned around, sailed back and recrossed the start line. But the team was impressive as they clawed back from last place to finish in 5th place.
A frustrated Vasco Vascotto, Nerone’s tactician said, “We were supposed to be over the line, and we came back (to restart). It was a big present to everyone. We have an opportunity to do better – we made a present of four points today, I hope it is enough for the competitors!”
Alex Roepers’ Plenty, overlapped and to windward of Lisa & Martin Hill’s Estate Master, tacked away for clear air and went to the right side of the course. Transfusion, midway down the start line was in clear air and stayed left up the first beat, slowly working they way through the fleet. At the top mark they were in third place and from there worked up to second at the leeward mark and by the windward mark the second time, they were in the lead, which they held to the finish.
The breeze dropped back to 6-8 knots for the third and final race of the day. At the start, it was Doug Douglass’ Goombay Smash at the pin end leading Estate Master, with Transfusion and Wolfgang Schaefer’s Struntje Light on their hip. Goombay Smash led the fleet all the way around the course and down the last leg they were under attack from Barking Mad.
Jim Richardson, Barking Mad owner-helmsman said, “The wind had lightened up a bit, and when you’re out in the heat all day and it’s light, it’s hard to concentrate. People get cranky on the boat, and people get cranky on other boats. But I thought our crew did a really good job of sailing in those conditions and everyone kept their focus. We realized how difficult it is to sail in those conditions, so factoring all that we were pretty pleased.”
Barking Mad was second around the first mark and second around the leeward gate – they rounded the left gate, while Goombay Smash and Nerone went for the right hand gate. Heading downwind to the finish, Barking Mad started to reel in Goombay Smash, and Richardson said, “It’s hard to defend downwind in light air, and we got inside of them a little bit and we had a little bit of pressure. We were quite a distance away from them, but we were on their air.” The finish was looking to be too close to call until Barking Mad got into a bit more pressure and they crossed the finish line just ahead of Goombay Smash.
Today was the Casa de Campo Race Day. Day One’s overall leaders after three races – Transfusion, Barking Mad, Nerone – were presented with Farr 40 boat models built by Abordage. The company, based in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, has been proudly producing beautifully hand-crafted ship models since 1989.
Ranking after three races
1. Transfusion, 1-1-3, pt. 5
2. Barking Mad, 4-3-1, pt. 8
3. Nerone, 2-5-5, pt. 12
4. Fiamma, 5-6-6, pt. 17
5. Goombay Smash, 8-8-2, pt. 18
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